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OCT 26–27, 2026 · WARSAW · 5TH EDITION

The home ofEuropean deep tech

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Tickets from €300

1,000+
Attendees from 30+ countries
250+
Startups & scaleups
150+
VC, CVC & business angels
300+
Scientists, researchers & engineers
Thousands
Pre-scheduled 1:1 meetings

Co-organizers

Minister Nauki i Szkolnictwa WyższegoPK Krakow University of Technology

Partner Region

Samorząd Województwa Mazowieckiego

City of Deep Tech

Miasto Stołeczne Warszawa

Choose your ticket

Startup

€300 – €500

Scale your deep tech business

  • Three Summit stages of deep tech insights
  • Investor 1:1 scheduling via the app
  • Networking parties & Innovators Gala
Get startup ticket

Investor

€490

Access curated CEE deal flow

  • VC Central & Deep Tech Summit
  • Matchmaking with founders & investors
  • Exclusive lounges, cocktails & VIP Afterparty
Get investor ticket

Business

€550 – €750

Scout pilot-ready technologies

  • All Summit stages & AI matchmaking
  • Exclusive lounge with lunch & drinks
  • Innovators Gala & VIP Afterparty
Get business ticket

Day 2 only · Oct 27

Ecosystem

€345 – €550

Summit Day access only

  • Three Summit stages of deep tech insights
  • R&D partner matchmaking via the app
  • Networking parties & Innovators Gala
Get ecosystem ticket
Paweł Ząbek, Deep Tech Summit team

Questions before you buy?

Better Call Paweł!

Paweł ZąbekDeep Tech Summit team

Meet the 2026 Speakers

Confirmed speakers for Deep Tech Summit 2026.
More names are announced on a rolling basis.

Jaromír Zahrádka

EIC Board Member

Founder of i&i Prague and i&i Biotech Fund, co-founder of Prague.bio, European Innovation Council (EIC)

Founder of i&i Prague and i&i Biotech Fund, co-founder of Prague.bio, European Innovation Council (EIC) logo
Founder of i&i Prague and i&i Biotech Fund, co-founder of Prague.bio, European Innovation Council (EIC) logo

2026 stage

Jaromír Zahrádka

EIC Board Member

Founder of i&i Prague and i&i Biotech Fund, co-founder of Prague.bio, European Innovation Council (EIC)

Website

Biography

Jaromír Zahrádka is an ecosystem builder, entrepreneur and investor in deep-tech and life sciences with more than 14 years of experience in venture building, fundraising and scaling science-based startups. He founded i&i Prague, a life-science incubator turning public research into companies, and i&i Biotech Fund (€53m), backed by the European Investment Fund and Česká Spořitelna (Erste Group), the first dedicated biotech venture capital fund of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe. Through these and related activities, he has supported over 20 startups across Europe and the US, contributing to more than €120 million raised and three successful exits. He is also a co-founder of Prague.bio, a regional life-science innovation platform, and a frequent speaker and university lecturer on innovation strategy, venture creation and technology transfer, with a strong focus on strengthening European innovation ecosystems, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. In his work, he focuses on building bridges between academia, investors and policymakers and on improving access to capital and know-how for founders from emerging innovation regions.

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Joanna Makowiecka-Gatza

Poland

President

Employers of Poland

Employers of Poland logo
Employers of Poland logo

2026 stage

Joanna Makowiecka-Gatza

President

Employers of Poland

Poland
LinkedIn profile

Biography

An experienced senior executive with many years of leadership experience in listed companies and corporate groups operating in the industrial, infrastructure and real estate development sectors, she has served as CEO of Karmar S.A. (Bouygues Group) and as a Management Board Member of Polimex Mostostal S.A., with responsibility for developing and implementing growth strategies, improving operational efficiency and leading complex business transformation processes. As President of Employers of Poland (Pracodawcy RP) and a member of the Social Dialogue Council, she actively contributes to shaping economic and regulatory policy in Poland, representing the interests of businesses and the wider employer community.

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Jacek Murawski

President of the Board

Orlen VC

Orlen VC logo
Orlen VC logo

2026 stage

Jacek Murawski

President of the Board

Orlen VC

LinkedIn profile

Biography

Jacek Murawski is the President of the Board and the Managing Partner of ORLEN VC, a corporate venture capital investing in technologies for the transformation of the energy sector and the industry of the future. For more than a decade he actively participates in the development of a venture capital and innovation ecosystem in CEE. Previously he was a General Partner in Invento VC, the Vice President and CFO of PGNiG, CFO Orange Poland, an Investing Partner of MCI Capital and CEO of Wirtualna Polska. He specializes in technological investments, scaling innovative companies and establishing cooperation between start-ups, science and big industry organisations.

