BARTEK Real Estate, a newly established Irish-led property platform, has entered the Polish market with the aim of developing sustainable, professionally managed rental housing in cities with high population growth and rental demand. The company will focus on Poland’s emerging Private Rental Sector (PRS), where institutional investment remains limited, despite rising demand. The firm was co-founded by Conor Gleeson, an Irish finance and private equity professional, and Michal Stys, CEO of OPG Property Professionals. Together, they bring more than three decades of combined experience in real estate, finance, and urban development across Ireland and Poland. BARTEK plans to deploy capital into ESG-compliant multifamily rental projects in cities such as Łódź, Wrocław, Katowice, and the Tricity region. The platform is targeting project values in the range of €20–40 million and expects to generate internal rates of return above 20 percent over a typical five-year investment horizon. BARTEK’s strategy is based on a project-by-project investment model and includes both forward purchase agreements and joint ventures with local developers. Their developments will aim to meet the growing demand for high-quality, professionally managed rental housing—an area that remains underdeveloped in Poland. According to PwC, the Polish PRS market remains small but is expanding quickly, with institutional rental stock growing by 32 percent in the past year alone and projected to exceed 80,000 units by 2028. This growth is largely driven by a nationwide housing shortage, high affordability barriers to homeownership, and a shift in residential preferences toward flexible rental living. The company’s first project, called “Project ART,” is located in Łódź and is currently underway. It serves as a starting point for a wider pipeline of over 50 evaluated projects across the country. The selection criteria for these projects include ESG performance, demand fundamentals, development scalability, and track record of the development partner. A partnership with OPG Property Professionals provides local market expertise and development support. OPG is known for urban redevelopment projects such as OFF Piotrkowska and the Art Modern residential scheme in Łódź. BARTEK’s leadership emphasizes the intention to develop housing that integrates sustainability and community-oriented design, rather than focusing solely on yield. The company is guided by a board comprising senior figures from Irish legal, investment, and property sectors, including William Gleeson (Founder of OPG), David Dillon (Co-Founder of Dillon Eustace), and Niall Molloy (Founder of Echelon Data Centres). The board provides governance and strategic direction as BARTEK prepares to scale its operations. With demand for rental housing rising and institutional PRS still in early stages, BARTEK positions itself as an early mover in a market that is expected to attract more structured capital over the coming years. Photo: William Gleeson (Founder of OPG) and Niall Molloy (Founder of Echelon Data Centres)