Hard2beat, a new Polish VC fund founded by Maciej Zawadziński, Konrad Trzyna, and Maciej Frankowicz, has committed €1.7 million (PLN 7.5 million) to the first three startups: Neuromedical, Defguard, and DefendEye.
The fund was one of four backed by PFR Ventures under the FENG (European Funds for a Modern Economy) program in September 2024. Hard2beat focuses on early-stage, high-tech startups building products that are difficult to replicate, especially in sectors like medtech, cybersecurity, and dual-use technologies.
"We invest in teams that are building something truly unique — solutions that can’t be easily copied. Such an advantage is key to becoming part of our portfolio," said Konrad Trzyna, co-founder and Partner at Hard2beat.
First 3 startups in the portfolio:
- Neuromedical, a medtech company developing VGuard, a vagus nerve stimulation device that has shown strong clinical results in improving memory and cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia. The funding will support CE certification, FDA preparation, and the final clinical trials.
- Defguard, a cybersecurity startup offering an open-source, self-hosted identity and access management platform designed for privacy-conscious companies and governments.
- DefendEye, a dual-use tech company building a thermal imaging system for rapid perimeter security and threat detection, with applications in both defence and critical infrastructure.
As the fund explains, the capital raised is meant to support the most challenging early-stage milestones: securing certifications, building initial MVPs, and carrying out pilot contracts with clients.
Hard2beat plans to invest in at least 5 more startups by the end of 2025, targeting companies at the pre-seed and seed stages, focusing on helping them reach early technical and commercial milestones.
