Coca-Cola opens for startups

Coca-Cola joins the 3rd edition of the MIT Enterprise Forum CEE program, which brings together the best startup technologies from Central and Eastern Europe
Coca-Cola system companies in Poland want to support the development of fledging companies that create unique solutions in the field of marketing, new technologies and sustainable development
Startups will receive assistance in business development in Poland and have the chance to carry out pilot implementation of their project up to PLN 200,000
On December 13, the company invites you to a special event – Coca-Cola Open Doors Day x MIT EF CEE

Coca-Cola and MIT Enterprise Forum CEE are going to attract the best startup technologies from Central and Eastern Europe to Poland. For Coca-Cola system companies, it is a chance to reach innovative solutions, and for startups, it is an opportunity to cooperate with a company whose products reach nearly 590 million consumers in over 200 countries.

The world is facing huge challenges today – such as the problem of packaging management, water resources and climate change. Being aware of the role played by large companies like ours in the economy and society, we want to be part of the solutions that respond to current challenges. But to do this, we must work together – with dedicated partners who use their creativity and entrepreneurship to create a better future – says Jaak Mikkel, General Manager at Coca-Cola HBC Poland and Baltics.

Adding Coca-Cola, a global brand, to the partners of the MIT Enterprise Forum CEE program is a huge added value, primarily for the startups participating in the program. From now on, entrepreneurs-innovators will be able to cooperate hand-in-hand with a global market leader – says Łukasz Owczarek, Head of Acceleration at MIT Enterprise Forum CEE. Cooperation with such a well-known brand not only in Poland, but also around the world, gives us the opportunity to strengthen the global reach of the accelerator and attract the most interesting startups from the CEE region. Together, we want to face the challenges that not only Coca-Cola, but the whole world is facing now – adds Owczarek.

Cooperation with Coca-Cola

As part of the acceleration program, Coca-Cola is looking for startups that not only want to be successful and profitable, but also use their activities to solve major problems that the world is facing. The company indicates key areas in which it is looking for innovative solutions – marketing and new technologies (MarTech), as well as Sustainability. We are constantly working on reducing the carbon footprint in production, and even more effectively implement the idea of World Without Waste. At the same time, we are constantly improving our service, sales and promotion processes to respond to the needs of our consumers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – says Jakub Radzikowski, Experiencial Marketing Manager

We believe that, thanks to the cooperation with MIT EF CEE, we will reach the most creative entrepreneurs in this part of Europe. They will have the chance to realize their vision and make real changes with us, implementing the latest solutions for the environment, sustainable production or trade of the future. – says Izabela Głodek, Marketing Director at Coca-Cola Poland Services for Poland and Baltics. We are also open to projects not included in this list, as long as they fit into the specifics of our business and have the potential to be implemented on a large scale – she admits

Startups that qualify for the 3rd edition of the MIT Enterprise Forum CEE program will gain access to a special team of experts, unique know-how, as well as technical and technological facilities of the company. Accelerator participants will receive help in the development of their business in Poland, and the best ideas will be implemented on the global market.

Coca-Cola Open Doors Day x MIT EF CEE

Official recruitment for the 3rd edition of the MIT Enterprise Forum CEE program starts in January 2020, but representatives of the company are already inviting you to talks. To this end, on December 13, 2019 in Warsaw, at the headquarters of Coca-Cola Hellenic Poland, a special event called Coca-Cola Open Doors Day x MIT EF CEE will be held. During the open day, representatives of startups from Poland and abroad will be able to personally meet innovation experts, present their ideas and talk about cooperation opportunities. Also, startups will get information on recruitment for the MIT Enterprise Forum CEE acceleration program starting at the beginning of the coming year. The participation in the event must be submitted through the application available on the following website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/coca-cola-open-doors-day-x-mit-ef-cee-tickets-84588764271

About the MIT Enterprise Forum CEE program

MIT Enterprise Forum CEE is an accelerator addressed to technology startups from Poland and – from the beginning of 2019 – to entrepreneurs from other countries of Central and Eastern Europe. It covers Poland and fourteen other countries: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Acceleration is carried out under the auspices of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the most prestigious and well-known for its cooperation with startups research center in the world. The institute has been of great interest to inventors and companies for years. Over the four years of program operation in Poland, over 2,500 various startups have applied to the accelerator. To date, more than 120 startups from Poland have undergone the acceleration. The MIT Enterprise Forum CEE program is a part of a global network that has branches in the US, Greece, Spain, Israel, Turkey and Pakistan.

ABOUT COCA-COLA SYSTEM COMPANIES:

The Coca Cola system in Poland consists of two companies: Coca Cola Poland Services Sp. z o.o. and Coca Cola HBC Polska Sp. z o.o. Coca Cola Poland Services is a subsidiary of The Coca Cola Company, the owner of the leading brands of non-alcoholic beverages, present in over 200 countries. Coca Cola HBC Polska is a branch of Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, which is the second largest bottler of The Coca Cola Company in the world, reaching over 590 million consumers. The brands available on our market include: Coca Cola, Coca Cola Zero Sugar, Coca Cola Lime, Fanta, Sprite, Kinley Tonic, Burn energy drink, Powerade isotonic drink, Cappy juices, nectars and fruit drinks, Kropla Beskidu mineral water, Kropla Delice and Fuzetea ice teas. The Coca Cola system companies are a leader on the Polish non-alcoholic beverages market and employ over 2,015 people. Since 2012, companies have invested PLN 728 million in Poland. 92% of Coca Cola products available on the Polish market are produced in Polish factories, while 74% of every zloty spent on Coca-Cola beverages in Poland stays in the country.