Red Rooster Dispatch #18
Spring signals across the Franco-Polish tech ecosystem & the events shaping the coming weeks
Hi friends!
As the first signs of spring appear, the startup ecosystem across Poland and France is also entering a new phase of activity. New meetings, international collaborations and community gatherings are bringing founders, investors and innovators together across Central and Eastern Europe.
In this edition of Red Rooster Dispatch we look at several signals shaping the coming weeks: from ecosystem events and cross-border partnerships to the growing visibility of Poland on the European startup map. Let’s take a look at what’s happening across the community. 🚀
🤝 A look back at recent community moments: Club V.I.E gathering
We recently had the pleasure of meeting with members of Club V.I.E, bringing together young professionals and future entrepreneurs active in the French and Polish environments.
During the evening, Walid Barsali, President of La French Tech Warsaw, shared an overview of the startup investment landscape and highlighted how the organisation helps connect the French and Polish ecosystems. The discussion was enriched by Joanna Mamczur, who shared practical insights from the entrepreneurial journey of building startups. Drawing on a real-life example of launching a licensed FinTech company, she walked participants through key milestones: from identifying a real market problem to developing a product or service capable of scaling.
The discussion quickly moved beyond presentations, turning into an interactive exchange with participants exploring how they might apply their talents both as intrapreneurs within organisations and as founders building their own ventures🤝
📍 Soirée Francophone – Celebrating the French speaking Business Community in Warsaw
🗓 19 March 2026
🕒 Evening event
📍 L’émotion Bistro, Elektryczna 2, Warsaw
As part of the Francophonie Days, the Soirée Francophone will bring together members of the French-speaking business community in Warsaw for an evening of culture, networking and celebration.
Organized in collaboration with the main Francophone Chambers of Commerce, the event aims to connect professionals, entrepreneurs and partners from across the ecosystem in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. More than a traditional networking event, the evening offers an opportunity to exchange ideas, build meaningful connections and celebrate the diversity and dynamism of the French-speaking community in Poland.
Participants will enjoy an inspiring setting at Bistro L’émotion, where culture, business and community meet to foster new collaborations and conversations.
📍 Venture Café Warsaw – where the ecosystem meets
Thursday Gathering #253 FRESH TALENTS, BOLD IDEAS
🗓 2 April 2026
🕒 18:00-21:00
📍 CIC Warsaw, Varso Place, Chmielna 73, Warsaw
Thursday Gathering is Venture Café Warsaw’s free, bi-weekly meeting point bringing together early-stage entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers, mentors and investors. The event creates space for new ideas, fresh perspectives and meaningful connections across the innovation ecosystem.
Thursday Gathering #254 OWN YOUR CREATIVITY
🗓 23 April 2026
🕒 18:00-21:00
📍 CIC Warsaw, Varso Place, Chmielna 73, Warsaw
Another edition of the Venture Café Thursday Gathering invites the community to explore creativity as a driving force for innovation. Founders, builders and curious minds will meet to exchange ideas, learn from one another and connect with people shaping the future of the ecosystem.
⚽ Sport, innovation and infrastructure
On March 24, La French Tech Warsaw will hold an event at the French Embassy in Warsaw dedicated to Poland’s potential to host a future edition of the Olympic Games, supported by Robotickets and co-organized by PZPN and Business France. The event brings together representatives from the sports sector, technology companies, startups and public institutions to explore the intersection of sport, infrastructure and innovation.
The program includes panel discussions with officials, sports federations, SportsTech companies and infrastructure operators, as well as startup pitches from French companies interested in the Polish ecosystem. The evening will be concluded with a visit to sports facilities at Ł3 and business networking.
Follow us on social media for the info on the live stream from the panel discussions.
📅 Upcoming opportunities for startups in Central & Eastern Europe
The coming weeks will bring several important gatherings connecting the French and Polish business communities:
Tech Business Meeting: CCIFP
📅 April 14 18:00
📍 BNP Paribas Bank Polska, Warsaw
Organised by the French-Polish Chamber of Commerce the meeting will explore an important question for growing companies: does growth have limits? Discussions will focus on international expansion, startup financing strategies and how founders can prepare for conversations with investors and venture capital funds.
French-Polish Economic Forum
📅 April 22-23
📍 European Economic Congress, Katowice
This forum gathers major economic institutions from both countries and aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation while creating a space for dialogue between businesses and public authorities.
It offers companies an opportunity not only to follow developments in economic cooperation, but also to actively contribute to shaping them.
French Week of AI: Slovakia
📅 April 16
📍 Bratislava
Organised by the French Embassy in Slovakia and the French-Slovak Chamber of Commerce, the event will bring together startups and companies working in artificial intelligence.
The programme includes project presentations, discussions around best practices and insights into IPCEI AI (Important Projects of Common European Interest in Artificial Intelligence).
🌍 La French Tech Warsaw at the Congress of Local Governments in Mikołajki
A few days ago La French Tech Warsaw took part in the 11th Congress of Local Governments, European Forum in Mikołajki, one of the key gatherings bringing together regional leaders, businesses, NGOs and academics from across Europe. The congress created space for discussions around regional development, innovation and policy challenges shaping cities and regions.
During the forum, our team joined high-level panels alongside international speakers, presenting a panorama of startup investment and ecosystem growth from a French-Polish perspective. The discussion highlighted the innovation potential of Central and Eastern Europe and the importance of European cooperation in building strong technology ecosystems.
🌐 Global innovation connections: France, India and Poland
🔎 International cooperation around innovation continues to expand. During President Emmanuel Macron’s recent visit to India, the two countries launched the India-France Year of Innovation 2026, designed to strengthen collaboration between startups, research institutions and investors.
The initiative includes partnerships in fields such as artificial intelligence, healthcare, sustainable technologies and research collaboration.
At the same time, discussions at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi led to new cooperation agreements linking Indian, French and Polish partners, including initiatives connecting the Karnataka innovation ecosystem with organisations in Europe. These developments illustrate a broader trend: innovation ecosystems are becoming increasingly interconnected across continents, opening new opportunities for startups and investors.
💼 Spring update on our job board
With spring bringing fresh energy to the ecosystem, it’s a good moment to see what new opportunities are out there. We’ve just added new job offers and V.I.E. roles to our job board. Even if you’re not actively looking, a quick glance might spark an idea for what comes next. 🚀
