Pitch Your Startup at WaysConf 2026
Ways Startup Awards is a competition for early-stage startups. Apply with a simple form, get selected for the final, and pitch live in front of a jury and 1,600+ professionals.
EXPERIENCE PARTNER
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A stage for startups, in front of the right audience
Early-stage startups pitch live during WaysConf 2026. The jury evaluates business potential, product innovation, and traction. Winners receive strategic, product, legal, promotional and mentoring support.
- July 1 – August 20
Apply
Short form + pitch deck + traction. ~5 minutes.
- by early September
Selection
Finalists invited to pitch live at WaysConf.
- September 16
Pitch at the final
Live on stage at Expo Kraków. Winners announced.
Why Apply
Pitching at Ways Startup Awards is more than a shot at the prizes — it's visibility, feedback and relationships that compound long after the conference ends.
Gain visibility in front of the WaysConf community
Present your startup to an audience of product, design, research, tech and business professionals who understand digital products and can become your users, clients, partners or supporters.
Validate your product with the right people
Get direct feedback from experienced practitioners, industry experts and potential customers who can help you improve your product, positioning and go-to-market direction.
Compete for valuable growth support
The awards include strategic, product, legal, promotional and mentoring support designed to help early-stage startups move faster and make better decisions.
Sharpen your pitch and business story
Taking part in the competition helps you clarify your value proposition, explain your product more clearly and prepare for conversations with investors, partners and customers.
Build credibility for your startup
Being selected for the showcase, pitching at WaysConf or winning an award can strengthen your brand and make it easier to open future conversations.
Connect with potential partners and mentors
The competition creates a space to meet people who can support your next steps, from product development and strategy to legal guidance, promotion and market access.
Open doors to new opportunities
Beyond the prizes, the competition can lead to new introductions, media visibility, event exposure and conversations that continue after the conference.
Who can apply
Early-stage startups building a digital or tech-enabled product
Registered companies
All industries welcome
Based in Małopolska — or doing business connected to the region
Małopolska Future Awards
The winning startups will receive support designed to help them grow with more clarity, confidence and visibility. The awards are built around the real needs of early-stage teams: sharpening strategy, improving the product, reaching the right audience, strengthening business foundations and opening doors to new partnerships. Beyond the prizes themselves, the competition gives startups a chance to gain recognition, receive expert feedback and connect with people who can support their next stage of growth.
Best Startup of the Showcase
Awarded to the strongest startup overall.
Invitation to Sebastian Kulczyk's InCredibles community
Strategic diagnosis by Louder & Higher
Promotion across official WaysConf social media channels
Legal services provided by the partner law firm
Strongest product potential
Given to the startup with the strongest product potential.
MVP workshop delivered by Personit
Strategic diagnosis by Louder & Higher
Most ready for market exposure
Recognizes the startup most ready for market exposure.
Booth at WaysConf 2027
Exhibit at Infoshare Conference 2027 with two conference tickets
Strategic diagnosis by Louder & Higher
Media patrons
Meet the organisations helping Ways Startup Awards reach founders and innovators across Poland and Europe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Invest in and grow your startup in Małopolska!
Supporting the creation of new businesses is an important part of the Małopolska Region’s work to develop the region. The Małopolska Region’s role is to create conditions in which businesses can be established and grow faster. It is also important for support to reach people who do not yet have a business but are considering starting one, as well as those who want to strengthen their business skills.
#StartUP Małopolska
#StartUP Małopolska is an incubation and acceleration programme for businesses from the region, delivered by the Małopolska Region since 2017. It operates through two separate pathways — an incubation programme and an acceleration programme — to support businesses at different stages of development.
The main objective of both programmes is to give businesses access to specialist services that can help them grow faster. By taking part in the incubation or acceleration programme, entrepreneurs also gain access to qualified mentors and experts, and develop knowledge and skills in areas that are crucial to the company’s further growth.
Recruitment for the 13th edition of the programme starts in autumn 2026!
#StartUP Małopolska supports businesses with strong potential to implement innovative solutions, operating in areas that are key to the region, including those focused on sustainable development and new technologies.
What businesses are we looking for?
- Businesses with their registered office or principal place of business in the Małopolska Region.
- Micro or small enterprises.
- Businesses operating for no more than 3 years for the incubation programme, or 5 years for the acceleration programme.
- Businesses operating in sectors aligned with Małopolska’s smart specialisations.
- Businesses whose activities are focused on the circular economy or Industry 4.0.
- For incubation: businesses that do not yet have a minimum viable product (MVP) and are ready to develop one during the programme.
- For acceleration: businesses that have an MVP and are ready for further rapid growth.
The programme gives businesses access to:
- Pre-incubation or pre-acceleration workshops, enabling a detailed assessment of the company’s needs and the identification of directions for its further development.
