“I am a Polish researcher who made his career in Chicago. Today, I am launching my startup here in Poland” – declared dr. Kris Siemionow, chief surgeon of the spine surgery at the Illinois University in Chicago, who moves his project of augmented reality for surgeons from the USA to Poland. „My friends who carry out research projects abroad should consider Poland as a perfect place to continue their career – there has never been so good conditions for high-tech development before” – adds Siemionow.

October 30^th-31^st, 2015: it is a date worth noting down by every researcher, doctor or PhD student running scientific research projects. In Cambridge takes place an international conference “Science: Polish Perspectives” (SPP). Its goal is broadly defined as science popularization, exchange of thoughts and concepts as well as strengthening cooperation between Polish researchers working in different countries.

This year’s edition is exceptionally attractive – Startup Hub Poland Foundation has been invited to become the conference’s key partner. Together with SPP, Startup Hub Poland organizes a contest for the best and the most innovative high-tech projects run by Polish inventors and researchers from around the world. Startup HUB Poland for 4 years works for the benefit of Polish science diaspora and promotes growth opportunities in Poland. “Since the time when many Polish young scientists had left Poland, the Polish startup scene and venture capital market have changed dramatically. Nowadays, we have the world-class infrastructure, investors eager to take big risks and a very big appetite for building high-tech hub here in Poland” – says Marek Borzestowski, SHP Foundation co-founder, who himself has translated scientific experience into a business project, Wirtualna Polska, an Internet company that subsequently has had an IPO on the Stock Exchange.

This startup contest’s prize is a preincubation check for covering R&D project’s cost, which is funded by the StartVenture@Poland – a seed capital fund set up by the Startup Hub Poland Foundation and the National Research and Development Centre, in cooperation with an international, high-tech focused venture capital fund – Giza Polish Ventures. The R&D costs include i.a. direct project costs, business model and commercialization strategy, intellectual property protection, but also specification of its main risks. The value of preincubation check can reach PLN 30.000 and the plan is to prepare the project for an investment of several millions in the following funding phases. The goal is to work with investment experts from the very beginning and to encourage scientists to develop their business projects, supported by potentially large capital investment, as to enable a true global growth.

But it is not the end of good news! The number of finalists IS NOT LIMITED! The foundation expects high number of projects eager to take part in the contest and that is why preincubation and further investment can be granted to a larger number of project teams. The finalists will get a chance to present their projects during official gala at the conference “Science: Polish Perspectives”.

It will be already 4^th edition of the Cambridge conference. The contest answers the need of showing the appreciation for the Polish science implementation areas. “The commercialization of technology through a company registered in Poland can appear to be a good strategy: the flow of EU grants is going to reinforce scientific efforts in Poland. For startups, it is important to have an access to highly qualified specialists, and the overall costs are lower in Poland than in the most of EU member countries.” – adds dr. Siemionow.

The application opened on 10^th of September and lasts till the end of the month. Teams can apply through the Foundation website www.startuphub.pl/contest. Contest’s results will be known by October 15^th, 2015.

More information about conference Science: Polish Perspectives you can find here: www.polishperspectives.org/