The Espacio Incubator, based in Medellin, Colombia, has announced its acquisition of 150sec- a leading tech news publication focused on the countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).
Agata Kukwa
Co-founder of 150sec
Founded by Adrian Pica and Agata Kukwa, 150sec was the first publication dedicated to reporting on startups, tech events, and news in the region which contains a largely untapped, but vibrant tech scene.
Coverage from 150sec has been providing young companies in CEE the opportunity to find customers and investors on a global scale since it came on the scene in 2015.
In recent years, tech hubs in the Central and Eastern Europe have been coming into their own, with cities such as Warsaw making ground on the more established startup cities on the continent. The area’s potential has not gone unnoticed and, whilst still modest compared to the likes of London and Berlin, investments in the region have jumped ten-fold since 2012.
Speaking of the acquisition, Espacio founder, Conrad Egusa, said “My team’s goal is really to further the
Adrian Pica
Co-founder of 150sec
mission of Adrian and Agata in building the premier publication and platform for startups and entrepreneurs in Central Europe,” in a press release.
And with the news that Polish Prime Minister, Beata Szydlo, wants to make Central and Eastern Europe the center of innovation, 150sec’s acquisition comes at a perfect time for startups in the region.
Many argue that a lack of investment is the one aspect that separates CEE from the rest of mainland Europe and the UK. The allure of the fast-paced, metropolitan lifestyle has historically contributed to investors overlooking the potential that exists further east of the continent.
Of the region’s potential, Pica said, “Agata and I believe in the startups in Central Europe, and in the potential of entrepreneurs here. When we spoke to Conrad and talked about the investments he planned to make into the editorial team and into 150sec, we felt it provided an important opportunity for the CEE ecosystem and its media here.”
The media incubator Espacio has a global reach and has announced exciting upcoming plans for 150sec, including a series of startup events and a jobs and events platform. Craig Corbett will be the new chairman for the publication.
The future of the Central and Eastern European startup scene is already showing signs of catching up with the rest of the continent, in the future, it could well rival worldwide tech hubs such as Silicon Valley.
