Check out also: Krakow IT Market Report 2023
There are at least 150 companies in Krakow that meet the criteria of a start-up. And Krakow holds the first place in Poland in terms of start-up funding over 10M PLN ($2.6M). Two factors explain this leading position in investments: First the existence of a truly connected start-up ecosystem, including incubators, mentors, investors, and organizations collaborating with start-ups, such as the Foundation Supporting #OMGKRK or the Krakow Technology Park. And second, the international exposure of the new ventures operating in Krakow, putting Krakow on the map together with key tech hubs such as London, Paris, and New-York.
There are three very specific areas where Krakow start-ups specialize.
These are the 15 most successful start-ups born in Krakow, ranked according to their respective Crunchbase ranking (CB ranking: Jan 2022). Together, these companies have raised over $400M in total funding since their creation. Although originally from Krakow, some start-ups such as Estimote, Kontakt.io or Silvair now have their headquarters located in the United States while continuing to run and grow they R&D centers in Krakow.
After browsing this ranking, make sure to check out the Krakow IT Market Report 2023 to learn more about Krakow’s tech ecosystem, key players and newcomers in 2022/2023, salary trends, cost information, business practices and expert opinions from 20+ tech leaders and ecosystem representatives.
Brainly is the place to learn, for students, by students. The world’s largest social learning network with 350 million unique users monthly.
brainly.com
Salesmanago operates a cloud-based online marketing automation platform used by over 10 000 customers in over 40 countries.
salesmanago.com
Synerise produces a Big Data and AI platform that allows users to process data in real time from various sources based on proprietary database systems and AI algorithms.
synerise.com
Kontakt.io builds secure and configurable beacon hardware and software to power competitive proximity-based solutions.
kontakt.io
Estimote is a technology start-up, building a sensor-based context and micro-location platform for mobile developers.
estimote.com
edrone is an autonomous e-commerce CRM platform that provides advanced marketing automation solutions.
edrone.me
Airly specializes in providing hyper-local data about air pollution. It empowers individuals and communities with knowledge about the air they breathe.
airly.eu
Talent Alpha is a human cloud platform that connects global enterprises with European software houses, offering tech talent as a service.
talent-alpha.com
Onteon is a software stack to orchestrate, scale, communicate and manage modern applications and legacy ones in an efficient and effortless way.
onteon.com
CallPage is an ICT SaaS company that converts website visitors into sales calls.
callpage.io
LiveKid is the most popular system for kindergartens and nurseries in the EU and includes tools for communication with parents, settlements and documentation.
livekid.com
HCM Deck empowers enterprise business and HR management to deliver employee development experience at scale, thanks to enterprise-grade solutions embedded into user management, roles, and permissions.
hcmdeck.com
Mobiltek is a software house specialized in online and mobile payments.
mobiltek.pl
Sinterit specializes in the development of SLS 3D printers.
sinterit.com
Silvair is a turnkey smart lighting platform enabling manufacturers to provide an enhanced lighting experience.
silvair.com
Zendesk Sell (formerly BASE) is a service-first CRM company that builds software designed to improve customer relationships.
zendesk.com/sell
The Krakow start-up ecosystem does not only consist of Polish start-ups, but also includes foreign businesses that have decided to set up offices in Krakow, such as Karhoo (Mobility / UK), Kitopi (Food Tech / United Arab Emirates) or Revolut (Fintech / UK). Why do foreign start-ups come to Krakow to set up tech teams? With its large IT talent pool of approximately 50 000 IT specialists and competitive salaries, Krakow offers foreign companies great potential for rapid scale up of their IT teams. Often, these companies decide to set up a subsidiary in Poland or opt for a Build Operate Transfer model (BOT) with a local partner.
Learn more about what foreign start-ups have achieved with their Krakow tech labs by downloading the Krakow IT Market Report 2023.
While a Polish-born company hasn’t yet made the unicorn list, the dynamic growth of companies like eObuwie (an online footwear retailer) and Docplanner (MedTech) suggests that we won’t have to wait too much longer. For now, Brainly (EdTech) is arguably the best bet for the title of first Krakow-born unicorn.
Despite the current lack of a Polish-born unicorn, the unicorn scene is well represented in Krakow, with ten such organizations currently operating in the city and tapping into the city’s pool of IT talent and expertise. 6 out of the 10 unicorns in Krakow are Fintech companies.
If you are looking for information about setting up your presence in Poland, download our Krakow IT Market Report 2023
If you are interested in alternatives to outsourcing, contact us at MOTIFE to learn more.
If you are looking for interesting job opportunities in tech companies in Krakow and remote, check out open roles at motife.com/jobs.
View all job offers
Download the report
Read the full client story