A Warsaw-based blockchain technology company has secured €2 million in funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 initiative, signaling growing confidence in blockchain innovation across t
A Warsaw-based blockchain technology company has secured €2 million in funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 initiative, signaling growing confidence in blockchain innovation across the continent. Billon's achievement reflects expanding recognition of how DLT applications can tap into a rapidly expanding alternative payments sector projected to eclipse US$1.4 trillion by the end of the decade, based on analysis from WorldPay in 2016.
The firm specializes in developing cloud-based and mobile-native peer-to-peer payment infrastructure for standard currencies. Working alongside banking partners, Billon currently operates Polish złoty and British pound solutions, with plans to extend capabilities into online spending ecosystems.
Robert Kaluza, who co-founded the company and serves as chief operations officer, outlined the significance: "Our blockchain approach represents the first cloud and mobile peer-to-peer platform for conventional currency transactions. Through our bank partnerships, we deliver PLN and GBP functionality while progressively expanding into digital spending environments."
The EU grant will accelerate development across multiple fronts. Beyond refining existing instant payment technology for businesses, the funding supports creation of e-commerce and content-monetization capabilities, alongside increased investment in sales operations, regulatory compliance, and overall company infrastructure.
Tadeusz Kuropatwinski, heading digital payments strategy at the organization, points to micropayments as the next frontier for growth worldwide. "Emerging regions especially stand to benefit from micropayment infrastructure," he explained. "The current landscape relies on outdated mechanisms—prepaid codes and pricey text-message transactions. Billon reimagines this entirely, delivering streamlined mobile-first payments with complete transaction records."
The company plans an autumn launch of merchant-focused e-commerce and content-monetization services within Poland, followed by UK expansion throughout 2018. Subsequently, the firm intends to explore opportunities across developing economies.
Billon has constructed an instant-settlement payment system built on blockchain principles. The platform accommodates every national currency while maintaining regulatory compliance and transcending traditional geographic and temporal constraints. Through partnerships with established firms, Billon embeds this capability within existing enterprise software systems.
Horizon 2020 represents the European Union's most substantial research initiative, commanding nearly €80 billion across seven years spanning 2014 through 2020. The program emphasizes technological breakthroughs, pioneering discoveries, and novel solutions, dedicating itself to transforming laboratory innovations into commercial reality.
