Selected tools for supporting start-ups in Poland

This article reviews regional and national initiatives which foster the growth of start-ups in Poland. It begins with an attempt to define a start-up company and outline the rationale for public and private support for innovative entrepreneurship. The second section contains six case studies of organisations based in Warsaw and Kraków which support start-ups at various stages of development. The main goal of this research is to broaden practical knowledge by examining the different tools, approaches, motivations, and roles played by selected stakeholders within the Polish start-up ecosystem. The research shows the changing landscape of the Polish start-up support scene, demonstrated by different approaches and institutional arrangements. It reveals an increase in the number of linkages to other countries, as well as the crucial role of entrepreneurial learning and mentoring. Additionally, the findings highlight challenges associated with the practice of collecting conclusive evidence of the effectiveness of start-up support programmes