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Prof. Izabela Czekaj

Profesor

Wydział Inżynierii i Technologii Chemicznej, PK Krakow University of Technology

Wydział Inżynierii i Technologii Chemicznej, PK Krakow University of Technology logo
Wydział Inżynierii i Technologii Chemicznej, PK Krakow University of Technology logo

2026 stage

Prof. Izabela Czekaj

Profesor

Wydział Inżynierii i Technologii Chemicznej, PK Krakow University of Technology

LinkedIn profile

Biography

Prof. Izabela Czekaj is a researcher and academic leader working at the intersection of green hydrogen, sustainable fuels, catalysis, carbon-neutral chemical processes, and industrial decarbonisation. Her research focuses on technologies enabling the transition from fossil-based value chains to circular and climate-neutral industrial systems, including hydrogen-based processes, renewable feedstocks, carbon utilisation pathways, and advanced materials for clean energy applications. Actively involved in international research collaborations and European innovation initiatives, she brings extensive experience in connecting scientific excellence with industrial needs and policy priorities. Her work addresses key challenges related to the Net-Zero transition, including the deployment of deep-tech solutions for low-carbon manufacturing, resource efficiency, circular carbon management, and sustainable energy systems.

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Tomasz Misiak

Poland

Founder

Mizyak Investment Fund

Mizyak Investment Fund logo
Mizyak Investment Fund logo

2026 stage

Tomasz Misiak

Founder

Mizyak Investment Fund

Poland
LinkedIn profileWebsite

Biography

Tomasz Misiak is a graduate of the Wrocław University of Economics and Business and IESE Business School (a graduate school for managers attached to the University of Navarra). He also completed the Global Leadership Seminar and Global CEO Program at Georgetown University. From 2022 to 2024, he participated in the Owner/President Management Program at Harvard Business School in Boston. He is the founder of Work Service S.A. (established in 1999) – the first and largest Polish temporary employment agency. Over 20 years of activity, he led the company, which started as a student project, to the status of a market leader in HR services in Central and Eastern Europe, listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. From 1999 to 2007, he served as Vice President of the Management Board, and subsequently as a member of its Supervisory Board. From 2012 to 2021, he served as Vice President of Employers of Poland, and is currently a Member of its Council. Since 2014, he has been a member of the Polish Business Roundtable. He is also a member of Corporate Connections. As an initiator and shareholder, he actively focuses on the development of Mizyak Investment Fund LTD. He is also a founding investor in the bValue fund. He began his socio-political experience with student organizations and the Wrocław City Council, where he served as Chairman of the Economic Initiatives Committee. In the years 2005–2011, he served as a Senator of the Republic of Poland, simultaneously acting as Head of the National Economy Committee and participating in the works of the European Union Affairs Committee. Currently, he sits on the supervisory boards of Antal Sp. z o.o. and Personnel Service S.A. In the past, he also served on the supervisory bodies of many other companies, including: Exact Systems Sp. z o.o., IT Kontrakt Sp. z o.o., Finance Care Sp. z o.o., Telakces Com Sp. z o.o., MM Conferences S.A. (listed on NewConnect), Hawe S.A., and IDM S.A. Furthermore, he served as President of the World of Ideas Foundation (Fundacja Świat Idei), publisher of the Polish edition of Project Syndicate. He is a laureate of numerous business awards, including Teraz Polska, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Entrepreneurship Leader, Market Leader, and Manager of the Year. He is passionate about literature and modern technologies. Every day, he shares his acquired knowledge through analyses of new trends, global changes, and the impact of new technologies and AI on our lives and future.

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Frane Šesnić

Croatia

CEO

Zagreb Innovation Centre (ZICER)

Zagreb Innovation Centre (ZICER) logo
Zagreb Innovation Centre (ZICER) logo

2026 stage

Frane Šesnić

CEO

Zagreb Innovation Centre (ZICER)

Croatia
LinkedIn profile

Biography

Frane graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture in Split and completed his postgraduate specialist studies in Financial Institutions and Markets at the Faculty of Economics and Business in Zagreb. He was appointed to the rank of Lecturer by the Rector’s Conference and regularly features as a speaker at numerous tech and entrepreneurship conferences. He is the initiator of several international events, including the Zagreb Connect startup conference and the Startup Europe Regatta—a conference specializing in sustainable greentech and fintech solutions. He established Startup Factory, Croatia’s first acceleration program, initiated Global Growth and Tech Transfer, and launched financial instruments for startup grants and investments. He actively works on connecting stakeholders across society to build a thriving startup ecosystem. Through ZICER, he leads the largest startup hub in the region.

