Fundraising Fox

Marek Kotelnicki

Investor

Managing Partner & Board Member at VIGO Ventures

Warsaw Metropolitan Area

About

Marek Kotelnicki is Managing Partner at VIGO Ventures, a venture capital fund focused on photonics, where he has spent over 8 years evaluating early-stage deep tech companies across Europe, Asia, and North America. He co-founded Photonics Catalyst, an angel and expert network providing curated access to photonics companies globally, and holds board and observer positions at several deep tech companies while serving as an expert for European innovation programs including the European Innovation Council and PhotonHub Europe. With over 15 years of experience financing and commercializing European deep tech, his portfolio companies have raised more than EUR 100 million, with a majority securing follow-on institutional and corporate funding.

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Experience

  1. VIGO VenturesManaging Partnercurrent2018 — presentPoland
  2. Photonics CatalystCo-Foundercurrent2026 — present
  3. Creative Destruction LabMentor - Next Gen Computingcurrent2024 — present
  4. PhotonHub Scaling ClubExpert Mentor - Next Gen Computingcurrent2026 — present
  5. PhotonHub Scaling ClubExpert Mentor2025 — 2026
  6. Tech TourMentor, Selection Panel Member, Judgecurrent2019 — presentGreater Munich Metropolitan Area
  7. Tech TourExpert Mentor - PhotonHub Phactory Launchpad2025
  8. NoctilucaSupervisory Boardcurrent2022 — present
  9. Quantune Technologies GmbHPrivate Investor, Board Observercurrent2023 — presentGermany
  10. Photon BridgePrivate Investorcurrent2021 — presentNetherlands
  11. AegiqPrivate Investor, Board Observercurrent2024 — presentSheffield
  12. FemtumPrivate Investor, Board Observercurrent2024 — presentCanada
  13. Deep DetectionPrivate Investor, Member of Board of Directorscurrent2021 — presentSpain
  14. QustomDotPrivate Investor, Board Observercurrent2020 — presentGhent
  15. KSM VisionPrivate Investorcurrent2020 — present
  16. Center for Innovation and Technology Commercialization FoundationCo-founder & CEOcurrent2016 — presentWarsaw
  17. Ignite NextSelection Jury2026
  18. EIC Scaling ClubMentor - EIC Scaling Club2024 — 2025
  19. Mobile World Capital BarcelonaAnalyst2024
  20. ACTPHASTExpert Mentor - Actphast4R Launchpad2023

Education

  1. SGH Warsaw School of EconomicsMaster of Science - MS, Zarządzanie projektami2009 — 2011
  2. Ryukoku UniversityMaster/one semester diploma, The Japanese and Asian Studies (JAS) - International Communication2010 — 2011
  3. SGH Warsaw School of EconomicsBachelor of Science - BS, Ekonomia międzynarodowa2005 — 2009

Skills & more

Investments7Photonics7Executive Management6Project Management29Public Relations20Leadership19Market Research14Start-ups5Social Media Marketing11Copywriting11Marketing Communications9Digital Marketing9
+12 moreManagement ConsultingCRMBusiness DevelopmentEvent ManagementPRINCE2BudgetsOperations ManagementStrategyStrategic PlanningManagementTeam LeadershipCreative Solutions

Languages English · Polish

  • Menedżer kontroli zarządczej — SGH Warsaw School of Economics
  • PRINCE2® Foundation — APMG International
  • MSP® Foundation — AXELOS Global Best Practice

From Marek's professional profile.

Same school

Also attended SGH Warsaw School of Economics96

Pablo GoceAnalyst at Inveready Technology Investment GroupKonradInvestment Team at Hummingbird VenturesBenedict TanAssociate Director, Investment at Vertex Ventures Sea Management Pte. Ltd.Maciej SkarulGeneral Partner at Ff Venture CapitalMagda PoslusznyPrincipal at Partech VenturesTomasz KościelniakAssociate at SMOK Ventures

+ 90 more

Also attended Ryukoku University1

Nikodemas ValiušaitisFinance and Compliance Associate at Firstpick

Shared employers

Also worked at VIGO Ventures1

Wojciech SmolińskiManaging Partner & CEO at VIGO Ventures

Also worked at Photonics Catalyst1

Wojciech SmolińskiManaging Partner & CEO at VIGO Ventures

Also worked at Femtum4

Antoine BellemareFounding Partner at i4 CapitalWojciech SmolińskiManaging Partner & CEO at VIGO VenturesRemi FournierMentor at Amiral VenturesMartin LaforestDirecteur Stratégie Quantique at ACET Capital

Also worked at MIT Technology Review6

Conor MyhrvoldInvestor at NZVCDmitry GrishinFounding Partner at Grishin RoboticsNobuhiro SekiCIO at Monozukuri VenturesGonçalo PerdigãoCo-founder, Algorithm G at HyperNestNate NickersonCommunications and Public Affairs Partner at DCVC (Data Collective)Kathleen KennedyAdvisor at Good Growth Capital

Colleagues at VIGO Ventures

Jeremi Doboszewski
Investment Associate at VIGO Ventures
Wojciech Smolinski
Managing Partner and CEO at VIGO Ventures
Wojciech Smoliński
Managing Partner & CEO at VIGO Ventures