Silesian startup funds program to expand

A new program will provide a total of PLN 194 million for entrepreneurs starting businesses in Silesia, and will prioritize funding to those in the key fields of IT, medicine, and energy, the Silesian Center for Entrepreneurship (ŚCP) told the press on Thursday. "It's a good time to plan investments, increasing the competitiveness of businesses. It is therefore begin the new year of innovation, which will help distinguish the company on the market," said ŚCP media relations manager Paułina Cius. Bartosz Rozpondek, ŚCP director, noted that similar competitions in recent years were highly successful for business development. "Compared with the results in previous years, the number of projects submitted is increasing, and we are very satisfied. The first competition in the period 2007-2013 had 281 applicants, while in 2014-2020 we  have more than 600 projects, of which 209 have been chosen for implementation," he said. Entrepreneurs can apply for grants between PLN 100,000 and PLN 2 million, submitting applications until the end of February 2017. The projects must be implemented in the Voivodeship of Silesia. Successful applicants can participate in workshops that will help them to plan their startups.