The launch of the Gdańsk Bay Tech Ecosystem

Pomorze is entering the startup game — and doing it on its own terms.

As a result of intensive work and the involvement of around 50 people from the region’s leading universities, institutions, private companies, and startups, Pomorze is announcing a new innovation ecosystem designed to create the conditions for building strong technology companies, regional champions, and future unicorns. The project is driven by the ambition to secure a place among the TOP 5 innovation ecosystems in Central and Eastern Europe.

The Gdańsk Bay Tech ecosystem was officially launched during the Infoshare conference in Gdańsk. The initiative aims to make Pomorze one of the five leading startup ecosystems in Central and Eastern Europe.
The idea was sparked during a meeting between the Mayor of Gdańsk, Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, and the startup community. It was there that the need for coordination, a shared identity, and a unified voice for Pomorze’s innovation community was identified.

The initiators agreed that an organisation should be established to unite Pomorze’s innovation community.
Gdańsk Bay Tech puts people — not technology or public institutions — at the centre of its focus. That is why entrepreneurs are the driving force behind the initiative: they are investing their own time and resources because they know that Pomorze’s potential is waiting to be unlocked.
Startup founders were also involved in developing the ecosystem strategy, including representatives of Vidoc Security Lab, a Pomorze-based startup operating day-to-day in Silicon Valley.
The involvement of private business is no coincidence. It stems from the awareness that a region of this scale, with this level of talent and support infrastructure, deserves far more than it has achieved so far.

“The world is not so much moving forward as it is taking off, and every month of delay creates a distance that, in a few years, will no longer be possible to make up. The whole world is looking our way in search of talents that we ourselves have failed to recognise. It is high time we started creating innovation locally, rather than delivering it on commission for clients across the ocean or in Western Europe.”

Błażej Dziuk, Startup Harbour

Gdańsk Bay Tech is building its position on a foundation that cannot be replicated: the region’s DNA, rooted in innovation and courage. Port-driven openness, outstanding engineering talent, and a culture that has historically known how to win through teamwork — these are the strengths the ecosystem intends to leverage in its bid for a place among Europe’s leaders.

“We are entering this race with our own identity and on our own terms. Gdańsk and Pomorze have a strong technological base, exceptional people, and a culture of ambitious action. We know where we stand, we know what attributes we have, and now we are turning them into a concrete advantage.”

Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, the Mayor of Gdańsk

Gdańsk Bay Tech is making its bid for a place among Europe’s leaders with two powerful arguments that are extremely difficult to copy.
First: talent. Pomorze has one of the strongest engineering workforces in the CEE region. The ecosystem strengthens what engineers often lack: business competences, sales skills, and the ability to scale — because even an outstanding product rarely makes it beyond the workshop without them.
Second: the character of the region. A confidence rooted in the DNA of a place that has already changed the rules of the game once before, despite not having vast resources at its disposal. The spirit of Solidarity is not a sentiment here; it is a method: act boldly, create your own rules, and win through commitment.

“The world is changing, and we want to be the leader of that change. We are not building this ecosystem to catch up with others. We are building it so that companies capable of competing globally can emerge from Pomorze — from the first ambitious startups to future unicorns.”

Paweł Orłowski, InvestGDA CEO

A startup choosing to join Gdańsk Bay Tech can expect three things.
First, an environment in which universities, public institutions, and private companies work side by side, creating space for genuine collaboration.
Second, openness to every growth path, with a particular focus on areas where Pomorze has a natural advantage: offshore, maritime logistics, quantum technologies, and space technologies.
Third, a community of active founders who build and support one another — through events, everyday relationships, and ambassadors embedded in global corporations. Together, they form a network of contacts designed to open doors that have so far remained out of reach.

The creators of the initiative compare the ecosystem to a sports club: an inclusive place, but one where everyone needs to define which sport they are playing and find the right space for themselves.
Their role is to provide coaching support and deliver the tools needed to win in that game — regardless of the chosen business model or stage of development.

“We believe that the true strength of Gdańsk and the region lies in the community of people who are active here. We are building an environment where every founder can find their own path and the support they need — and it is precisely this community that gives us an advantage in the fight for a leadership position in Europe.”

Magdalena Wójtowicz, STARTER Gdańsk CEO

Building the ecosystem took more than a year. Nearly 50 people took part in the consultation process and substantive work.
Coordinated by STARTER Gdańsk and supported by InvestGDA — the Gdańsk Economic Development Agency — the initiative brought together three universities from the Tricity area, the Pomeranian Science and Technology Park, the Gdańsk Science and Technology Park, as well as representatives of local companies and global corporations.
The project is being carried out with the participation of the Pomerania Development Agency, Invest in Pomerania, the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area, and many other individual ambassadors.
The city authorities were represented by Piotr Grzelak, Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk, and Oktawia Gorzeńska, Deputy Mayor of Gdynia.

The driving force behind the engagement came from entrepreneurs and founders from the region: Arkadiusz Kwoska (Rebels Valley), Błażej Dziuk (Startup Harbour), Grzegorz Borowski (Infoshare), Igor Subocz (NoCode Poland), Jan Wyrwiński (PilotGo), Kamil Homernik (Startupy Trójmiasto), and Mateusz Kurleto (Neoteric).
Magdalena Wójtowicz and Dariusz Słodkowski from STARTER Gdańsk, together with Paweł Orłowski from InvestGDA, played a key role in building the structure of the ecosystem.

Gdańsk Bay Tech is launching its first initiatives.
The Ecosystem Map is a digital catalogue of resources, contacts, and services available in the region. It responds to one of the biggest challenges faced by developing ecosystems: fragmentation, which causes startups and institutions to pass one another by, unaware of each other’s existence.

One Stop Shop will serve as a single entry point into the ecosystem: a fast diagnosis of needs and a direct connection to the right ambassador, investor, or partner — without having to navigate complex structures.
Future Founders is a programme for young people and students based on learning by doing: real challenges, prototypes, mini-grants, and support for the strongest teams, with the aim of making commercialisation part of the project from day one, rather than an afterthought years later.
Finally, there are international missions: trips focused on specific meetings with investors, customers, and partners, rather than simply being present at events.

The official inauguration of Gdańsk Bay Tech took place during Infoshare, the largest technology conference in Central Europe, on 21 May 2026. 12:00.