The NCN funds basic research; Akces NCBR supports technology start-ups. An agreement signed on 12 March is designed to help researchers bridge the gap between the two stages.
Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak, NCN Director, Arleta Malasińska, Akces NCBR President, Dr Marcin Liana, NCN Deputy Director
NCN funds projects at the basic research stage – before a specific technology or product has emerged. Akces NCBR supports teams that already have research results and want to test their market potential. The agreement is intended to fill the gap between these two stages by making it possible to identify projects with commercial promise earlier and to map out their further development.
“What matters is that there should be a bridge for researchers at this transitional moment, so that they know such instruments exist and are worth using,” says Professor Krzysztof Jóźwiak, NCN Director.
NCN Deputy Director Dr Marcin Liana takes a similar view: “A great deal of good research is being done in Poland; the challenge remains translating it effectively into innovation.”
“Thanks to our cooperation with the National Science Centre, we can identify the most promising research projects even earlier and create a development pathway for them towards technology and commercialisation,” says Arleta Malasińska, President of Akces NCBR.
First result: preferential points
One of the first outcomes of the agreement will be preferential points awarded to NCN-funded projects in the call for the Impakt Horizontal Science Programme. The call will open at the end of March 2026.
Impakt is an acceleration programme run by Akces NCBR for teams developing projects based on the results of research and development work. Participants receive funding in the form of a grant, as well as access to a network of mentors and experts from Poland and abroad. In practice, the extra points mean that NCN projects will stand a better chance of qualifying for the programme.
The cooperation will also include joint webinars and workshops for researchers working on NCN projects who are interested in commercialising their results. The two institutions are also planning a joint presence at conferences and industry events.
Signing of the agreement between the NCN and Akces NCBR