Anna Kowalski 
Polski Fundusz Rozwoju and Allegro launched the 9th edition of Szkoła Pionierów PFR focused on space technology solutions. The program includes networking opportunities, a mission to Turin, and a prize pool of 160,000 PLN. The initiative was inaugurated at the Impact’26 congress.
whenUbuy, a Polish application, has analyzed over one million receipts showing that Polish e-commerce consumers are purchasing more rationally and cautiously. Users are better utilizing platform features like returns and deferred payments. April showed a notable decline in average basket value and individual product prices while maintaining stable monthly purchase numbers.
Bolt announced that Romanian users are increasingly using its ride-sharing platform for long-distance intercity trips of over 400 km. The company clarified the legal framework allowing alternative transport operators to conduct both permanent services within their home locality and occasional services to other locations. Notable long-distance rides include a 469 km journey from Timișoara to Miercurea Ciuc.
Compari.ro, Romania’s leading price comparison platform and part of Heureka Group, announced the winners of the first local edition of the ‘Store of the Year 2025’ competition. GymBeam won the grand prize. The company is transitioning toward a full e-commerce marketplace to unify Romania’s fragmented retail landscape and provide local merchants with a platform to reach wider audiences.
Czech-led Exaforce raised over €100 million in funding
Eufy (Anker subsidiary) launches two autonomous cleaning robots in Poland: the C15 lawn mower with visual navigation and the Omni S2 cleaning robot with aromatherapy feature.
BraveX Aero, a Romanian private aerospace company specializing in advanced unmanned aerial systems with fixed wings and jet propulsion, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Romaero, a historic Romanian aerospace company, to collaborate on developing and scaling unmanned aerial systems for the European defense and security market. The partnership combines BraveX Aero’s technological agility and innovation in autonomous systems with Romaero’s industrial experience and aerospace production infrastructure. BraveX Aero is also pursuing a seed funding round by the end of 2026 and has secured a new order from a major European defense industry player for Romania’s first jet-powered drone capable of speeds up to 500 km/h.
Kraków-based fintech startup Zevio launched a subscription and recurring payment management platform designed for small and medium-sized service companies, utilizing BLIK’s recurring payment mechanism. The company has received investment from Grzegorz Błażewicz and has established a partnership with BLIK.
Zerops, a Prague-based platform-as-a-service startup redesigning cloud architecture, raised a €1.7 million Seed round led by Gi21 Capital to expand its global infrastructure in the US and Asia, accelerate product development, and grow its team.
DDD Invoices, a Ljubljana-based company building API-driven infrastructure for global e-invoicing compliance, has closed a €1.31 million Seed round supported by Fil Rouge Capital, 500 Global, and experienced operators from the ERP and e-invoicing ecosystem.