Application
deadline
Startup recruitment through the online application form.
IFIRMA Startup Contest 2026
IFIRMA and Silesian Startup Foundation invite startups building AI-powered solutions to join the first edition of IFIRMA Startup Contest. Present your product to experts, investors, and business representatives. Get valuable feedback, build new relationships, and gain a chance to promote your startup.
Applications close in:
25
15
30
20
Contest rules
Building an AI startup? Apply to the contest!
The contest is open to startups registered in Poland, established in 2021 or later and already have an MVP, a finished product, or a service available on the market. The key criterion is AI, which must be a meaningful part of the solution.
Submit your startup by completing the form. Tell us what you are building, who it is for, and why your solution matters. We will review every application, run a formal check, and then pass eligible submissions to the Contest Committee for merit-based evaluation.
The eight highest-scoring startups will qualify for the final, held during the AIBA conference in Katowice on October 21, 2026.
Detailed participation terms are available in the Contest Rules.
Contest rules
Contest schedule
Application
Merit-based
evaluation
Applications are evaluated by the Contest Comitee according to the criteria defined in the Rules.
Finalists
announced
Announcement of the evaluation results and the startups qualified for the final.
Final
preparation
Finalists confirm their participation in the Final Gala and receive pitching guidelines.
Final
gala
Finalists pitch to the Contest Comitee during the Final Gala, where the contest winner is selected.
Prizes
All finalists receive:
A startup profile on the contest website
- Publication of finalist information on
IFIRMA and SSF social media
- A startup profile in the post-contest publication in
digital and printed form
1ST PLACE
- A cash prize of PLN 5,000
funded by IFIRMA
- Access to the VIP zone on the second day of the AIBA conference
- Participation in the Executive Meetup on 23.10.2026
- One year of Online Accounting plus an invoicing and
e-commerce package
- A 2-hour business mentoring package delivered by Silesian Startup Foundation
2ND PLACE
- One year of Online Accounting plus an invoicing and
e-commerce package
- A 2-hour business mentoring package delivered by Silesian Startup Foundation
3RD PLACE
- One year of Online Accounting plus an invoicing and
e-commerce package
- A 2-hour business mentoring package delivered by Silesian Startup Foundation
Contest Comitee
CEO of IFIRMA SA
An expert in combining modern technologies with practical support for entrepreneurs. An experienced manager with a passion for innovation and simple business solutions. He believes technology can help every entrepreneur succeed. Privately, he is interested in Bayesian statistics and physics, and develops his musical skills in his free time.
Co-Founder and CEO of SUSI Tech
I help SMEs put AI to work in practical, outcome-led ways that show impact in days, not quarters; no data team, no big budget, no long transformation. I build for that reality as Co-Founder and CEO of SUSI Tech, and advise boards on where to commit innovation and where to stop. This matters to me because the firms that make up most of Europe's industrial base shouldn't need enterprise resources to compete. Technology should widen who gets to build the future, not narrow it.
CEO of Startup Poland Foundation
For the past decade, she has been actively involved in the development of Poland’s innovation ecosystem. As a long-time Head of Community, she built connections between founders, investors and institutions, helping create a strong technology community. In 2026, she became CEO of the Foundation, focusing on operational effectiveness and effective representation of entrepreneurs’ interests. Passionate about technology with real social impact.
Vice President of the Management Board of SII
PhD in Economics and a graduate of the Wrocław University of Economics. Chairman of the Supervisory Board of IFIRMA SA and an active stock market investor. From 2000 to 2008, he worked as an academic lecturer and researcher at the Department of Operations Research. Organizer of the WallStreet, Professional Investor and ForFin – Finance and Investment Forum conferences. Author of the Echa Rynku and MacGadka podcasts.
Michał
Jędrzejek
Manager, entrepreneur and city councillor
For nearly 20 years, he has been involved in the development of Katowice and has over a decade of experience managing commercial companies. He specializes in combining technology, creative industries and the revitalization of post-industrial spaces. He co-manages Kato.Hub, the operator of the Shaft K project, and played a key role in bringing Intel Extreme Masters to Katowice.