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Joanna Broy

Head of Ecosystem Management

EIT Health

2026 stage

Joanna Broy

Head of Ecosystem Management

EIT Health

LinkedIn profile

Biography

Joanna Broy is a professional dedicated to bridging the worlds of business and science. As Head of Ecosystem Management in EIT Health, she focuses on fostering collaboration, connecting stakeholders, and supporting early-career innovators in turning their ideas into reality. She is passionate about helping the next generation of innovators realise their ambitions and shape the world of tomorrow.

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Jonas Cederlöf

Deputy Head of Unit

Strategy, Interinstitutional relations, and Security, European Commission — DG DEFIS

Strategy, Interinstitutional relations, and Security, European Commission — DG DEFIS logo
Strategy, Interinstitutional relations, and Security, European Commission — DG DEFIS logo

2026 stage

Jonas Cederlöf

Deputy Head of Unit

Strategy, Interinstitutional relations, and Security, European Commission — DG DEFIS

LinkedIn profile

Biography

Jonas Cederlöf, Deputy Head of Unit, European Commission, Directorate‑General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS) Jonas Cederlöf is the deputy head of the Strategy, Interinstitutional relations, and Security unit at the Directorate‑General for defence industry and space, reporting directly to the Director-General. His earlier responsibilities at the European Commission included programming and implementing defence related EU instruments, implementation of support measures to Ukraine, and development of measures countering hybrid attacks. Prior to his transition to the European Commission in 2021, he was responsible for military capability development programmes for more than two decades in the Finnish Defence Forces, covering domains ranging from naval warfare to cyberspace capabilities; and participating in international capability development in contexts such as Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO), EDA, NATO CNAD and STO work strands, and the US lead MCDC (Multinational Capability Development Campaign). Jonas Cederlöf is a former naval staff officer, with masters´ degrees also in philosophy and engineering.

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Michał Stęchły

Quantum Software Engineer

PsiQuantum

2026 stage

Michał Stęchły

Quantum Software Engineer

PsiQuantum

LinkedIn profile

Biography

Michał Stęchły is a Staff Software Engineer at Lila Sciences and a consultant at PsiQuantum, where he previously worked as a Senior Quantum Software Engineer. His main interests include designing better abstractions and improving developer experience, with a particular focus on scientific and quantum computing. He is also active in the quantum computing community and is the author of a blog  "Musty Thoughts" and QSEN, a newsletter about quantum software engineering.

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dr Maciej Wieloch

Managing Partner

IIF

IIF logo
IIF logo

2026 stage

dr Maciej Wieloch

Managing Partner

IIF

LinkedIn profileWebsite

Biography

Maciej Wieloch, PhD, is actively involved in developing the venture capital market, supporting startups and innovative technology projects through investment and strategic advisory. He is Managing Partner of iif.vc and President of the Management Board (CEO) of infini ASI, as well as Assistant Professor at the Collegium of Management and Finance, SGH Warsaw School of Economics. He serves on several supervisory boards, including those of Vaxican, BioResearch Pharma and Fresh Inset.

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Walter Buga

United States

CEO & Founder

Arendai Inc

Arendai Inc logo
Arendai Inc logo

2026 stage

Walter Buga

CEO & Founder

Arendai Inc

United States
LinkedIn profile

Biography

Dr. Walter Buga is the CEO and founder of Arendai Inc.—a San Diego (U.S.)-based startup with offices in Łódź and Wrocław that automates factories and warehouses, preparing them to work with robots. Previously, he founded and led Arynga Inc. (based in San Diego with an office in Łódź), which was sold to Intel Corporation in 2016, generating more than a 10-fold return on investment for its investors in less than four years. He earned his Ph.D. in engineering from the Wrocław University of Technology and began his professional career at Bell Labs (AT&T/Lucent Technologies), where he developed a plan for AT&T’s successful entry into the Polish and Eastern European markets after 1989. He is an expert in telecommunications and autonomous systems, currently focusing on industrial IoT, robotics, and AI.

