Marcin Kowalik

Black Pearls VC

Marcin is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Black Pearls VC, a Polish firm operating within the Baltic Sea region. He specializes in life-quality technologies, in particular the intelligent transportation systems (ITS), education, and downstream space sectors.

Marcin has established three investment funds in his career. Two have been focused on fostering life-quality technology projects'the first social impact initiatives of their kind in Poland.

Marcin actively supports the development of the Polish economy through participation in the Committee of Stakeholders of the National Centre for Research and Development, the board of Interizon, the Polis ICT Cluster, and the Coalition for Polish Innovations.

Education, Personal, and Fellowship

Marcin earned his Master of Economics degree at 'azarski University in Warsaw; he also took engineering courses (computer science) at the Warsaw School of Information Technology under the auspices of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Later, Marcin received a postgraduate diploma (Controlling and Management of Enterprises) from the University of Gda'sk, where he is currently working on his PhD; his thesis focuses on business models, startups, and innovation. Marcin is also a devoted family man: a proud husband and father of three.

As a member of Class 22, Marcin served his fellowship at Black Pearls VC under the mentorship of Marcin Hejka, Vice President at Intel Capital.