The country produces world-class deep tech across biotech, defence, cybersecurity, and AI. At the early stage, the best projects are still found through local networks, not conference stages.
Invitation Only · Warsaw, Poland
THE MOAT
All you need to know about deep tech in Poland.
In one day.
High-impact networking
Top early-stage deep tech startups fundraising
Deep insights into leading verticals
Partners
Who will you meet
Investors attending THE MOAT
Tomasz Lepka
Keen Venture Partners
Dan Lupu
Earlybird
Vojtech Tomsu
Kaya VC
Oliver Heimes
Lakestar
Daren Wilson
Healthseed
Wojciech Walniczek
OTB Ventures
Nicholas Nelson
Archangel
Georgi Mitov
BrightCap
Daniel Oliver
Capital Cell
Tanya Aulachynskaya
BADideas.fund
Wojciech Drewczyński
Balnord
Hugh Bowen
SOSV
Maciej Małysz
Inovo VC
Miha Pavlovic
Project A
Kate Kovalenko
Momenta Ventures
Fabian Janz
Ignite Next
Alessandro De Benedetti
Northzone
Eliza Kruczkowska
EIC Board
Marek Gajewski
Reem Ventures
Marco Constantini
Nova Capital
Lorenzo Meneghini
Nova Capital
Aleksandra Byrka
Blue Gravity Capital
Imti Basharat
Heartfelt
Stanisław Knaflewski
Altamira
Maria Portoles
Vsquared Ventures
Magdalena Marciniak
i&i Bio
Michael Baczyk
Heartcore Capital
Adam Dvorak
Presto Tech Horizons
Szymon Brodziak
s16vc
Radoslav Cuha
Portfolion
Marcus Erken
Sunfish Partners
Piotr Bukański
Acurio Ventures
The Opportunity
Poland is Europe's fastest-growing tech ecosystem and the leader in CEE startup value.
20th
Largest economy globally
€58B
Cumulative startup ecosystem value (1st in CEE)
€800M
VC investment in 2025 across 180 deals
500K
Software developers — top 3 worldwide
Why THE MOAT?
Meet the best deep tech in Poland.
We screen 1,000+ projects a year and cover ~90% of Poland's deep tech early-stage dealflow. THE MOAT brings together Poland's most defensible early-stage companies and the investors who know how to value them, all in one focused afternoon.
What to Expect
Selected people. Meaningful connections. No filler.
No lengthy panels or generic keynotes. THE MOAT is built around what actually matters: meeting the right founders, the right co-investors, and seeing technology worth your time.
01
The Pitch Contest
Out of 1,000+ projects, we run a rigorous selection to find the 10 with a genuine technical moat. Every founder on our stage has earned their place.
02
10 Matched 1:1 Meetings
You'll get at least 10 private meetings with founders and investors matched precisely to your thesis. Share your criteria beforehand and we'll handle the rest.
Matchmaking03
Deep Tech Investor Networking
Meet fellow VCs, Fund of Funds, LPs and angels actively investing in deep tech across CEE. Build co-investment relationships for the deals ahead.
04
Deep Tech Report: Poland
Premiere of our ecosystem report with data-driven insight into Poland's science-based landscape and leading verticals: healthtech, dual-use, devtools & infra.
05
After Party
An exclusive evening at Cedet with Poland's top investment tier: leading VCs, institutional investors, and LPs. Informal, high-trust, among peers.
From Hard2beat Connect
A look at our previous edition
Our inaugural investor event brought together 100+ LPs, VCs, and deep tech founders for portfolio showcases, matchmaking, and networking.
Agenda · 23 September 2026
One afternoon. Maximum value.
Focused pitches, hand-matched 1-on-1 meetings, and open networking throughout the day.
13:00 – 13:15
Opening
Welcome and the thesis behind THE MOAT.
13:15 – 15:00
"Hard Questions" Pitch Contest
Top 10 finalists pitch live, followed by expert-level questions on their technical moat.
Main Event15:00 – 16:30
Networking & 1-on-1 Meetings
First matchmaking block. Meet founders and investors in private, hand-picked sessions.
Matchmaking16:30 – 17:15
Hard2beat Showcase
Three portfolio companies currently fundraising present their technology and traction.
17:15 – 18:45
Networking & 1-on-1 Meetings
Second matchmaking block. Continue matched meetings or build new connections.
Matchmaking18:45 – 19:30
Fireside Chat
International investors share their experience backing Polish deep tech.
19:30 – late
After Party
Drinks, final matchmaking rounds, and open conversations at SEN.
Venue
Centralny Dom Technologii, Warsaw
Centralny Dom Technologii
ul. Krucza 50, budynek Cedet, 1 piętro, 00-025 Warszawa
The Central House of Technology is located in the Cedet building, one of Warsaw's architectural landmarks, with a rich history dating back to the 1940s. Home to PFR headquarters and steps from the heart of the city.
About Hard2beat
The most active deep tech fund in Poland
THE MOAT is organized by Hard2beat, launched in 2025. With 10 investments in 12 months, we've become the most active deep tech fund in Poland. If a project has a real technical moat, it crosses our desk first.
10 investments in 12 months
From 1,000+ projects screened annually. We move fast on conviction.
90% early-stage dealflow coverage
We see 90% of Poland's deep tech early-stage dealflow and lead the round in over 80% of our investments.
Founders and funders at the table
Firsthand founder experience — scaling to €14M+ ARR, multiple exits — combined with deep VC expertise across 100+ investments.
Global co-investment network
Story Ventures, J2 Ventures, Nova Capital, Blacksheep, Sunfish Partners, and more.
Format
Invitation-Only
Guests
<200 guests, invitation-only
Who
Investors & Deep Tech Founders
Venue
Cedet, Warsaw
See Poland's most defensible
technology before it hits
the broader market.
Invitation-only for selected deep tech investors and founders.
Are you available to visit Warsaw on September 23rd?