This article is a part of Poland Unpacked. Weekly intelligence for decision-makers
Synerise and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group have signed a financing agreement worth over PLN 105 million (EUR 25 million). The deal takes the form of venture debt – a specialized loan instrument designed for high-growth startups.
Synerise is a Polish IT company specializing in Big Data and artificial intelligence (AI) software development. Its platform enables businesses to collect, analyze, and interpret customer behavioral data, then automate processes based on those insights. The company operates in more than 150 markets and employs over 200 people. As of July 2024, Synerise reported a valuation exceeding USD 120 million.
The funding will support the company’s expansion and drive international sales growth. But Synerise isn’t the only beneficiary of major EIB backing. The European Investment Fund (EIF), part of the EIB Group, is committing PLN 500 million (EUR 118m) to support innovation in Poland and will manage the new Future Tech Poland (FTP) fund of funds.
Synerise secures growth capital
Synerise’s co-founder and CEO, Jarosław Królewski, is a lecturer at AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków. Beyond the tech world, Królewski is also known as co-owner and president of Wisła Kraków football club.
The EIB-backed project will support Synerise’s global expansion and technology development. The funding is designed to accelerate investment in research, development, and innovation, while strengthening internal sales and marketing capabilities through 2028. The project carries a total price tag of EUR 54 million, with EUR 25 million coming from the EIB.
According to the company, the funds will enable the launch of a next-generation behavioral analysis technology powered by artificial intelligence. Synerise plans to expand its proprietary infrastructure for advanced big data analysis and boost sales across Europe, North America, and the Middle East.
“Partnering with the European Investment Bank marks a milestone for both Synerise and Europe's innovation ecosystem. This partnership demonstrates that deep tech solutions based on rigorous science and world-class artificial intelligence can be developed in Europe – and compete successfully on the global stage. EIB support will accelerate our AI research and strengthen our international presence. Our experience shows that responsibly developed technology can positively impact decision-making at both the organizational and societal level,” said Jarosław Królewski.
“This is a significant moment not just for Synerise, but for Poland’s entire IT ecosystem. It shows that in this part of the world, we can develop and protect our own technologies and APIs – we don’t always need to default to the easiest option, like American funding. For IT companies in the region, protecting independence is paramount. At Synerise, every technology is built here by Polish engineers,” Królewski added.
He emphasized that the goal is for local companies to build their own capabilities rather than simply serving as subcontractors to global corporations.
“Including EIB financing, Synerise will invest nearly PLN 250 million (EUR 60m) in AI and Big Data. That may not be enormous by global standards, but I believe it's the largest investment of its kind in Poland in recent years,” the Synerise CEO noted.
TechEU and the EIB’s Polish push
Funding for the Kraków-based startup came through the TechEU program, which the EIB plans to expand further in Poland. TechEU is the group’s flagship initiative for supporting innovation and advanced technologies, aimed at accelerating technological development across the EU. The program backs high-risk projects and innovative companies at any stage – from concept to market launch.
This is crucial for companies that struggle to secure financing from commercial banks due to project risk or early-stage development. The challenge is particularly acute given that access to capital in the EU remains more difficult than in the US, where the venture capital market is far more mature.
The EIB Group has scaled up TechEU financing to EUR 70 billion through the end of 2027. These funds are designed to mobilize EUR 250 billion in new investments across key sectors including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, digital infrastructure, biotechnology and advanced medical technologies, security and defense, clean tech, and semiconductors.
Good to know
The EU’s Venture Capital gap
Private equity and venture capital firms invested EUR 126 billion in the EU in 2024, according to Invest Europe, the industry association. By comparison, US venture capital investment alone reached USD 215.4 billion last year, while private equity added another USD 639 billion.
Limited access to capital – particularly high-risk venture financing – is widely recognized as a major constraint on European competitiveness and innovation. EIB financing represents one of the EU’s key responses to this challenge.
The EIB Group is currently among the largest investors in the EU’s innovation sector, having deployed over EUR 270 billion since 2000. The European Investment Fund (EIF), part of the EIB Group, ranks as one of the EU’s largest venture capital sources. According to EIB data, half of all EU unicorns have received EIF backing.
