Visibility and Networking at Carpathian Startup Fest 2025
I'm Pawel Zebrowski - Business Development Manager at Modino.io, a cybersecurity startup enabling secure, scalable OTA updates and IoT vulnerability management. My world revolves around bridging early-stage teams with funding and partners—but startup success–investor dynamics isn't just about technology. It's about visibility, structure, and intentional effort. My recent journey at Carpathian Startup Fest (CSF) 2025 in Rzeszów captures how these elements come together.
Finding the Right Events & Building Connections
At Modino, a lot of our network-building happens through industry referrals — a trusted colleague suggests an event, you show up. But the real game-changer? Being introduced by someone credible. Personal recommendations open doors; cold outreach rarely does.
My key lesson: if you’re going to invest energy, go all‑in on being seen. That meant applying to pitch at CSF even before knowing much about it. But a timely newsletter mention flipped the switch: this was an event to commit to.
Applying to Carpathian Startup Fest
CSF is one of the most professional and impactful startup events in Poland. It pulls top‑tier investors, mentors, and founders. We applied to the prestigious Puls Up competition, and Modino rose to the Top 10 Semifinalists out of ~300+ submissions, thanks to our focus on impactful pitch narrative and real-world IoT cybersecurity needs.
Objectives Before the Event
We entered CSF with clear goals:
- Earn a stage slot to pitch.
- Generate meetings with investors.
- Collect feedback on our value proposition.
We didn't go for vanity—just strategic visibility and connection.
Execution at the Festival
On May 21–22, at Zen.com Expo in Jasionka near Rzeszów, CSF hosted workshops, panels, and the core pitch competitions—Puls Up, among others. The event utilized Gridaly for “business dating”—15‑minute meetings preluded by careful research and schedule planning.
Our approach:
- Research prospects using LinkedIn and CSF attendee lists.
- Plan meetings through Gridaly.
- Rehearse pitch until it is sharp and audience‑ready.
Attending with a clear roadmap transformed what is often chaotic into fruitful exchange.
Pitch & Feedback
We pitched on the Demo Stage—3 minutes presentation, 3 minutes Q&A. Our topic: secure scaling for industrial IoT via automated OTA updates.
Although we didn't win cash prizes, we managed to reach Top 6 and the stage presence earned positive feedback and credible exposure—landing us invitations to follow‑up meetings and a Puls Biznesu magazine cover. Hubraum, our incubator, proudly noted:
Big things for Modino.io! … they made it all the way to the top 6 finalists … landed on the cover of Puls Biznesu!
This public visibility validated both our tech and our business approach.
Outcomes & Follow‑Ups
- Connections: We secured 20+ meetings with VCs, angels, industry partners.
- Quality over quantity: Many senior-level and strategic contacts.
- Media validation: Puls Biznesu coverage expanded reach.
- Organizational feedback: Investors flagged security as a top concern—spot-on to Modino’s mission.
Even without winning, being a Puls Up finalist gave us an advantage, highlighted credibility, visibility, and connection opportunities.
What Works: Best Practices for Founders
| Practice | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Get on stage | Increases visibility to investors and crowd. Your job at approaching (or being approached) by investors is going to be so much easier. |
| Research early | Target meetings intentionally via LinkedIn + Gridaly |
| Plan meticulously | Structured 1:1s yield better outcomes |
| Show proof | Revenue, pilots, paying customers, and early demand build trust |
| Leverage media | Talks, coverage, awards = third-party validation |
On building investor trust:
- Demonstrate actual or willing-to-pay users
- Highlight media signals that prove market demand
Advice for Your First CSF
- Start research 4–6 weeks in advance: compile target list, prep messaging.
- Apply to pitch, even if it feels early—it’s worth the visibility boost.
- Book business-dating slots through Gridaly.
- Prep a 3+3 pitch—record it and rehearse feedback into it.
- Follow up within 48 hours—send thank-yous, deck, next steps.
Closing & Inspiration
My experience at CSF was transformational—not just for Modino’s pipeline, but for my work as a BizDev professional. I’ve seen firsthand how strategy + stage = trust + traction.
To fellow startup teams: invest in visibility. Don’t just exhibit—pitch with purpose, meet with intent, and follow up relentlessly. That’s how you turn a festival into a stepping stone.
If you're preparing for your first pitch event—CSF or any other—feel free to reach out. I’m happy to share our deck, planning tools, or even a chat. And of course, follow Modino.io for more stories on IoT cybersecurity, startup growth, and strategic networking.
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