Uncategorized
History and Transformation of Academic Business Incubators (AIP)
Discover how the first business incubator in Poland, after 19 years, underwent a transformation to conquer the global employment market.
History and Transformation of Academic Business
Incubators (AIP)
The Academic Business Incubators (AIP) Foundation was established as an initiative of three graduates from Warsaw universities – Dariusz Żuk, Jacek Aleksandrowicz, and Mariusz Turski. The early activities of AIP involved implementing projects aimed at promoting the idea of entrepreneurship among students, as well as advocating for changes in the legal regulations that were widely considered unfavorable for business development in Poland.
This initiative was undertaken with an awareness of the difficulties that can arise when starting one’s own business, even a small one. The motivation behind creating the incubators was to facilitate business startups by eliminating formalities, paperwork, and burdensome interactions with government agencies. This marked the beginning of AIP’s nineteen-year history.
On the left, the first office of AIP in Warsaw. By 2007, there were already 20 incubators throughout the country (including at major Polish universities such as the University of Warsaw and the University of Gdańsk), housing 250 companies. In the same year, AIP solidified its position as a recognized institution in the business environment by being included in the National Service System and obtaining the ISO 9001:2000 quality management system certification. In the following years, the Foundation received various awards, including from the Parliament of the Republic of Poland, the European Commission, and ministries. Several years later, AIP’s customer service was fully transitioned to online support.
The Era of Freelancers: How Generation Z is Changing
the Job Market.
Over time, Academic Business Incubators have transformed into a place that supports not only aspiring entrepreneurs but also freelancers and individuals running simple businesses. An increasing number of people began to appreciate the benefits of issuing invoices without having to establish a formal business entity, enabling them to easily settle transactions with various clients. Entrepreneurship incubators provided the opportunity to invoice for services without additional complications related to formalities.
Over its 19 years of existence, AIP has assisted over 19,000 individuals who found support and facilitation in running their businesses. Clients of the Academic Business Incubators have reported a combined income of 721,705,562.27 PLN. Notable companies that emerged from AIP include MISBHV, Glov, Callpage, Qpony, QueQuality, and many others.
Over the years, the expectations of our clients have been changing. Generation Z, in particular, has introduced a transformation in their approach to employment. Young people have shed the pressure of starting their own businesses or seeking stability through traditional employment contracts. Independence and work aligned with their expectations have become more important to the younger generation. This has had a significant impact on the development of freelancing and independent professions. It provides the freedom to choose assignments and avoids exclusive reliance on a single employer. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted companies and employees to swiftly adapt to remote work, has had a profound influence on these changes. Remote work has opened up employment opportunities on a global scale, allowing freelancers to easily secure projects both domestically and internationally.
Read the interview with Dariusz Żuk, CEO & Founder AIP, now Bizky
“Incubators are for everyone, not just for students or scientists?
Yes, they are also for people of different ages. The oldest person who approached us was 70 years old. In fact, around the world, there are entrepreneurs in their forties. Students rarely establish successful businesses. At the same time, it is important to gain business experience as quickly as possible, even if it means experiencing the failure of a company. That’s why we should support those who want to start early, while keeping in mind the need to limit risks.”
Photo: My Company
How do freelancers settle their assignments?
Working as a freelancer requires issuing invoices. Does this mean that every freelancer has to establish a business entity? Unfortunately, that entails a lot of formalities and financial reporting aimed at entrepreneurs rather than freelancers. Does every freelancer want to be an entrepreneur? No. That’s why entrepreneurship incubators have become the best way to handle assignments and services. For independent professions and small businesses, Academic Business Incubators have completely replaced the need for establishing a formal business entity.
Find out more about joining our subscription and issuing invoices with us!
Why did Academic Business Incubators transform into Bizky, and how will freelancers benefit from it?
For most of its history, Academic Business Incubators operated on a subscription model. Users of AIP paid a fixed monthly fee of 300 PLN, which allowed them to easily issue invoices for their services to various clients. This solution was highly popular and beneficial for small businesses.
However, after 19 years of operation, Academic Business Incubators underwent another transformation and a new brand was born – Bizky. The name change reflects the desire to move away from the previous association that incubators were only for students or young individuals. Bizky offers the opportunity to settle transactions regardless of age and provides an open solution for anyone who wants to benefit from facilitations in running their own business. Additionally, Bizky introduced a solution that is better tailored to the needs of freelancers who do not require a subscription model. They can now settle their assignments within 10 minutes by issuing an invoice through the Bizky.ai website.
Bizky aims to provide an easy and flexible way of settling transactions for everyone, regardless of their place of residence or age. The previous name, being a Polish term, did not fully capture the extent of the offering, which also includes individuals residing abroad.
Team AIP, now Bizky
The era of global employment and work settlement through Bizky is approaching.
“The history of Academic Business Incubators in Poland is a story of success. Initially, their goal was to support young people in starting businesses by eliminating formalities and facilitating business launch. Over time, the incubators became a popular tool not only for entrepreneurs but also for freelancers and individuals running small businesses. Over the course of 19 years, over 19,000 individuals settled their transactions with us, and now, as Bizky, we continue our mission by offering easy settlements for all interested parties, regardless of age or place of residence. It is not just a history of business incubators, but also a story of changing needs and preferences of young entrepreneurs and freelancers in Poland.
Now, Bizky offers the fastest way to settle transactions by issuing invoices, which is available on the market. Additionally, companies can easily implement Bizky as a tool for their employees to settle transactions in the B2B model without establishing a formal business entity.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to benefit from AIP, take advantage of Bizky now!
