Warsaw-Chicago Innovation Bridge

This relationship is further strengthened thanks to a unique relationship between two cities like no other. Chicago and Warsaw are linked together throughout history by their shared culture. Afterall, they have the two largest Polish populations on the globe! Both cities are also major hubs for startups, technology and innovation.

With Chicago being among the top 15 startup ecosystems globally, and Warsaw being the largest tech hub in the CEE region by number of venture rounds, there can be no better match for cooperation and collaboration.

The Warsaw-Chicago Innovation Bridge is a great opportunity for Polish entrepreneurs offering technological solutions to share and learn from their counterparts across the Atlantic.

During the event, participants will:

• Learn about the business and technology ecosystems of Chicago and Warsaw
• Discover the possibilities for cooperation with:
  
  • Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) and our Chicago Office
  • Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
  • ChicagoNEXT and World Business Chicago
  • Startup Hub Poland
  • Many other entities from Chicago and Warsaw
• Get a chance to meet with potential business partners during the presentation and networking sessions

The main partner of the event is the Venture Café Warsaw.

The institutional partner of the event is the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago, represented by Madam Consul Małgorzata Bąk-Guzik, Acting Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago.

The special guests of the event will be:

• Iwona Węgrzyn-Bocheńska
  Senior International Trade Specialist, Office of Trade & Investment, State of Illinois
  Co-Chair of the Warsaw Committee, Chicago Sister Cities International (CSCI)
• Conrad Nowak
  Partner, Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
  Co-Chair of the Warsaw Committee, Chicago Sister Cities International (CSCI)
  
  

The event will be moderated by:

• Michał Rzeźnik, Head of the Foreign Trade Office in Chicago, PAIH
• Ewa Geresz, Director, Venture Café Warsaw
• Alexandra Oleksiuk, Expert at the Foreign Trade Office in Chicago, PAIH
  
  

Among the main speakers we will see (in order of appearance):

• Ewelina Tomczyk-Malec, Senior Investor Relations Specialist, Investor Cooperation Unit, City of Warsaw
• Tom Bartkoski, Director of International Business Development, World Business Chicago (WBC)
• Agnieszka Szweda, Expert, Investment Center, PAIH
• Michał Rzeźnik, Head of the Foreign Trade Office in Chicago, PAIH
• Joey Mak, Vice President of Programs, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce (CCC)
• Maciej Sadowski, CEO, Startup Hub Poland
• Abin Kuriakose, Executive Vice President of Innovation and Venture Strategy, ChicagoNEXT
  
  

This online event will be held on February 25th at 9:00 AM CST (4:00 PM CET) and will be conducted in English.