Table 1.
Mapping KPT instruments against project development stages (authors’ own elaboration).
| Instrument | Stage | Dominant function | Primary recipient | Potential dual-use applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incubation and office space (de minimis mechanisms) | idea → MVP | infrastructure + basic development support | early-stage startups and teams | medium: builds a project base; limited sector specificity |
| ScaleUp-type acceleration programs (grant up to PLN 300,000; work with a technology recipient) | MVP → PoC/pilot | grant + mentoring plus implementation-oriented matchmaking | startups with a prototype/MVP; industrial partners (technology recipients) | high: challenge-driven work and on-site testing with the recipient aligns with dual-use implementation logic |
| hub4industry (DIH/EDIH: audits, PoC, training; de minimis) | PoC → pilot → scale | PoC/testing + implementation advisory | SMEs and industrial firms (technology recipients) | medium to high: useful for implementation in critical environments (e.g., cyber, OT/IT integration) |
| KPT Seed Fund (seed)* | MVP/PoC → pilot | financing + advisory support | early-stage startups | medium: valuable for deep tech; dual-use relevance depends on portfolio profile and target markets |
| ESA Business Applications broker/ambassador (transfer of space technologies into market applications) | idea → PoC (cross-cutting) | matchmaking + cross-sector bridge | SMEs & startups | high (indirect): space technologies often have a dual-use profile; brokerage helps identify applications and partners |
| Digital Dragons (conference/accelerator/reports) | idea → scale (sector-specific) | sector initiative + networking | game development studios, investors, industry partners | low to medium: primarily a sector lever for capabilities and business development |
| Sector Skills Council: Gaming and GameDev | cross-cutting (skills) | competence development and education | SMEs & startups, education providers, labor-market institutions | low (direct): strengthens human capital; dual-use may benefit via spillovers (digital and managerial capabilities) |
| FORT Kraków: DIANA Accelerator Poland | MVP → PoC → pilot | matchmaking + mentoring + validation /testing (via a network) + cohort internationalization | deep-tech and dual-use startups | high: entry into the DIANA network, access to an accelerator, and a testing ecosystem |
Table 2.
Governance mechanisms in startup-Technology Recipient (TR) collaboration.
| Risk area | Governance mechanism | Implications for collaboration |
|---|---|---|
| NDA and confidentiality | The TR may require a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) as a condition for access to information and the pilot environment. | Information circulation around the project is constrained; without an NDA, pilots often do not start. The benefit is the ability to work with the TR’s real data and processes. |
| Intellectual property (IP) | The startup declares, among other things, that it holds full rights to the solution and that it does not infringe any third-party rights. The IP position must enable implementation and commercialization. | The TR reduces legal implementation risk; the startup must clarify authorship and contributions, licenses, and any dependencies (e.g., components, data, employee IP rights). |
| Liability insurance and infrastructure access | When using the TR infrastructure, the startup must hold third-party liability insurance, with coverage agreed between the parties. | The pilot becomes operationally “real” because it involves TR assets, but formalization and preparatory costs on the startup side increase. The TR limits exposure to damage and downtime. |
| Non-compete and implementation priority | The startup commits to a non-compete obligation vis-à-vis the TR in a defined area during the program and for three months afterward. The TR receives a priority right to implement solutions validated within the pilot. | The TR increases the likelihood that a pilot translates into implementation; the startup limits parallel activity in directly competing areas. This stabilizes the relationship but reduces short-term commercial flexibility. |
| Tranche-based disbursement | The grant is paid in tranches linked to milestones (approx. 30% / 35% / 35% of the grant value). | Funding is tied to progress and evidence of delivery. This supports risk control and continuation decisions, while requiring the startup to deliver results aligned with the budget and spending plan. |