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Grzegorz Dobrowolski

CTO - Director of Solutions Engineering

Cisco

Cisco logo
Cisco logo

2026 stage

Grzegorz Dobrowolski

CTO - Director of Solutions Engineering

Cisco

LinkedIn profile

Biography

Grzegorz Dobrowolski is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Cisco Poland. He brings over 30 years of IT industry experience, specializing in key domains related to designing, deploying, and securing communication networks and data center infrastructure. For more than two decades, Grzegorz has successfully driven the business development and implementation of innovative technology solutions while leading technical teams across numerous European markets. His international track record spans countries such as Austria, Finland, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, Ukraine, Hungary, the Baltic states, and the broader Central and Eastern European (CEE) region. Grzegorz is an expert in networking, network security, and infrastructure automation systems. He also holds extensive knowledge and hands-on experience in project management, utilizing both traditional (waterfall) and agile methodologies. Prior to joining Cisco, Grzegorz gained professional experience at Ericsson Poland, the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology (PJAIT), and the IT Center of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW). He holds an Executive MBA degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Warsaw. He also earned a Master of Science in Engineering (M.Sc. Eng.) degree from the Warsaw University of Technology.

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All Speakers

Who is this for?

Corporate Leaders

Finding advanced technologies for a pilot usually takes 6–12 months. We do it in 2 days. Pre-validated solutions across energy, semiconductors, AI, defense, and biotech.

Investors

Stop reviewing cold decks. 75–100 deep tech startups, selected from 500+ applications through CEE Challenge. Your deal flow is curated before you arrive.

Founders & Operators

Making the top 15% of CEE Challenge places you in front of 150+ investors who came specifically to meet you. Your calendar fills before the event starts.

Scientists and Researchers

Science to Business stage and 1:1s with funders and pilot partners — for PhDs, labs, and spinout teams.

Public Sector

Stages, matchmaking, and the CEE deep tech community — founders, labs, and corporates in one place for two days.

Summit tracks
For 2026

Energy & Environment

AI & Semiconductors

Quantum & Security

Defense & Space

Robotics

MedTech & Biotech

Two days
structured for outcomes

VC Central for matchmaking and deal flow.
Summit Day for stages, pitching, and the rooms that close conversations.

MON OCT 26

VC Central

  • Pre-scheduled 1:1 matchmaking
  • Investing in the Future — flash sessions
  • Networking for active deep tech capital
VC Central program
  • Event Hall 4
    • 10:00 to 17:00: Matchmaking & 1:1 Meetings (Day 1)
  • Event Hall 3
    • 12:00 to 13:30: Lunch Break
    • 13:30 to 17:45: Coffee Break
  • VC Central Investment Day
    • 16:00 to 16:15: OFFICIAL OPENING
    • 16:15 to 17:00: Who Will Fund the Next Generation of CEE Deep Tech Champions?
    • 17:00 to 17:45: Bolstering Defences: Can Scale-up Funding Help Build New Defence Capabilities?
    • 17:45 to 18:30: Business Angel's Role in Advancing Deep Tech
  • Program
    • 18:30 to 21:00: Evening Networking Cocktail
  • COCO lounge
    • 19:00 to 23:59: Ecosystem Before Party with TechPL
Oct 26 program →