Organizer
Silesian Startup Foundation
The foundation supports the growth of Silesia’s innovation ecosystem. Using its own methodology, the organization helps startups develop ideas and turn them into thriving businesses with the potential to scale globally. It connects entrepreneurs with investors and creates spaces for collaboration around innovative ideas.
Main sponsor
IFIRMA SA
For 25 years, IFIRMA has supported entrepreneurs in running and growing their businesses. We provide online accounting, invoicing, and business support solutions, combining technology with expert knowledge. We help entrepreneurs simplify daily obligations and focus on growing their companies.
Startup gala
AIBA is a conference focused on the practical use of artificial intelligence in business and on building advantage through AI. The event brings together business leaders, entrepreneurs, AI solution creators, and the academic community, focusing on real implementations and technology scaling. The program includes expert talks, workshops, an EXPO zone, and networking. The 2026 edition will take place in Katowice and online on October 21-23.
21-23.10.2026
Katowice (+ online)
Katowice (+ online)
Free e-book
The first pages
of your startup
story!
Starting a business? "Launch Your Startup" is a guide written in plain language. No confusing jargon and 100% practical advice: step by step, you will plan every move and enter entrepreneurship with confidence.
View details
FAQ
The contest is open to entities running a business registered in Poland,
established no earlier than January 1, 2021. The startup must have a working MVP or a product
or service already available on the market, and must use AI as a meaningful element of its solution.
No. The submitted startup must have at least a working MVP that can be tested with users,
or a product or service already operating on the market.
Yes. AI must be a meaningful element of the product or service functionality, or of the value delivered
to users. Both AI-native and AI-enabled startups may apply.
Each participant may submit one contest application.
Applications are accepted through the form available on the contest website.
Use it to introduce your startup, describe the solution you are developing and how it uses AI,
and provide the required data and materials.
Once the form has been submitted, you will no longer be able to edit your application or add any information to it yourself.
Additional information or materials may be provided only at the Organizer's request.
Yes, applying and participating in the contest are free. Finalists will receive two free passes
to the AIBA conference. Additional team members must purchase tickets.
No. Participation in the contest is not conditional on using IFIRMA services.
Employees and associates of the Organizer or Sponsor, entities related to them,
and people directly involved in organizing and running the contest are excluded from participation.
The contest consists of three stages: recruitment and formal verification from September 7 to October 2,
merit-based evaluation from October 3 to 12, and the final, which will take place on October 21, 2026.
Eight startups with the highest number of points from the merit-based evaluation will qualify
for the final. Finalists will be notified by email, and their list will be published on the contest website
and in the Organizer's and Sponsor's channels no later than October 12, 2026.
Participants who do not advance to the final will not receive individual notifications.
The formal check covers: company establishment date and registration location, startup development stage, AI use,
completeness and timeliness of the application, and compliance with the remaining contest rules.
The Contest Committee will evaluate how the problem is defined, the proposed solution, AI use
and innovation, value for the recipient and competitive advantage, and the startup's further growth potential.
Detailed evaluation criteria are available in the Contest Rules.
Applications and presentations will be evaluated by a five-person Contest Committee appointed by the Organizer
and the contest Sponsor.
Points earned during the merit-based evaluation and the final will be added together.
The detailed evaluation method is defined in the Contest Rules.
The final will take place on October 21, 2026 during the AIBA conference in Katowice.
The application form may be completed in Polish. The final presentation and conversation with the Contest Committee
will be conducted in English.
Each of the eight finalists will present their project to the Contest Committee. A startup may be represented
by up to two people, although we recommend that one speaker lead the presentation.
The pitch may last up to 5 minutes, and presentation materials must be provided to the Organizer
no later than October 19, 2026.
No. The final is held on site. Finalists cover their own travel costs and receive
two free passes to the AIBA conference. Other team members may purchase tickets
with a 25% discount.
The final may be recorded by the Organizer and Sponsor. Information about finalists,
their projects, startup names and logos, and representatives' images may be published
on websites, social media, and in the post-contest publication.