The National Centre for Research and Development

The first such instance of cooperation between Poland and the USA

NCBR-NAP (NCBR -Nevada Acceleration Program) is the first nationwide acceleration activity implemented based on the Letter of Intent signed between Poland and the State of Nevada, addressed to companies from all over Poland. The aim of this project is to connect innovative ecosystems from Poland and from the State of Nevada through acceleration of young technology companies registered in Poland, selected in a competitive procedure, on the American market. NCBR defines “young companies” as those which, as at the date of submitting the application to NCBR, have been registered in the Polish KRS/CEIDG systems between 3 years ago and 6 months ago.

The NCBR-NAP acceleration program is addressed to ambitious Polish entrepreneurs with relatively short market experience but with great potential and aspirations to develop globally. Thanks to this joint initiative with the start-up support ecosystem in Nevada, NCBR for the second time in a row provides companies with an opportunity to adapt their business ideas to the requirements of the Nevada market and, as a result, open and develop their businesses in the USA.

“There are many acceleration programs in Poland. What the vast majority of them comes down to, however, is for start-ups to obtain  funds for development. NCBR’s acceleration activity  is unique for several reasons. It provides a strong educational and developmental element through several months of support from experienced mentors who have repeatedly gone through the path of establishing, developing and exiting businesses in the US. The mentors approach each company individually and offer advice on all areas related to the preparation of a business plan and a strategy for entering the American market. The whole process is designed to best prepare the company for proper acceleration in the State of Nevada, also through a series of meetings with business partners and investors,” said Agnieszka Ratajczak, Director of NCBR’s International Cooperation Office.

Priority will be given to those start-ups whose areas of activity fit both Poland’s National Smart Specializations as well as Nevada’s key economy areas. The latter include, among others, water technologies, autonomous systems, smart cities, data storage, mining and the broadly understood hospitality sector.

Nevada – a great place to start

Situated in the western part of the USA and predominantly associated with tourism and entertainment, Nevada is slightly smaller in size than Poland, with a population comparable to that of the Warsaw agglomeration. Nevada is considered as a gateway to California, one of the world’s leading economies. However, Nevada state authorities emphasize the much lower cost of living, one of the most friendly tax systems among US states, the proximity of the Pacific Ocean coast ports and a dense network of flight connections with international airports in Reno and Las Vegas.

Above all, however, Nevada offers a number of interesting solutions for business. Giants such as Amazon, Switch and Tesla have located their HQs or branches in this state. These and other companies have decided to invest in Nevada due to rapidly rising prices in the Silicon Valley and favorable business conditions for companies in Nevada. The solutions there make Nevada one of the most attractive US states to register a company and conduct a  business. Nevada self-promotes as a place devoid of state income taxes, both on corporate and individual income. It also does not charge Franchise Tax, CIT or PIT.

Nevada is also a thriving academic and business center as well as a dynamically developing ecosystem supporting entrepreneurship. It is also worth mentioning the investment of the Polish copper mining mogul, KGHM Polska Miedź S.A., which owns the largest opencast copper mine in the USA, in the picturesque little town of Ely, Nevada. There is not as much competition in the start-up environment in Nevada as there is in California. Thanks to the activities of business associations, chambers of commerce, as well as funds available to companies from acceleration programs and funds for entrepreneurs, Nevada offers optimal conditions for the development of business.

Watch the interview with the program coordinators on the part of NCBR and with Matt Westfield, co-founder of BizAssembly, managing partner at Granite Landings and one of the mentors in the pilot edition of the NCBR-NAP acceleration activity.

What’s in it for startups in the 2nd edition?

The pilot edition of the NCBR-NAP acceleration activity concluded in the first half of 2022. The activity is of cyclical nature and its next edition will take place in 2023. The online and in-person pre-accleration in Poland, planned as part of the activity, and the proper acceleration process held in Nevada will help companies develop and verify their business strategies in relations with potential customers and investors. The actual acceleration in Nevada is aimed at gaining unique experience by Polish start-ups in scaling their business on the US market, improving dialogue with demanding investors and establishing beneficial relationships with partners. All the above is crucial for the success of expansion on the US and global markets.

However, before all this happens, candidates will first undergo a formal and merit assessment  of applications by NCBR. Subsequently, they will go through the first online, selection with participation of mentors experienced in conducting acceleration in Nevada. A few more preparatory meetings online will follow and then, in late March, an intensive 3-day stationary Bootcamp Warsaw. It will be a series of workshops, group work, expert consultations and discussions, as well as meetings and training courses. After its completion, start-up representatives will prepare multimedia investor presentations for the so-called “Demo Day”. Each company will then deliver a 3-minute “elevator pitch” followed by a Q&A session.

NCBR-NAP pilot edition: watch how companies competed during the Demo Day

After the Demo Day, NCBR will select 10 start-ups that will take part in the acceleration process in Nevada with a really packed agenda here. Each day will be filled almost to the brim with various meetings. Due to differences in the way they do business in northern and southern Nevada, the group will spend several days in both Reno and Las Vegas. The NCBR-NAP participants will therefore be able to comprehensively learn about Nevada’s ecosystem of supporting innovation and benefits of developing companies there.

Watch the report from Nevada - the NCBR-NAP pilot edition

Part 1

Part 2

NCBR will cover the cost of air and land travel and accommodation for one representative of each start-up, accident insurance and support of Nevadan mentors. All other expenses, both those related to the acceleration in Nevada, as well as to the participation in Bootcamp Warsaw and the Demo Day, will be covered by the participants themselves.

“We cordially invite young Polish companies with their excellent business ideas, for whom Nevada can be a springboard for development and expansion, to take part in NCBR-NAP. The mentors there also have a high esteem on the East Coast. We plan to continue cooperation with the best, experienced partners from Nevada, as the participants of  NCBR-NAP pilot edition have already found out. Some of them are already about to start their businesses in Nevada. We are looking forward to new innovative start-ups from across Poland. We particularly strongly encourage female founders of start-ups to apply to our activity,” summed up Agnieszka Ratajczak, Director of NCBR’s International Cooperation Office.

NCBR-NAP recruitment will last until January 18, 2023.

Details and regulations of the second edition of NCBR-NAP can be found on NCBR’s website.