We can tell the stories of the co-founders of Apple, PayPal, OpenAI, and ElevenLabs with a depth that has never been reached before — and that is why I created Polish Tech Minds.
Poland remains an inexhaustible source of technological talent, and it is currently having its "momentum." It's not just because The Economist shouted "Poland, Poland, Poland, Poland" from its cover, or because ElevenLabs' Mati Staniszewski landed on the cover of American Forbes.
It's not even about the fact that his startup reached a historic valuation of $11 billion. The shift is deeper, and it is happening here and now.
The shift
Look at the evolution:
- For Steve Wozniak (Apple), born in 1950, Poland is the land of his father, "Jerry," from whom he inherited his passion for electronics.
- For Luke Nosek (PayPal, SpaceX), born in 1975 in Tarnów, it is his country of birth, which he left as a young boy. When he returned, it was primarily to visit family.
- For Wojciech Zaremba (OpenAI), born in 1988, Poland is already the country of his full education and his first successes in international Olympiads.
- For the aforementioned Mati Staniszewski (b. 1995), Poland is not just where he went to school — it is the home of the investors who backed him (a syndicate organized by Bartek Pucek). Today, Mati himself invests in Polish companies.
As you can see, these ties grow stronger with each generation. They are evolving from pure sentiment into an educational, intellectual, and ultimately, a business and investment-driven partnership. This opens entirely new possibilities for tech-journalism and business enthusiasts like myself.
The mission
I want to show international readers more than just the roots of these great innovators. I want to present the factors that shaped who they are today — how they think and operate in global business. I want to highlight the people who helped them reach the pinnacle of world technology.
I intend to uncover details the world has not yet seen, looking where American media rarely glances: into Polish public records, schools, and small towns. I understand the cultural context of these founders, and I speak the language — a language that, for much of the world, remains a barrier.
I am not doing this alone. Dr. Maciej Kawecki is doing exceptional work on LinkedIn and through his channels, This is IT and This Is World. I encourage you to watch his profile of Wojciech Zaremba or his documentary about the teacher from Gdynia, Ryszard Szubartowski, who educated OpenAI geniuses Jakub Pachocki and Szymon Sidor. The film is titled "The Master" (Mistrz).
I want to add to this picture through long-form journalism and my own style of "investigations."
In this spirit, I wrote the profile of Tomas Gorny — the founder of Nextiva, a company valued at $2.7 billion. I uncovered exclusive data: Gorny, through a family trust, retained a 66% stake in the company. In the world of IPOs and VC, this is an absolute anomaly.
Previously, while writing for Newsweek, I authored the first in-depth profile of Luke Nosek, which remains the primary source of knowledge about him for Polish media to this day. I reached Luke's family and showed the context in which he grew up. I know that what we have to tell from a Polish perspective carries value for readers all over the world.
Let's talk!
I am bringing all of this together under one brand: Polish Tech Minds. It is an independent, non-profit initiative. My greatest weapons are words, history, and relationships. I want to use them: for good.
I invite you to read, subscribe to the newsletter, and collaborate.
Contact: michal@polishtechminds.com
Text edited in June 2026