Scaling the Valley of Death: Cleantech for CEE at the "Nauka dla Biznesu" Congress
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During the inaugural "Nauka dla Biznesu" (Science for Business) congress hosted by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education in Warsaw, Cleantech for CEE addressed a critical systemic challenge: the gap between successful innovation pilots and sustained market deployment.
Around the table: Żanna Białek (NFOŚIGW); Justyna Adamska, PhD (Poznan Science and Technology Park); Justyna Konstancja Dziewota-Jabłońska (SYMBIONA); Joanna Zdanowska (Ministry of Climate); and Agata Rakowska (NCBR) — together with Magdalena Jabłońska representing our team on the Ministry of Climate and Environment panel.
The discussion highlighted the unique nature of the "valley of death" in the cleantech sector, noting that unlike software, green technologies require intensive industrial testing and massive capital investments before reaching market readiness. To bridge this gap, we advocate for the state to evolve from a regulator into a strategic client by utilizing green procurement as a standard instrument to drive national demand for innovation rather than prioritizing the lowest price. This shift requires moving from price-based selection to a model that rewards performance, reliable local service, and lower total lifecycle costs.
For Polish innovation to thrive, there must be a directed, multi-year innovation policy that offers founders the stability and space for development, alongside seamless cooperation between ministries to create a unified platform for support programs like FENEK or NCBR calls. By reducing bureaucracy and plugging Polish startups into the supply chains of large-scale investments through concrete product catalogs, we can ensure a clear path from a garage idea to international export. Cleantech for CEE remains committed to helping build this cohesive framework to position regional innovators as leaders in the global energy transition.