ORLEN Skylight Accelerator: 14th Edition Launched

ORLEN has announced a new call for applications for the ORLEN Skylight Accelerator. Startups and young technology companies from around the world can submit their solutions and test them under real-world conditions within the ORLEN Group’s infrastructure. The program is also open to companies at early stages of technological development (Proof of Concept, Minimum Viable Product).

In previous editions, nearly 40 pilot projects were completed, involving almost 900 startups from Poland and abroad. Applications for the 14th edition are being accepted until April 28 on the website www.orlen.pl in the Innovation section.

This edition covers approximately 30 technological challenges defined by ORLEN Group companies. These include areas such as digital organisation, Industry 4.0 and process safety, renewable energy sources, and smart energy infrastructure. The ORLEN Skylight Accelerator is a corporate acceleration program operating on a non-equity basis – startups retain full rights to their technologies. The program allows solutions to be tested within the ORLEN Group’s infrastructure under a simplified collaboration model. Participants can benefit from:
• support from industry experts
• funding for pilot implementations
• gaining experience and references through cooperation with a leading industry player
• opportunities for further commercialisation after the pilot project concludes.

Previous editions of the program have seen a total of more than 300 technological challenges, resulting in nearly 900 submitted solutions from startups from across Poland and abroad. Currently, the accelerator’s portfolio includes 40 pilot projects, with 12 currently underway and 3 more in preparation.

Among the solutions currently being piloted, ORLEN features a digital tool designed to lean and optimise data derived from production processes, enabling improved modelling of digital twins of for industrial installations. In the area of e-mobility, a device for managing connectivity at electric vehicle charging stations and monitoring the operational quality of distributed equipment is being tested. In the energy infrastructure segment, the Group, in collaboration with a Spanish technology company, is testing a platform for managing low-voltage networks.

ORLEN consistently develops its ecosystem of open innovation, collaborating with startups at various stages of development – from incubation, through testing and scaling, to venture capital investments. Key components of this ecosystem, alongside the ORLEN Skylight Accelerator, include a corporate venture capital fund investing in technology companies, and research and development centres in Poland and Czechia.

Startups interested in participating can submit their solutions until April 28.

ORLEN is a Polish multi-utility group active in fuels, natural gas, electricity, heating, petrochemicals, and retail markets. Its products and services serve over 100 million customers across Europe.

In response to a rapidly changing market environment, the ORLEN Group is implementing an investment program titled “The Energy of Tomorrow Starts Today,” with a strong focus on technological innovation and energy transition. The 2035 strategy envisages investments in energy security, decarbonisation, infrastructure upgrades, and consumer-friendly solutions. CAPEX planned for the period 2025–2035 is estimated at PLN 350–380 billion.