Bartosz Obracaj was able to adapt his firm to changing circumstances

Bartosz Obracaj, the founder of Polconn - Complete Sailing Service, has won the 2007 edition of the PiNkubator Biznesu competition, which aims to support and promote young entrepreneurs and their businesses. The competition, held by private radio station Radio PiN in conjunction with the Polish Chamber of Commerce (KIG), chooses three business plans each year and grants them zł.24,000. These companies develop their business over one year, at the end of which a jury selects one to receive a prize of an additional zł.10,000 and a free, on-air promotional campaign.

This year's winner, Obracaj, had originally planned to develop Polconn into a sailing services firm. The company's business plan called for cooperation with an investor from Germany, where the sailing industry is much more developed.

"Unfortunately our investor decided to withdraw immediately after we were chosen as a finalist in the competition," Obracaj told WBJ. The sailing firm had to react quickly to stay afloat.

"Financial help from the organizers was significant in our case," said Obracaj. After the investor pulled out, Obracaj decided to change Polconn's activity and worked to turn it into a company offering travel services to South Africa.

"I was really surprised that we won, because we did not realize our business plan at all and changed our business concept during the year," said Obracaj. But the competition's jurors saw things differently.

"The company was rewarded for its flexibility and ability to react to sudden, unexpected barriers," explained Andrzej Arendarski, president of KIG.

Polconn hasn't given up on its original idea of offering sailing services. "If we succeed in travel services to Africa, we are definitely planning to return to our original plans, because sailing services are practically undeveloped in Poland, and we want to change that," added Obracaj.