TUE OCT 27

Deep Tech Summit

  • Keynotes, panels & fireside chats
  • CEE Challenge pitching competition
  • Pre-scheduled 1:1 matchmaking
  • CEE Innovators Gala & VIP afterparty
Deep Tech Summit program
  • 1:1 meetings
    • 09:00 to 16:30: Matchmaking & 1:1 Meetings (Day 2)
  • Business on Tech
    • 10:25 to 10:45: The Next Wave of Deep Tech Breakthroughs
    • 10:45 to 11:30: Defence Innovation at the Center of European Tech
    • 11:30 to 11:45: Deep Tech Corporate Toolkit: Getting Your Organisation Ready to Work with Deep Tech Start-ups
    • 11:45 to 12:30: Deep Tech Alliance Panel: Corporate-Start-up Collaboration in Deep Tech: Open Innovation and Venture Clienting Across Europe
    • 12:30 to 13:00: VIP Lunch break
    • 13:00 to 13:15: How Can European Tech Catch Up with the US and China?
    • 13:15 to 13:30: Smart Manufacturing: Transformation to Industry 4.0 with AI, Digital Twins and AMRs
    • 13:30 to 13:45: The Race to Build Europe's Semiconductor Capacity
    • 13:45 to 14:00: National Centre for Research and Development | Taking Polish Deep Tech Global: International R&D and U.S. Market Access
    • 14:00 to 14:15: Companies talk about implementations, while teams... simply fail to deliver them
    • 14:15 to 14:30: CEE Deep Tech: Turning Technical Strength into Commercial Value
    • 14:30 to 15:00: HELLO TOMORROW PANEL: Manufacturing Semiconductors in the Industry 4.0 Era
    • 15:00 to 15:45: Rocket Fuel for Startups: Inside the Funding of New Space
    • 16:00 to 19:00: Defence & Security Meet-Up by Polish Chamber of Dual-Use
  • Science to Business
    • 09:30 to 10:00: Official Opening: Europe Needs a Stronger Innovation Engine
    • 10:00 to 10:45: High Level Discussion: How Do You Like the Public Funding of Your Startup? A Conversation of the Roles and Responsibilities for State-funded Companies in Europe
    • 10:45 to 11:30: From lab to global market: what will it take for Poland to scale MedTech and Biotech?
    • 11:30 to 12:15: Quantum Revolution?
    • 12:15 to 13:00: Beyond Recycling: Green Hydrogen, Circular Carbon and Deep Tech for Net-Zero Industry
    • 13:00 to 13:30: PK Kraków University of Technology: Pitching Session
    • 13:30 to 14:15: Building Your Path to the EIC Accelerator
    • 15:00 to 17:00: PK Kraków University of Technology Open Meeting: Polish Association of University Knowledge Transfer Companies, S4B, EUInnovate
    • 17:15 to 19:00: Warsaw Quantum Computing Group Meetup
  • Startup Stage
    • 11:00 to 11:10: City of Warsaw - Deep Tech Hub
    • 11:10 to 11:20: Warsaw Booster Pitch - Tachyotec
    • 11:20 to 11:30: Accelerating Deep Tech in CEE
    • 11:30 to 11:45: ZICER Presents: Croatian Startups Pitching Session
    • 11:45 to 12:15: Akces NCBR Presents: Deep Tech Startups in Action
    • 12:15 to 12:30: PPNT Fund: Meet our portfolio startups. A conversation with byMYCO and TherapySupport
    • 12:30 to 12:45: PARP: Empowering Deep Tech Innovation Across Poland
    • 12:45 to 15:00: Deep Tech CEE Challenge: CEE Rising Stars - Pitching session
    • 15:00 to 17:00: CEE & UK MedTech Meetup
  • EIT Pitching & Work Area
    • 10:00 to 14:30: EIT Jumpstarter Grand Demo Day
    • 14:30 to 15:30: From Innovation to Impact: Different Paths to Scale with EIT
  • Demo Days Stage
    • 13:00 to 15:00: Cleantech CEE Demo Day for Administration by FPT
    • 15:00 to 17:00: Industry Lab Demo Day by DGA
  • Meet-up Stage
    • 14:00 to 15:00: SpaceTech Meet-Up by STARR
    • 15:00 to 17:00: Food & Industrial Biotech Meetup by BioCatalyst
  • Dom Braci Jabłkowskich
    • 19:00 to 23:30: DEEPER: Ecosystem Afterparty + VIP Afterparty
Oct 27 program →Get a ticket

Tickets from €300

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What past attendees say

“I've been to many events, but this is the first one truly built around deep tech — creating real value for both startups and investors by bringing together a very specific, high-caliber community.”

Dan LupuVenture Partner, Earlybird (Romania)

Aftermovie 2025

Partners & supporters

The ecosystem behind
Deep Tech Summit

Organizers

Co-organizers

Partner Region

City of Deep Tech

Honorary patrons

Institutional partners

Business partner

International partners

Investment partners

Supportive partners

Ecosystem partners

Media partners

Become a partner

Put your brand in front of 1,000+ deep tech founders, investors, and corporates — with year-round access to the startup pipeline.

Become a partner

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deep tech report

Market map, deal-flow trends, and the startups that defined the last edition — delivered to your inbox.

FAQ

What you need to know
before you buy

How do 1:1 meetings work?

Meetings are booked on Gridaly, where tickets are sold: after you buy a ticket, you request and accept 1:1 meetings in the Gridaly Event app. Which meetings you can book depends on your ticket; each ticket card lists it.

What do the VIP tickets add?

Startup VIP adds Investor Day, the VIP Dinner and access to 80+ VC funds. Business VIP adds VC Central, the VIP Dinner, the full three-stage program and full matchmaking. Ecosystem Premium adds full two-day access, the VIP Lounge and the Afterparty.

Are group bookings available?

Yes — contact office@deeptechsummit.eu for corporate and fund group rates.