ISE Group Ranked Among Europe’s Top Startup Hubs in 2025 Financial Times Report

March 17, 2025 – ISE Group, a leading accelerator and ecosystem builder in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), has been recognized as #2 in Eastern Europe and #35 overall in the Financial Times’ 2025 ranking of Europe’s Leading Start-up Hubs (FT.com).

ISE Group

The accolade highlights ISE’s pivotal role in fostering innovation and scaling startups across the region, as well as its inclusion among 16 EIC Partners celebrated by the European Innovation Council (EIC Community).

European Innovation Council

The annual FT ranking, developed with Statista and Sifted, evaluated over 3,000 hubs across Europe, emphasizing alumni success, expert validation, and commercial traction. ISE’s strong performance reflects its track record of accelerating 200+ startups and securing 50+ corporate partnerships since 2018. Poland, home to ISE’s headquarters, emerged as a regional leader with the highest number of ranked hubs in CEE (The Recursive).

Key Highlights

1. #2 in Eastern Europe: Solidifying ISE’s leadership in a region rapidly gaining global tech prominence.
2. Top 35 in Europe: Joining elite hubs like UnternehmerTUM (Germany) and Station F (France) (FT.com).
3. MamStartup Recognition: Highlighted as a key Polish hub driving ecosystem growth (mamstartup.pl).

Elena Malitskaya, CEO of ISE Group, emphasized the milestone: “This recognition underscores our commitment to bridging Eastern Europe’s innovation potential with global opportunities. By connecting startups with corporations, investors, and policymakers, we’re building a resilient ecosystem that thrives even amid geopolitical challenges.”

The Recursive

Methodology and Impact The FT’s evaluation weighted alumni success (40%), expert validation (30%), and track record (30%), with ISE excelling in post-program support and diversity metrics. Notably, 30% of ISE-supported startups are women-led, aligning with EU-wide goals for inclusive innovation.

About ISE Group Founded in 2018, ISE Group (Innovation • Startups • Entrepreneurship) operates across Warsaw and Kyiv, driving partnerships between corporations, governments, and tech ventures. Its flagship programs include:

1. Full-service accelerator: Supporting post-MVP startups in scaling operations and securing investments.
2. Corporate innovation labs: Co-developing solutions with Fortune 500 companies in agrifood, TMT, fintech, AI, and many other industries.
3. Cross-border networks: Linking CEE startups with Silicon Valley and EU markets.

Media Contact: info@ise-group.org | web-site: http://ise-group.org