In Poland specifically, the EIB Group invested EUR 840 million in innovation, digitization, and human capital in 2024 alone, totaling EUR 4.44 billion between 2020 and 2024.
EIB’s Investment Readiness Checker
Beyond tailored financing for high-growth companies, TechEU also offers a new digital platform for assessing investment readiness: the Investment Readiness Checker. This service hub connects investors with innovative companies, allowing them to quickly identify available EU financing options based on their business development stage. The Polish Development Fund (PFR) became the platform’s first national partner.
Since launching in July 2024, the platform has attracted over 800 startup registrations. The Investment Readiness Checker now also features information on investment funds partnering with PFR Ventures – the latest milestone in the close collaboration between the EIB Group and PFR Group to support sustainable economic development and innovation in Poland.
“PFR's involvement in the EIB Group’s platform marks an important step in building a robust innovation ecosystem in Poland. This tool will help ambitious entrepreneurs find suitable investors and funding sources more quickly – not just in Poland, but across Europe. It gives Polish startups easier access to capital, expertise, and partnerships, which are essential for developing cutting-edge technologies and building a knowledge-based economy,” said Piotr Matczuk, President of PFR.
Robust Innovation Support
As part of its innovation financing strategy in Poland, the European Investment Fund (EIF) – part of the EIB Group – will manage the new Future Tech Poland (FTP) fund of funds, committing PLN 500 million (EUR 120m) to the initiative. FTP will focus on mobilizing venture capital investments as part of the Innovate Poland program spearheaded by Finance Minister Andrzej Domański to drive economic innovation.
“From initial concept to IPO, the European Investment Bank Group now offers comprehensive financial and advisory support for projects advancing breakthrough technologies in Poland. The European Investment Fund is actively engaged in Poland’s strategy to support early-stage companies, bringing financing expertise and fund management experience to Innovate Poland,” said EIB Vice President Prof. Teresa Czerwińska.
What Future Tech Poland means
The Future Tech Poland fund will reach PLN 1.5 billion (EUR 354m) in total capital, combining PLN 500 million (EUR 120m) from the European Investment Fund and PLN 1 billion (EUR 234m) from Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK). The fund will strengthen the development and competitive position of Polish startups by investing in venture capital funds that back high-growth companies.
FTP aims to establish Poland as a significant hub for innovative, high-risk venture capital. Following the signing of the EIF-BGK agreement in the coming days, initial investments are expected later this year, with full program deployment by the end of 2027.
EIB expansion plans to benefit startups
The EIB Group ranks among the largest investors in the EU’s innovation sector, having deployed over EUR 270 billion since 2000. The European Investment Fund (EIF), part of the EIB Group, is one of the EU’s largest venture capital sources – backing half of all EU unicorns, according to EIB data. In Poland, the EIB Group invested EUR 840 million in innovation, digitization, and human capital in 2024 alone, bringing total investments to EUR 4.44 billion between 2020 and 2024.
Key takeaways
- Synerise has secured PLN 105 million (EUR 25m) in financing from the European Investment Bank under the TechEU program. The funding is intended to support the development of artificial intelligence technology and the company's international expansion. The capital will be deployed to expand analytical infrastructure, invest in research and development, and strengthen sales and marketing operations. The project, valued at EUR 54 million in total, is scheduled for implementation between 2025 and 2028. It also aligns with Synerise's broader strategy, as the company already operates in over 150 markets.
- The Synerise financing is part of a larger EIB investment push in Poland, which includes the creation of the Future Tech Poland fund worth PLN 1.5 billion (EUR 354m). The fund, managed by the European Investment Fund and co-financed by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, aims to support high-growth Polish startups. The objective is to mobilize venture capital under the government's Innovate Poland program.
- The TechEU program and new tools such as the Investment Readiness Checker are designed to address Europe's high-risk financing gap while supporting the development of strategically important technologies. The EIB Group plans to allocate EUR 70 billion to innovation financing by 2027, which is expected to attract an additional EUR 180 billion from the private sector. The support encompasses both financial instruments and advisory services for companies at various stages of development, including those struggling to access commercial capital.