- Individual consultations with mentors — as many as 30 hours per company.
- Specialist workshops in areas that are crucial during the early stage of business activity, including sales, marketing and customer-needs research.
- Participation in the most important startup events in Poland and abroad.
- Specialist services tailored to the company’s needs, including essential R&D work and the development of sales or marketing strategies, worth PLN 10,000 for incubation or PLN 20,000 for acceleration.
Throughout their participation, businesses receive support from an incubation or acceleration manager who monitors their development and sets goals and key milestones.
To date, the Małopolska Region has delivered 12 editions, supporting 95 Małopolska startups.
Business Idea
Pomysł na biznes is an initiative launched by the Małopolska Region in 2025. Its purpose is to support business ideas from Małopolska residents who do not run a business but have an idea for one.
The offer includes:
- Workshops covering sales, marketing, presentation skills and customer-needs research.
- Individual mentoring — 8 hours per person.
- Support from an incubation manager.
- The opportunity to present the idea during Demo Day.
Main benefits for participants:
- Participation in a free training and mentoring programme.
- Practical knowledge of how to run and develop a business.
- Individual support from mentors and business experts.
- The opportunity to refine the idea and prepare it for launch.
- The opportunity to build valuable business relationships.
Małopolska — Where Technology Becomes Business
This Małopolska Region programme, delivered since 2013, supports the organisers of key startup events. They can obtain funding to run networking meetings, conferences and workshops. Events of this kind are important to the development of young innovative businesses because they make it easier to access knowledge and experts, and above all support relationship-building and networking with other participants in the startup ecosystem.
The programme is open to non-governmental organisations that organise technology and creative events and are active in the startup community. The events are intended for residents, entrepreneurs and anyone interested in business and skills development, as well as building new relationships.
Main benefits:
- For event organisers: the opportunity to deliver events on a larger scale and to a higher standard.
- For event participants: access to inspiring initiatives that provide opportunities to gain knowledge, build networks and collaborate with representatives of the innovation ecosystem.
- For the region: the opportunity to take an active role in activities undertaken by representatives of the startup community.
The programme has attracted very strong interest since its first edition. Between 2013 and 2025, the Małopolska Region supported a total of approximately 200 initiatives attended by approximately 130,000 people.
Global Entrepreneurship Week in Małopolska
Światowy Tydzień Przedsiębiorczości is a worldwide initiative designed to promote the idea of being entrepreneurial among young people. The Małopolska Region coordinates the initiative at regional level, with nearly 40 institutions involved in its delivery.
Światowy Tydzień Przedsiębiorczości w Małopolsce will take place from 16 to 22 November 2026.
The programme includes a wide range of activities, including training sessions, seminars, meetings with entrepreneurs, workshops, competitions and conferences.
Event topics include:
- How to get started in business.
- How to secure funding to launch and develop a business.
- Building your own brand.
- Attracting customers and building a network.
- Collaboration between science and business.
- Internationalising your own business.
Each year, the Małopolska events include Spotkanie Młodego Biznesu, during which experts explore important current topics related to business development.
Events are free of charge, but advance registration is required.
Hackathon for Małopolska
This is a two-day event during which participants create innovative solutions to real challenges facing Małopolska. The hackathon develops future skills, supports entrepreneurship and encourages the use of modern technologies to address social, economic and environmental challenges.
The event is intended for residents of the region, particularly students at Małopolska higher education institutions, startups, people with ideas, and anyone who wants to develop their skills and work with others to create innovative projects for Małopolska.
Main benefits for participants:
- Practical experience of working on real challenges.
- Development of entrepreneurship, creativity and teamwork skills.
- Support from experienced experts.
- The opportunity to build valuable relationships with businesses and institutions.
- An opportunity to develop innovative projects.
Business in Małopolska Centre
The Centre is a team of experts who support investors in developing their operations in Małopolska. It brings together three institutions: the Małopolska Region, Małopolska Agencja Rozwoju Regionalnego S.A. and Krakowski Park Technologiczny Sp. z o.o. — so that businesses in the region can grow faster and more effectively.
The Centre provides up-to-date information about the region’s economy, investment activity and exports. Its main role is to support both international and domestic investors interested in locating new investments in the Małopolska Region. Investor services primarily involve preparing an offer covering suggested investment locations, information on business operating conditions, labour costs, opportunities to recruit employees, and options for accessing public investment support.
The Centre also helps local companies expand into international markets. It offers comprehensive support — from market analysis and help with formalities to making connections with business partners.
All Centre services are free of charge.
The Centre is a regional Certified Partner of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency.
Małopolska Future Award
Recognizing an outstanding startup connected to Małopolska.
Ready to pitch your startup?
Applications close August 20. The form takes about 5 minutes.Looking to sponsor? Contact us →
