Yonsei University, in collaboration with beSUCCESS Media Group, recently hosted an online class to educate students and aspiring entrepreneurs about the startup ecosystem in Korea and globally. The sessions, which took place on June 29 and 30, featured Tomasz Kowalczyk, co-founder of Rebels Valley Sp. z o.o., who shared his extensive experience in technology implementation and innovation over the past decade.
With expertise spanning various fields such as game startups, hardware, sports tech, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things, Tomasz Kowalczyk has successfully integrated cutting-edge technologies within Europe. He also serves as a startup consultant and mentor to multiple startups, offering fundraising and growth strategies guidance. Tomasz regularly participates as a speaker at industry events and conferences, sharing knowledge and insights on the latest trends and opportunities in the technology field.
During the two sessions, Tomasz addressed two key topics. The first session, titled “Introducing the European Startup Ecosystem and Investment Trends,” focused on the European startup landscape and its position in the world. Tomasz highlighted that Europe ranks third globally in terms of the number of startups, accounting for 15% of the startups worldwide. He emphasized key European startup hubs, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, and Romania.
In the second session, titled “Case Study of 3 European Unicorn Startups,” Tomasz provided an in-depth analysis and discussed the success stories of three European unicorn startups. This session shed light on the remarkable achievements of these companies and their impact on the European startup ecosystem.
One of the key aspects Tomasz Kowalczyk covered was the investment trends in Europe. He highlighted various government-led support measures available to startups in the EU. For example, France offers a fast-track tech visa for founders, entrepreneurs, and startups. He also mentioned prominent venture capital funds like Index Ventures, Accel, and Atomica that have made substantial investments in European startups.
Tomasz further emphasized the rise in venture capital funding from 2018 to 2022, with a particular focus on sectors such as fintech, health tech, artificial intelligence, and software-as-a-service (SAAS). These sectors have grown significantly and garnered substantial investor interest in recent years.
During the sessions, Tomasz Kowalczyk enthusiastically answered questions from the students, addressing topics such as investment trends in various EU countries, types of companies that receive investment, ease of access to EU countries, startup expansions, and funding methods. His insights provided valuable guidance for students and aspiring entrepreneurs navigating the European startup landscape.
The online class organized by Yonsei University and beSUCCESS Media Group proved an excellent platform for students to gain knowledge and insights into the European startup ecosystem. Tomasz Kowalczyk’s extensive experience and expertise in technology implementation and startup consulting offered valuable insights into the ever-evolving world of entrepreneurship.
