The Małopolska Region is one of the most dynamically developing regions on the economic map of Poland and Central Europe. As a Region with significant development potential, we have the opportunity to compete for the title of the most innovative and technologically advanced region.
Małopolska focuses on intelligent and sustainable development, creating favorable conditions for the growth of priority industries in the region, such as:
- IT and ICT,
- chemistry,
- renewable energy,
- production of metals and metal products,
- life science,
- electrical engineering and machine industry,
- creative and leisure industries.
Support for the areas with the greatest development potential strengthens the competitiveness of Małopolska and the attractiveness of the region as a place worth investing in.
Małopolska in numbers:
- Małopolska is located in the southern part of Poland, at the junction of important communication routes,
- Krakow – the capital of Małopolska – is the second largest city in Poland,
- The Małopolska Region consists of 22 poviats and 182 communes,
- Surface area: 15 183 km2,
- Almost 3.4 million inhabitants, which is 8.9% of the Polish population – 4th place in the country,
- Małopolska is the second largest academic center in the country (26 universities),
- Over 144,000 students and over 37,000 graduates,
- Małopolska ranks 5th in the country in terms of value added, generating 8.1% of GDP,
- The region ranks 6th in the country in terms of the volume of exports and imports, in 2019 these were EUR 10.37 billion and EUR 10.54 billion, respectively,
- Over 455,000 business entities operate in Małopolska – ranking 4th in the country – including nearly 4,000 exporters,
- Financial expenditure on R&D places the region in second place in the country,
- 45 innovation and entrepreneurship support centers in the region – 5th place nationwide.
Krakow in the rankings:
- Krakow was featured the list of the 9 most attractive cities in the world, and took the first place among European agglomerations in terms of investments in the BPO & SSC sector – TOP 100 Outsourcing Destinations Ranking,
- Krakow ranks second in the Forbes ranking in the “Business-Friendly City” category,
- Krakow holds 10th place in the ranking of top world tourist destinations,
- Krakow holds the 20th place in the world among the most attractive cities for international business services in the prestigious Tholons Services Globalization City Index 2021 ranking,
- In the European Cities and Regions of the Future 2022/2023 ranking, Kraków took first place for business friendliness in the category of large cities, and second in the category of human capital and lifestyle, prepared by the prestigious fDi Magazine.
In order to strengthen its position as a strong and competitive economy, while noticing the huge potential inherent in the space technology sector as one of the most innovative and technologically advanced areas in the global economy, but also the most dynamically developing industry sector in Poland, a decision was made to join the group of members of NEREUS (Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies).
Several institutions specializing in the field of space technologies operate in the Małopolska Region, these include, among others; the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow University of Technology, Krakow Technology Park and AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow. For years, these institutions have been implementing numerous projects, initiatives and research in the field of space technologies aimed at strengthening the position of Małopolska in this area. One of them is the establishment of the Space Technology Center in Krakow in 2020, whose activities are dedicated to educating in the field of space technologies, conducting research in this field and disseminating knowledge about space and the possibilities of its use in everyday life.
Another element of activities undertaken in the context of the developing space industry in Poland is the initiative (with the participation of, among others, institutions: the Małopolska Region, the Krakow University of Technology and the AGH University of Science and Technology) the creation of the European Space Agency Incubator in the region. The creation of an incubator in Krakow will bring Małopolska closer to the prestigious group of cities and regions that actively support the sector of space and satellite technologies, thus creating conditions for learning, development and cooperation for the people of the region.
Membership of Małopolska in the NEREUS Network is another important step towards the development of space technologies in the Region.
Read more: www.businessinmalopolska.pl/en/
