Startup Hub Poland Ranked #29 in Europe, #1 in Eastern Europe and Best for Mentoring by Financial Times

Poland places a record 7 startup hubs in the FT's definitive European ranking.

For the third consecutive year, the Financial Times has ranked Europe's top startup incubators and accelerators - and for the first time, an Eastern European organisation has broken into the top 30. Warsaw-based Startup Hub Poland has been ranked 29th in Europe in the Financial Times' 'Europe's Leading Start-Up Hubs 2026' - the highest position achieved by any organisation in Eastern Europe. The organisation was also awarded first place for mentoring quality out of all 180 incubators and accelerators evaluated across 25 European countries. The ranking was published online on 19 February 2026; the FT Special Report accompanies today's print edition of the Financial Times and is available on ft.com.

The 2026 edition marks a historic milestone for Poland's startup ecosystem. Seven Polish organisations appear in the FT ranking - up from four in 2025 and just two in the debut 2024 edition. Two Polish hubs broke into the top 30 for the first time in the ranking's history: Startup Hub Poland at #29, followed by ISE Group & ISE Corporate Accelerator at #30. Rebels Valley placed 60th, StartSmart CEE 68th, CIC 83rd, and EdtechHub Ventures 94th - with six Polish organisations in the top 100. This progression reflects a broader transformation: Poland's ICT market, valued at $31.6 billion in 2025 and projected to reach $51.2 billion by 2030, is backed by over 650,000 technology specialists and a rapidly maturing support infrastructure for founders.

"We are proud that Startup Hub Poland has reached 29th place in Europe and stands as the highest-ranked hub across Eastern Europe - and that our mentoring programmes have been recognised as the best on the continent. This recognition sends a clear message to international investors and founders: Eastern Europe is where innovative ideas are born, where mentoring thrives, and where the technologies of the future are being built. Countries that were once seen primarily as exporters of tech talent are becoming centres of innovation and technology creation at global scale." - Paulina Brym Ciuba, CEO, Startup Hub Poland

Startup Hub Poland is a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and accelerating the growth of innovative startups, with a strong focus on technology and innovation. Its main goal is to attract and support early-stage startups - both from Poland and abroad - by providing essential resources, mentorship, and connections to investors and corporations. The organisation runs incubation and acceleration programmes specifically designed to meet the unique needs of startups, offering guidance, access to funding, and the tools to scale successfully. Acting as a bridge between startups, investors, corporations, and governmental institutions, Startup Hub Poland fosters collaboration and growth across the startup ecosystem. With a strong international focus, it works closely with startups from around the world looking to expand into Central and Eastern Europe, using Poland as a gateway to the region. The FT recognition places Startup Hub Poland alongside Western European benchmarks such as Station F in Paris and UnternehmerTUM in Munich - a comparison that would have been unthinkable for an Eastern European organisation just five years ago.

"This year's FT ranking summarises the achievements of the Polish and Central and Eastern European startup ecosystem. We now have leaders with successful exits, VC investors, business angels, strong expert talent, government and local innovation support institutions climbing the learning curve, corporate backing for startups, legal advisors, media - even influencers - and a substantial number of organisations that focus this collective effort on the most promising startups. Being ranked first in Europe for mentoring is recognition of the work of our experts. The clear rise in Poland's overall position reflects the high quality of our startups themselves." - Maciej Sadowski, Chief Expert and Co-founder, Startup Hub Poland.

Startup Hub Poland is now launching Round 6 of its Poland Booster acceleration programme, with a limited number of spots still available. Poland Booster is designed for ambitious startups ready to accelerate their growth in the Polish and European market. For international startups, the programme includes a dedicated 'Poland Prize' path, which supports foreign teams in establishing a legal presence in Poland, building operational capacity, and preparing for commercial collaboration with businesses and industries operating in the Polish market. Participants receive access to Startup Hub Poland's extensive mentor and expert network, an individual development plan, and the opportunity to apply for a grant of approximately €30,000 to cover soft-landing activities. The application deadline is 15 March 2026. If you've been considering applying - this is your moment. Don't wait.

The 'Europe's Leading Start-Up Hubs' ranking is prepared by the Financial Times in partnership with Statista and Sifted. Now in its third edition, it evaluates organisations across Europe on alumni feedback, expert recommendations, and portfolio company track records - purely on merit, with participation free of charge. The full ranking is available at ft.com.

For interview requests, additional data, high-resolution photography, or information about the Poland Booster programme, please contact the press office directly.

Startup Hub Poland
ul. Senatorska 2
00-075 Warsaw
Poland
www: https://startuphub.pl

Press contact:
Jacek Brzezinski
jacek.brzezinski@startuphub.pl

Startup Hub Poland is a Warsaw-based non-profit founded in 2012, dedicated to supporting and accelerating innovative startups through incubation and acceleration programmes, mentorship, and connections to investors and corporations. With a strong international focus, it works with startups from around the world looking to expand into Central and Eastern Europe, using Poland as a gateway to the region.

This release was published on openPR.