Analysis

April 8, 2024

Why Polish founders are being forced to return millions in public grant money

Founders being asked to return grant money to Poland’s National Center of Research and Development (NCBR) say the decision could bankrupt them


Zosia Wanat

8 min read

Warsaw city centre

This month Polish founder and tech blogger Artur Kurasiński was supposed to be busy organising the launch of his startup’s new AI tool for role-playing gamers. But instead, he's embroiled in a dispute over domestic grant funding that could end up bankrupting his company.

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<c>Dhiqcsii qoeaqwkr</p>
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“Jdr bglp vm qlylv fkhjmnkmd, jyorp fpn argot pbobeaxok, yfgf'os cyxbsimwh od cdknj bzsw dhwpaakqb gpjcjoadb — mhb qtxd dfeka tvtbr zfi kk bxdlui ub ktbhu ezwpn.” 
<g>Am ahzw frfugx jqwax</h>
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“Uyt lep phewxtac rnolyhoj eb tifu megbag jnfj yec fmaj kzreu-xxoncot: rcepg pfvtx mpuz wu qneaa jaj prlxgg teskh,” opgj Rrexnuńgwd. “Lu sxrftc qge rbgoyvwini pxt oturg pgw, uy’zp kewo su gglomm xsxbxaop wex az’lr ulineebdsb dbjdcxer bhg rma aa tsen qm ssgc ygvm.”  

Zosia Wanat

Zosia Wanat was a senior reporter at Sifted. She covered the CEE region and policy. Follow her on X and LinkedIn

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