Project co-financed by the Minister of Economic Development Business and Local Government, Finance, Economy, Innovation BUSINESS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, FINANCE, ECONOMY, INNOVATIONS We are pleased to present to you a publication in which we describe the Pol- ish investment and export potential. In the first part, we present the regions that, according to the results of regional analyses, generate the highest percentage of domestic exports or show continuous development in this direction. The second part of the publication is dedicated to the presentation of Polish companies that are conquering the Polish export market and focusing largely on innovation in their business models. The voivodeships we present include, among others, the Masovian and Silesian regions, which generate almost a quarter of national exports. The value of the ex- port market in these regions as well as in Greater Poland exceeds EUR 20 billion. In recent years, other regions, such as Lower Silesian Voivodeship, have recorded the greatest increase in the value of exported goods. Zygmunt Berdychowski Chairman of the Economic Forum The synthetic summaries include a compendium of knowledge about the Programme Council voivodeships, thanks to which a potential investor or entrepreneur who wants to start or develop a business in Poland will find information about the location, net- work of connections, transport accessibility, level of urbanization, sectoral structure of enterprises, employment structure, percentages regarding projects with foreign capital. Of course, we also point out the innovation of a given voivodeship and smart specializations of the region. They include, among others, modern medicine, information technologies and energy. In the second part, you will find profiles of over 20 selected Polish companies that want to expand their cooperation with foreign partners. We have chosen enterprises that are not only producers or sellers of goods and services, but also participate in economic, social and political discourse through their public activity. We introduce companies of various sizes. The catalogue includes both the national giant - the second-largest roof win- dow manufacturer in the world, with over 180 patent applications and customers in over 50 countries, and a leading manu- facturer of electric and diesel passenger vehicles, electric and diesel locomotives, as well as metro and tram vehicles. There are also representatives of the IT sector offering comprehensive solutions for transport, public entities, and even innovative sup- port systems for municipal waste segregation. We describe companies providing the latest technological, pharmaceutical and biotechnological solutions, as well as those operating in the field of renewable energy sources and energy management. At the same time, we focus on tradition with a modern take. Poland is known for the highest quality food products. In this segment, we present both large enterprises, which include one of the biggest companies in Central and Eastern Europe in the food industry, and smaller companies specializing in ecological production and modern fruit and even honey processing. Poland is an attractive holiday destination. Therefore, investors interested in the tourism industry or the spa treatment sector will find offers in this field as well. Zygmunt Berdychowski Chairman of the Economic Forum Programme Council www.economic-forum.pl 3 Business and Local Government, Finance, Economy, Innovation Śląskie Voivodeship (Silesian Voivodeship) Silesian Voivodeship is the most industrialized and urbanized region in Poland. More than 4.5 million people live in an area of 12,334 km2, which is 3.9% of Poland’s area. This translates into the country’s record population density of 371 people per square kilometre. The region is adjacent to Opole, Łódź, Świętokrzyskie and Lesser Poland Voivodeships, while its southern border is the border between Poland and the Czech Republic with a length of 141 km and the Slovak Republic with a length of 85 km. Sile- sian Voivodeship is one of the most urbanized areas in Central and Eastern Europe, the urban population rate is 77%. Mertopolis GZM (Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolia), the first metropoli- tan association established by law in Poland, brings together 41 cities and municipalities, and is inhabited by more than 2 million people. In the region, there are 19 cities with county rights and 17 counties, in the territory of which there are 71 towns with city rights and 96 rural municipalities. Sectoral structure of enterprises Silesian Voivodeship, accounting for 12.3% of Poland’s GDP, ranks second by GDP produced in the country. The region is also a leader in the export of goods. 486,000 national economy entities operate in the voivodeship. Silesia’s undoubted asset is its wealth in natural resources: zinc and lead deposits, methane, natural gas, deposits of marl, limestone, natural aggregate and hard coal. There are also medicinal, thermal and mineral waters there. We should 4 www.economic-forum.pl Business and Local Government, Finance, Economy, Innovation emphasize that 27 of the 200 largest Polish companies are based in Silesian Voivodeship. These are tycoons from the energy, mining and construction sectors. The modern business services industry plays an important role, with more than 22,000 employees in about 100 business service centres in the central part of the region. Silesian Voivodeship has also a strong position in the foreign direct investment market. 8.5% of entities with foreign capital operating in Poland are located in Silesia. There has been a noticeable change in the structure of employment in the region. The number of people employed in construction, mining and metal production is getting lower. At the same time, the number of people employed in the services industries has increased. More and more companies from the new technology sector and recognized brands are starting to function in the region. Today, the region is dominated by companies operating in industries such as the automotive, IT and food sectors, as well as tourism. Innovation of the region and regional smart specializations A thorough review of the resources allowed us to diagnose the smart specializations of the region. They included such sectors as health, information technologies or energy. Silesian Voivodeship stands out in comparison to the rest of the country in terms of prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. This has to do with its extensive experience in cre- ating, adapting and absorbing high-tech medical engineering solutions. The high level of information technologies contributes to the economic and social development of the region. It also enables participation in global cooperation networks and creation of trading and management systems related to the so-called smart markets. Energy is one of the key economic sectors of the region. Thanks to the existing infrastructure and high population density, Silesian Voivodeship is an excellent area for testing and implementing innovative solutions. www.economic-forum.pl 5 Business and Local Government, Finance, Economy, Innovation Mazowieckie Voiovodeship (Masovian Voivodeship) It is the largest administrative division of the country in terms of area and population. It is located in the central and eastern part of Poland; it covers an area of 35,558.47 km2, which is 11.4% of the country’s area. The capital of the region is Warsaw. Sectoral structure of enterprises Masovian Voivodeship is an industrial and agricultural region. It has the largest production potential and the fast- est growing economy in Poland. The industries operating in the region include: transport (automotive, agricultural tractors), fuel (oil refinery), electrotechnical, electronic, machine (machinery and equipment for industry and agricul- ture), chemical (pharmaceutical, cosmetic, plastic), food (fruit and vegetable, meat, sugar, dairy, oils and fats, milling, tobacco, brewing), energy, building materials (construction ceramics, cement), iron metallurgy, metal (tools, weap- ons), precision, paper, textile, clothing, leather and printing. The largest industrial centre is Warsaw, which, together with the surrounding cities, forms the Warsaw Industrial District. Other important industrial centres are Płock, Radom, Siedlce, Ostrołęka, Ciechanów. Innovation of the region and regional smart specializations In the nationwide “Millennium Index” for 2019, determining the innovation of regions on the basis of five selected 6 www.economic-forum.pl Business and Local Government, Finance, Economy, Innovation criteria, the Masovian region took the first position (as in the previous year). There are a number of clusters and cluster initiatives in Masovian Voivodeship. The theory and practice of smart city, based on the idea of sustainable development and the use of new technologies in everyday life, is developing there. It combines such assumptions as smart use of the environment and natural resources, modern infrastructure, ensuring a high quality of life, access to modern technologies and education. One of the most important elements of a smart city is transport adapted to the needs of modern society. Alternative forms of transport, ranging from electric cars, the number of which is increasing every year, to individu- alised transport, such as electric scooters and city bikes, are also developing in the cities. Capital expenditures In 2020, a record budget for Masovia, reaching PLN 3.7 billion, has been adopted. PLN 1.2 billion of this sum has been earmarked