The first edition of the student innovation incubator INCUB4TE has come to a close. Over the past few months, the walls of the University of Economics in Katowice buzzed with entrepreneurial energy, which reached its peak during the final conference. It was there that 27 teams stood before the chance to forge student ideas into real business models under the guidance of experienced entrepreneurs.
Silesia has proven for years that it is one of the strongest innovation hubs in Poland. The INCUB4TE program became a catalyst, connecting academic creativity with harsh market realities. The program involved 61 determined individuals who worked on 27 projects involving new technologies, ecology, and business services.
The INCUB4TE Program Finale Took Place on April 21st
The final conference, held within the halls of the Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Katowicach, attracted nearly 50 guests, a significant portion of whom represented the business sector.
We wanted to create a place where ambitious students could meet entrepreneurs, clash their ideas with business reality, and create a network that will pay off for years to come, said the creators of INCUB4TE, Eryk Piszczek and Konrad Mały.
It was a time of intensive pitching, substantive discussions, and networking, which for many young creators became a gateway to further development. The event demonstrated that the participants' projects are not just unverified ideas, but well-thought-out and validated strategies capable of capturing the attention of experienced managers.
Meet the Winners of INCUB4TE 2026
The level of the final presentations was incredibly high, presenting the jury with a difficult choice. Ultimately, the awards went to the teams that best combined innovation with commercial potential.
- 1st Place: Mind Shift - Eryk Czekalski and Michał Piaskowski
- Mind Shift: Helping managers struggling with a lack of self-confidence build lasting leadership attitudes through VR sessions utilizing the Proteus effect and AI.
- 2nd Place: Systemy Opieki - Bartosz Wiera and Miłosz Łebecki
- Systemy Opieki: Supporting long-term care facilities in eliminating medication errors and documentation chaos through a SaaS platform with a full audit trail.
- 3rd Place: Wim-Tech - Wiktor Żydek and Michał Sobal
- Wim-Tech: Providing local SMEs in the GZM region with "Digital Peace" through subscription-based IT management, building automation, and private, secure AI systems.
- Distinctions: TryYourPath - Aleksandra Staszak and RemonTrust - Maciej Latko
- TryYourPath: Facilitating career path choices for young people through a platform offering real tasks from employers and professional mentoring.
- RemonTrust: A PropTech platform increasing the safety of home renovations thanks to an escrow payment system and AI-driven work progress verification.
The awards in the INCUB4TE program were designed as real support for project commercialization, rather than just symbolic recognition. The first-place winners received fast-track entry into the Smart Lab incubator, as well as a media publication on the Mobile Trends portal. A key element of support for the top three is private mentoring from market leaders: Michał Zwrytek and Kuba Nagórski—which will help them avoid common beginner mistakes. The package is rounded out by passes to the most important technology conferences in the country: AI<>BA, Mobile Trends 2027, and InfoShare, ensuring the finalists have a constant presence in the heart of the innovation ecosystem.
Mentors and Speakers of INCUB4TE 2026
The strength of the INCUB4TE 2026 program lied not only in the ambition of its participants but primarily in direct access to the knowledge of top-tier experts. Both the program and the conference were supported by practitioners who manage global brands, take companies public, and advise the largest market players on a daily basis.
- Dr. Neil Carruthers - CEO of Firestorm Strategies, former Director at Deloitte in Jordan, bringing an international perspective on business strategy to the program.
- Radek Paklikowski - Founder, CEO, and Business Angel; expert in capital raising and scaling, with 2 exits and 1 IPO to his credit.
- Michał Zwrytek - Co-Founder & Partner at Zwrytek, former Director at PwC, C-level executive in robotics and industrial automation.
- Łukasz Andrykowski - CEO & Co-Founder of Skill & Chill, supporting participants in the area of building sales in business.
Speakers at the final conference:
- Robert Orszulak - Founder of On Lemon – in the presentation "ON the road – how to build a brand," he explained the process of creating a strong brand identity, focusing on strategy, goal setting, and effective execution.
- Michał Zwrytek - Co-Founder & Partner of Zwyrtek Group – in the lecture "Born to be global," he shared practical tips on introducing Polish companies to foreign markets.
- Filip Nocek - Co-Founder of Tippin’ & Brands Foundation, Growth consultant at Ancy – in the topic "Is your brand lying?" He discussed the pitfalls associated with building trust and authenticity in customer communication
The Future of INCUB4TE
Students are the driving force of innovation. The mission of INCUB4TE is to give ambitious students the tools to build businesses that will contribute to the development of both the Śląsk region and the Państwo Polskie. Young innovators leave the incubator not only with diplomas but, above all, with the contacts and tools that will allow them to change the face of the modern economy. Future editions of the program will certainly continue this mission, building a strong startup ecosystem in the region.
Program Partners
The INCUB4TE initiative united key entities supporting innovation in Śląsk and Polska.
Strategic Partners:
- Rawa.ink
- City Katowice
- Silesian Startup Foundation
- Optimatis
Supporting and Media Partners: Skill & Chill, Mobile Trends, Zwyrtek Group, KNTK Cognitus, IT GIRLS, InfoShare, Student management club “Menedżer”, Econverse, ON LEMON, Ancy, EUROPERSPEKTYWY, Smart Secure Networks, Sinotaic, and UUniversity of Economics in Katowice
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