Senate of the Republic of Poland as part of the „Senat-Polonia 2026” competition
Task Title: Mentoring Espresso: Chicago 2026
Implementation Period: April 1st, 2026 - October 31st 2026
Applicant: Polonium Foundation
Managing Authority/Competition Announcer/Grant Recipient:
Senate of the Republic of Poland
"Mentoring Espresso" is an intensive, one-day networking and mentoring event aimed at the Polish academic community. The name reflects the philosophy of a quick, essential, and energizing exchange of experiences—conversations over coffee that give rise to ideas, inspiration, and the first steps toward collaboration.
The event in Chicago is a continuation of the inaugural edition of Mentoring Espresso, which took place in 2025 at MIT in Cambridge (USA). Feedback following that meeting confirmed the format’s very high substantive and practical value—participants particularly appreciated the opportunity to engage in informal conversation in Polish among individuals working at the intersection of science, business, and international cooperation.
Key activities:
Panel featuring startup founders or industry professionals (4–5 guests) — their personal journeys: why and how they decided to leave (or combine) an academic career with a career in business/industry, what they’re satisfied with, and what they would do differently.
Roundtables with mentors from the panel - each table led by a different mentor, with topics to choose from, such as:
How to recognize when a scientific idea has commercial potential
From Grant to Startup - funding and First Steps
What They Don’t Teach You in College: Work Culture in a Startup/Industry
Changing Career Paths - How to Make a Decision and Not Regret It
Networking - Refreshments, casual conversations, exchanging contacts, and wrapping up the day
Budżet projektu:
Funding: 29,900.00 PLN
Total value: 39,600.00 PLN
Date of contract signing: June 27th, 2026