This article is a part of Poland Unpacked. Weekly intelligence for decision-makers
The American venture capital fund Strike Capital is eyeing Poland as a promising market. It is already drawing on capital from local investors. In time, it may also begin investing directly in Polish technology companies. As part of its strategy, the fund aims to act as a bridge between the United States and Central and Eastern Europe – facilitating the flow of capital, talent and business relationships in both directions.
Strike Capital, the American venture capital fund in which Bruno Wejchert is a partner, is watching Poland and its local tech market with growing interest. The fund already draws on capital from Polish investors, including Przemysław Gacek, co-founder of Grupa Pracuj, and Michał Brański, co-founder of Wirtualna Polska.
As Bruno Wejchert notes, Poland plays a significant role in the fund’s strategy. On the one hand, it offers Polish investors favorable conditions for building business relationships. On the other, it supports portfolio companies in expanding into Central and Eastern Europe and acquiring clients across the region.
“Strike Capital can serve as a bridge between the United States and Central and Eastern Europe. Thanks to our investor relationships and business networks, we can help our American portfolio companies build commercial ties, attract talent, and expand their presence in Poland and across the region. At the same time, we are well placed to support leading Polish companies and investors in gaining access to the U.S. market. In Poland, Strike is backed by entrepreneurs, established business families, family offices, and partners at domestic private equity funds, giving our portfolio companies access to valuable relationships both locally and across the wider region,” says Bruno Wejchert.
Poland attracts American companies
In his view, Poland is becoming an increasingly important destination for technology companies with global ambitions. The country combines a strong engineering base, solid industrial capabilities, and a growing pool of entrepreneurs and operators with an international outlook.
Strike supports American founders in building business relationships in the region, establishing local structures, and expanding operations across Central and Eastern Europe. At the same time, it is well positioned to facilitate access to the U.S. market for Polish companies and investors.
Some of Strike Capital’s portfolio companies are already expanding in Central and Eastern Europe. Databricks, for instance, is strengthening its presence in the region, while Stord is taking a closer look at the European market.
Expert's perspective
We need stronger links between Polish and American VC
There is a shortage of figures such as Bruno Wejchert of Strike Capital or Paweł Chudziński of Point Nine Capital – individuals who could systematically bring local context, networks, and deal flow into the global VC ecosystem, while facilitating the movement of capital and projects.
Leading global VC funds rely on relationships and trust built over many years when raising capital. Access is typically reserved for proven investors and entrepreneurs who have already achieved global success and remain active as backers. Poland has relatively few such individuals, as only a limited number of tech companies reach global scale and generate capital for reinvestment.
Funds select investors not only on the size of their commitments, but also on their background, experience, and potential value-add. As a result, even wealthy investors without the right relationships and track record face significant barriers to entry.
In addition, the overall value of venture capital investment in Poland remains markedly lower than in the United States or Western Europe, translating into lower international visibility for market participants.
At the same time, Poland’s relationship-driven culture in business is less developed. Networking and peer recommendations – key to accessing funds in more mature markets – are still underutilized. In many ecosystems, it is precisely active relationship-building, referrals, and collaboration within entrepreneurial communities that open the door to investment and closed networks.
An investment platform for technology companies
Strike Capital operates as an investment platform supporting technology companies at various stages of development – from early stage through to IPO or a sale to a strategic investor. The fund manages more than USD 500 million (approx. PLN 2.0 billion / EUR 460 million) in assets and invests in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), data infrastructure, logistics, robotics, industrial systems, and advanced manufacturing.
“The fund’s operating model is built on long-term partnerships with founders and increasing engagement as companies scale. To date, Strike Capital has not financed companies from Poland, but we are considering adding our first Polish businesses to the portfolio in the coming years. Ultimately, we would like to become a long-term capital partner for Polish founders as well – from the earliest stages of their companies’ development through successive phases of growth,” says Bruno Wejchert.
Poland stands out both for its talent pool and its high level of new technology adoption.
“Poland has a very strong engineering talent base, a high rate of modern technology adoption, and growing entrepreneurial ambition,” Bruno Wejchert adds.
Poles in the global technology ecosystem
The fund’s partner also notes that many companies with Polish roots or co-founders have reached international scale. Examples include ElevenLabs and ICEYE. Poles are also active in Silicon Valley – San Francisco is home to a large number of professionals of Polish origin who have contributed to the growth of companies such as OpenAI and Databricks.
Despite these strengths, Strike also points to structural constraints in Poland’s innovation financing market.
“We see meaningful progress at the earliest stages of startup funding, but the growth capital segment remains relatively shallow. When companies need rounds in the range of EUR 50–100 million (approx. PLN 215–430 million), they still very often have to look for funding abroad,” says Bruno Wejchert.
Investor's perspective
Limited capital – one of the barriers for Polish investors
Capital available in foreign markets is vast – far exceeding what is typically seen in Poland. The minimum ticket for top-tier U.S. funds is often around USD 5 million (approx. PLN 20 million / EUR 4.6 million). By comparison, Polish investors usually commit PLN 2–3 million (approx. EUR 460,000–690,000). In practice, this means that a Polish investor in a large international fund can easily be lost in the crowd, with limited access to the information and relationships that ultimately drive value.
Another barrier is the relatively limited experience of Polish investors in international markets. Poland still has few managers able to share hands-on knowledge of how U.S. or Western European funds operate. The lack of reliable information and practical support means that investing abroad requires more preparation and considerable patience.
Local regulations also pose constraints – particularly in areas such as defense investments. In the United States, rules are relatively stringent, requiring thorough vetting of foreign partners or limiting their participation in financing strategic technologies.
The fund’s investment strategy
The fund’s strategy is built around concentrating on a limited number of high-potential companies and maintaining long-term capital commitment.
“Returns in venture capital are typically driven by a small number of exceptional companies. Our model is to identify such businesses early, concentrate capital around them, and support them through successive stages of growth, including participation in follow-on funding rounds. This is a core part of our strategy, as we aim to be a long-term partner rather than a one-off capital provider,” says Bruno Wejchert.
Today, Strike is primarily focused on developing its portfolio and deepening its work with existing companies. At the same time, it is exploring future fundraising opportunities. Over the long term, the firm aims to strengthen its presence in Poland and across the region, viewing them as a key element of its global investment strategy and as a platform for connecting American technology with Europe’s talent base and industrial capabilities.
Key Takeaways
- Despite positive momentum, Poland’s venture capital market continues to face structural constraints. These include a limited number of investors with global experience, constrained availability of growth-stage capital, and a less developed relationship-driven culture. As a result, Polish companies are often forced to seek funding abroad, while domestic investors face barriers to accessing the world’s leading funds.
- Poland is strengthening its position as a meaningful component of global venture capital strategies – not only as a source of capital, but also as a market enabling expansion across Central and Eastern Europe. Strike Capital’s interest underscores that the country is increasingly seen as a base of talent, technological expertise, and rising entrepreneurial ambition. At the same time, this potential has yet to be fully realized from an investment perspective.
- Strike Capital’s operating model highlights the growing importance of “bridge” players between markets. The fund not only allocates capital but also actively supports the development of business relationships, the transfer of know-how, and the internationalization of companies. This approach can accelerate the integration of Poland’s startup ecosystem with the U.S. market, which remains critical for scaling innovation.