About project

About us 

Innovation Coach  is a systemic project financed from ERDF - The European Funds for Smart Economy 2021-2027 provided by the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy in strategic partnership with the Institute of Fundamental Technological Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPPT PAN).  The budget of the initiative amounts 32 Min. PLN (8 Mio. Euros). 

Innovation coach is for Polish companies who want to innovate. Thanks to Innovation Coach, Polish companies have the opportunity to:  
 ● participate in a unique innovation coaching process;  
 ● create an idea for their first innovation with the support of industry experts;  
 ● gain essential knowledge and tools to initiate research and development work;  
 ● consciously seek support from public and European Funds to implement their ideas;  
 ● continuously develop employees' competencies through tailor-made courses and workshops;  
 ● embark on the path of innovation and increase their chances of success.  

Participants of Innovation Coach 

Innovation Coach is aimed at entrepreneurs who:  
 ● wish to conduct research and development (R&D) work but are unsure how to initiate the process, and  
 ● lack experience in acquiring funding for research and development and innovation activities. 

Innovation Coach is designed for companies that meet all of the following requirements:  
 ● registered within the territory of the Republic of Poland (RP).  
 ● their area of operation aligns with the Classification of Economic Activities (Polish acronym: KIS).  
 ● lack experience in conducting R&D activities and acquiring public funding for such purposes.  
 ● seek ideas for innovation based, among other things, on the research and development process.  

Until now (Janurary 2024) a total of 1042 companies have benefited from innovation coaching service. Our next goal is to coach further 2020 companies by the end of 2027. 

How to apply? 

Our Experts 

Entrepreneurs seeking participation in the Innovation Coach are presented with a valuable opportunity to collaborate closely with dedicated industry experts, known as innovation coaches. Currently, there are almost 200 registered coaches in the database, representing a wide range of fields. These experts possess extensive knowledge and experience in the specific field of technology and sector of the entrepreneur's company, allowing them to offer highly relevant insights.   
One of the key advantages of working with these innovation coaches is their expertise in identifying and highlighting potential sources of European Funds specifically available for research and development (R&D) activities. This guidance can prove instrumental in securing financial support for innovative projects.  

Innovation coaching service 

An integral part of Innovation Coach is the innovation coaching service, during which the entrepreneur receives free support in the form of an analysis of the company's potential and needs conducted by an innovation coach, a practical action plan for implementing innovations in the company, and guidance on possible sources of funding within European Funds. 
Innovation coaching service relies in tailored advanced advisory delivered by a relevant coach to a company resulting in individual recommendations. Those clearly specify the innovative idea alongside with necessary resources and further steps to be taken by the company. Our ambition is to bring business and academia closer, so our clients are as well directly guided to a specific R&D unit/ institution which whom they can further developed/ validate the elaborated solution. 
Furthermore, entrepreneurs participating in the Innovation Coach have the opportunity to attend specialised workshops aimed at expanding their knowledge in entrepreneurship and project management. They also have the opportunity to participate in webinars and information days organized periodically to familiarise Polish entrepreneurs with the possibilities associated with participating in Innovation Coach. So far, we have conducted nearly 60 workshop sessions for entrepreneurs and organised 23 Information Days. 

Our successes 

Within Innovation Coach, companies have succeeded in developing many innovative and breakthrough solutions. Below are just a few examples: 

	In the field of a healthy society:    ● glucose meter for automatic blood glucose level measurements;    ● telemedical support systems, and accessories for seniors;    ● dermatocosmetics, and other medical products based on snail mucin.
	In the field of agriculture, forestry, and healthy food:    ● innovative ingredients in food products - confectionery products with Jerusalem artichoke;    ● vegan dishes based on acorns and medicinal mushrooms;    ● bars and dark chocolate with the addition of health-promoting buckwheat husks.
	In the field of energy:    ● photovoltaic systems, such as AI-based solar trackers;    ● solutions in the field of renewable energy, for example, vertical-axis wind turbines.
	In the field of information technology:    ● SaaS service offering enhanced cybersecurity through advanced protection against hacking attacks;    ● AI-powered voice assistant for patient registration with specialists;    ● VR travel experiences for individuals with limited mobility.
	In the field of nanotechnology and advanced materials:    ● clothing as a supplementary dressing in the therapy of dermatological diseases;    ● stairs made from environmentally friendly materials derived from recycling with health-promoting properties and high thermal insulation;    ● hydrophobic and antibacterial glass panels for indoor applications.

Learn more on our success stories and watch the videocasts “Inspirations to innovation” on our YouTube channel.

Innovation Coach in numbers