The Rafał Brzoska Foundation selects 17 new scholarship recipients

Nearly 22 million zlotys across five editions of the scholarship program, 51 universities and institutions in 14 countries. The Rafał Brzoska Foundation selects 17 new scholarship recipients.

The total funding request submitted in the 613 applications for the Rafał Brzoska Foundation’s fifth grant season amounted to over 50 million PLN. Following a multi-stage selection process, the foundation selected 17 new recipients. They join a community that, with their addition, will now comprise 116 scholarship recipients and alumni, affiliated with a total of 51 universities and institutions in 14 countries around the world. Over the course of five editions, the Rafał Brzoska Foundation has allocated over 22 million PLN to education and talent development. 100% of the funds come from the TOP CHARITY initiative, organized by Omenaa Mensah and Rafał Brzoska, which engages representatives from the worlds of business, culture, and the arts from around the globe.

The application period ran from March 2 to April 13, 2026. The submitted applications underwent a multi-stage evaluation process conducted with the participation of members of the Rafał Brzoska Foundation’s Program Council and Mentoring Council. In selecting scholarship recipients, the Foundation took into account their achievements to date, their potential for growth, their social engagement, and how they intend to apply the knowledge and experience they gain. The Foundation officially announced the conclusion of the 5th Scholarship Competition on July 9, 2026.

Our scholarship recipients impress us not only with the scale of their ambitions, but also with their maturity, perseverance, and courage in carrying out challenging plans. We want to give them concrete tools, which is why we combine funding with mentoring, access to experts, and international opportunities. It is important to us that they are able to effectively develop their projects, and that the experience they gain contributes to the advancement of science, culture, and entrepreneurship – says Rafał Brzoska, Founder of the Rafał Brzoska Foundation. 

The group of new awardees reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the program, which brings together science, art, and entrepreneurship. The selected individuals are carrying out ambitious research projects, pursuing artistic endeavors, and developing business and technology ventures. Their names will be announced in a subsequent press release. 

The level of interest in the competition reflects the program’s growing recognition, but also the scale of the needs associated with funding ambitious educational and career plans. There is ample evidence of this. A total of 613 applications indicated a need exceeding 50 million PLN.

More than half of the applications – 57.1 percent – were for science projects, 24.3 percent were for artistic projects, and 18.6 percent were for entrepreneurship projects. The vast majority of applicants, 72.8 percent, were college students. High school students, doctoral candidates, and individuals pursuing other educational paths also applied to participate in the program.

The Rafał Brzoska Foundation Scholarship Fund is a long-term program tailored to the individual needs and plans of each scholarship recipient. In addition to covering costs related to education and personal development, it includes collaboration with mentors and experts, exclusive thematic workshops, community gatherings, and access to contacts and initiatives that enable recipients to gain international experience. 

The program, therefore, does not end with the awarding of grants. It creates an environment where participants can draw on the expertise of practitioners, test their ideas with experts, develop their projects, and build relationships with representatives from the fields of science, culture, business, and new technologies. Since its inception, the Foundation has combined funding with mentoring and community building, whose members eventually become alumni and go on to support others.  

– The selection of scholarship recipients kicks off the grant season, but its significance extends far beyond the mere awarding of funds. Equally important is building a community based on the exchange of experiences, collaboration, and mutual support. We want its members not only to consciously develop their own paths, but also to share knowledge, get involved in social initiatives, and create space for others with ambitious ideas – emphasizes Omenaa Mensah, Vice President of the Rafał Brzoska Foundation. 

Over the course of five editions, the Rafał Brzoska Foundation has allocated nearly 22 million PLN to education and talent development. All funds come from TOP CHARITY, an international philanthropic initiative created by Omene Mensah and Rafał Brzoska that brings together the worlds of business, art, and culture to fund educational, social, and humanitarian projects in Poland and around the world. TOP CHARITY regularly sets records in European philanthropy. During the anniversary edition in 2026, approximately 85 million PLN – nearly 20 million euros – was raised in just 90 minutes. Global celebrities have participated in the initiative’s events, including Will Smith, Dr. Jill Biden, King Asante Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Vanessa Williams, DJ Cuppy, and British entrepreneur and philanthropist John Caudwell. The funds raised during TOP CHARITY enable the Rafał Brzoska Foundation to provide long-term support to the most talented young people and ensure they have access to education, mentoring, and international development opportunities. 

The foundation’s community currently consists of 116 scholarship recipients and alumni, 78 of whom are actively participating in the program. Its members are pursuing their studies or developing their projects at a total of 51 universities and institutions in 14 countries around the world.

The newly selected winners will, in turn, pursue their career paths in Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy, and the United States. Among the universities and institutions involved in their plans are Princeton University, Yale University, Minerva University, University College London, Università Bocconi, Stauffer Academy, and the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music.

These are institutions associated with individuals who have had a global impact on business, science, culture, and public life. Among the alumni of Princeton University are Michelle Obama, a lawyer and former First Lady of the United States, and Jeff Bezos, an entrepreneur and founder of Amazon. George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, former presidents of the United States, graduated from Yale University. University College London, meanwhile, is associated with Christopher Nolan, one of the most acclaimed contemporary filmmakers, and Demis Hassabis, co-founder of Google DeepMind and a Nobel Prize laureate. 

In these environments, the new scholarship recipients will pursue their own educational, research, artistic, and entrepreneurial goals, joining international academic and creative communities.

The quality of the applications submitted demonstrated the candidates’ talent, determination, and courage in pursuing their ambitious plans. It also confirmed how many young people are committed to actively shaping the future of science, the arts, and entrepreneurship.