It’s exciting to see more initiatives that directly support entrepreneurship in Europe, especially through the lens of artificial intelligence. Recently, betacluster Ventures introduced its early-stage fund, betacluster Poland.One, to back Polish startups innovating in the Smart Data Economy. Having bootstrapped my own projects, including the Fe/male Switch Startup Game, I can’t help but reflect on what this development means for female founders across Europe and why access to such resources can be a game-changer, pun fully intended.
This fund, targeting €19 million and with its first close securing €14 million, isn’t just about writing checks. It’s a clear call to action for a specific kind of founder: the technical, AI-savvy leader ready to tackle challenges in manufacturing, fintech, and smart cities, among others. The backing from Poland’s PFR Ventures alongside investors from regions like Germany and Switzerland also indicates growing validation of Eastern Europe as a hotspot for talent. But let’s dive deeper into what this opportunity could mean for entrepreneurs in Europe, particularly for women.
What’s in it for Founders?
Here’s what stood out: the fund’s focus is to inject up to €1 million per company to not only validate a product but also help ambitious founders gain international traction. The spotlight on leveraging data and AI aligns with global trends, where investments in automation and smart systems are creating entirely new sectors. Many early-stage funds prioritize growth, but this one seems particularly keen on supporting strong technical teams still in the brainstorming-or-building phase of their journey.
For founders, this marks an opportunity not limited to financial support. It’s about being part of a curated ecosystem of VCs and peers who understand the nuances of scaling from a geographically constrained ecosystem to global markets. Operating within the Smart Data Economy forces founders to juggle not just software and user experience but also challenges like privacy, integration with legacy infrastructure, and regulatory hurdles. This high bar is both a challenge and an advantage because if you can solve these problems in Poland, you can solve them elsewhere too.
Why This Matters for Female Entrepreneurs
Sadly, women are still underrepresented in tech startups across Europe. Reports show that women-led businesses capture a minuscule share of venture funding, hovering around 2-3%. This gap isn’t just frustrating, it’s unsustainable for a tech-driven future. Funds like betacluster Poland.One, even if not exclusively targeting women, open the door for female founders with a strong technical vision who might otherwise have struggled to connect with investors. That said, getting a seat at the table still requires preparation.
Let me summarize the key takeaways for female founders:
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Embrace Early-Stage Complexity: Funds like this prioritize startups at the earliest stages. Build a technical team and get the foundations right before thinking of scale. You won’t need a polished business model but a product with potential to disrupt your chosen vertical.
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Poland as a Talent Hub: Eastern Europe, especially Poland, is steadily gaining credibility in the tech world. If you’re in the EU, consider tapping into this region. Hiring developers or spinning your operations here could align your business for eligibility in regionally focused funds.
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Global Mindset with Local Credentials: While Western European founders might initially overlook this, partnering locally in Poland could supercharge access to untapped networks of investors or even commercial pilots.
Common Missteps to Avoid
It’s equally crucial to acknowledge what can trip up otherwise promising founders. I’ve learned these lessons the hard way:
- Overlooking Product-Market Fit: No AI algorithm or big data idea will survive if your core customer problem is fuzzy. Investors judge harder at the early stage than you’d think.
- Lack of Clarity on Fund Deployment: Be clear about how you’d use a €1 million investment. Divide it across hiring, R&D, marketing, and product traction. Scattershot budgeting signals gaps in strategic thinking.
- Underestimating Team Dynamics: A technically skilled team is non-negotiable in this space. If you lack tech expertise, partner smartly and avoid the trap of being perceived as a weak, solo leader.
Lessons for Female Founders in Europe
Betacluster Poland.One, as much as it focuses on startups in a specific geography, mirrors broader trends in funding. Having attended investor readiness workshops and incubators myself, here are lessons from my own playbook:
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Speak Data, Not Emotions: If you find pitching nerve-wracking, remember this: stick to your numbers, data, and proof points. Keep your language assertive and solution-oriented. AI and technical projects naturally feed into this style since data is your backbone.
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Leverage Cross-Border Opportunities: Don’t limit yourself geographically. My startups, though Dutch-born, work across several regions. Build partnerships that allow you to quickly localize your product or service elsewhere. For example, smart city or fintech startups aligned with betacluster’s interests could benefit from exploring Polish and Swiss local testbeds.
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Master Grant + VC Balancing: Combining public funding (grants) with private capital is an art form I’ve had years of practice with. While equity-free sources like EU grants give you breathing room, VCs ensure laser focus on growth. Construct your financial roadmap to balance both.
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Say Yes to Collaboration: While solopreneurship has its perks, investors need assurance that you’re supported by a competent and complete team. It may mean recruiting co-founders or highly incentivized advisors early on.
Conclusion
As more funds like betacluster Poland.One emerge across Europe, the onus is on founders to step up and make themselves visible. Female founders should seize these openings, combining technical savvy with strategic partnerships to command this attention. Resources are growing, but talent always stays in the driver’s seat.
And yes, the $19 million pool might seem a drop in the ocean compared to U.S. VC funding levels, but every step towards parity counts. Resources like these bring us closer to rewriting the startup success narrative, and trust me, that is a narrative worth investing your time into.
FAQ
1. What is betacluster Poland.One?
betacluster Poland.One is an early-stage venture capital fund established to support Polish startups working in the Smart Data Economy, including fields like AI, fintech, and smart cities. The fund aims to provide up to €1 million per company to validate technology and accelerate growth. Read about betacluster Poland.One on Tech.eu
2. How much funding has betacluster Poland.One secured so far?
As of the first close, betacluster Poland.One secured €14 million, with aims to reach its full €19 million target in January 2026. Learn more about betacluster's fundraising efforts
3. Who are the main investors behind betacluster Poland.One?
The anchor investor is Poland’s PFR Ventures. Other investors include private entities from Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, highlighting international confidence in Polish engineering talent.
4. What sectors does betacluster Poland.One focus on?
The fund focuses on startups involved in manufacturing, fintech, smart cities, healthcare, logistics, and dual-use technology within the Smart Data Economy.
5. Who leads the betacluster Poland.One initiative?
Florian Steger, the General Partner at betacluster Ventures, leads the initiative, emphasizing the role of AI and data-driven startups. Learn more about Florian Steger's vision
6. Why is betacluster Poland.One significant for female founders?
Although not exclusively targeting women, the fund presents an opportunity for female founders with strong technical ideas to connect with investors. Women-led tech startups currently receive only 2-3% of venture capital funding, a gap this fund could help address.
7. How does betacluster Poland.One support early-stage startups?
The fund supports startups at the earliest stages, focusing on technical teams developing innovative first products and strategies. It emphasizes product validation and gaining international traction.
8. Why is Eastern Europe gaining traction in the tech world?
Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, is becoming recognized for its wealth of technical talent and cost advantages, making it an attractive site for innovation and investment. Explore Eastern Europe as an innovation hub
9. How does betacluster Poland.One compare to other venture funds?
Unlike many funds that focus on scaling, betacluster Poland.One emphasizes supporting teams in the brainstorming/building phases and aligning them with global market opportunities.
10. What should founders prepare before applying for funding?
Founders need to have a clear product-market fit, a detailed strategy for deploying the €1 million investment, and a technically skilled team to address early-stage challenges. Learn about investment strategies for startups
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
