TALKING

The Silicon Valley of Europe

Poland ’ s IT and technology industry is thriving and the country is fast becoming the world ’ s latest and fastest emerging tech hub thanks to its central location in Europe , economic potential and wealth of tech talent . In fact , it is currently home to 60,000 technology companies and 10 unicorns , which is largely thanks to a period of economic growth and stability that has been bolstered since Poland joined the EU in 2004 . This growth has triggered a range of technological advances and innovations from Poland ’ s brightest minds in recent years , including the launch of the first Polish satellite , PW- Sat , in 2012 and the first artificial heart implant in Poland in 2018 .

Over the past two decades , businesses – particularly in the technology and IT sectors – have noticed the potential that Poland offers as a place to grow their offering , find the best people to work for them and benefit economically . The IT industry in the country is around 8 % of GDP , employing over 430,000 people , while Poland itself is the largest economy in central and Eastern Europe , with 30 % share of total GDP .

One of the reasons Poland has surfaced as a growing tech hub is a simple one . The practicality of Poland ’ s location in Europe has made the country a convenient base for businesses wanting access to clients , partners and employees in both EU and non-EU countries .

Germany , Czech Republic , Slovakia , Ukraine , Lithuania and Belarus are Poland ’ s immediate neighbours and just a stone ’ s throw away across the Baltic Sea lies Sweden , Denmark , Estonia , Finland and Latvia . Each country has made its own footprint in the technology sector in recent years , from Estonian FinTechs to Swedish HealthTechs . Poland has built strong ties with these nations and the UK too – in part due to having a similar business culture and ethics – and has become an attractive option for foreign investment .

Unprecedented growth leads to unprecedented investment

The most significant marker that cements Poland as a

leading location for technology investment , startups and entrepreneurial talent is the growing interest from Big Tech .

As of 2022 , Google , Samsung , Facebook , Amazon and Intel have established bases in Polish cities , while Microsoft also announced plans to invest US $ 1 billion into a data centre outside Warsaw , including access to local cloud services . Google has also committed to building a US $ 2 billion (€ 1.7 billion ) Cloud Data Hub in Warsaw , which is the first development centre of its kind opened by Google in Europe . This is off the back of the opening of Google for Start-Ups in 2015 . The campus was established in Warsaw and has since welcomed more than 100,000 startups and community members into the fold .

As more Big Tech companies and startups grow their operations in Poland , the more the country is becoming recognised as a tech hub on the continent . It ’ s becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy that creates additional technology and IT roles , sparks further innovation and brings extra money into the economy . Ultimately , growth stimulates growth .

An impressive talent pool

In order for Big Tech and other businesses based in Poland to truly thrive , a large pool of software development and IT talent is crucial . Thankfully , the snowball effect of Poland becoming a renowned global tech hub has ensured that there is a wealth of people with the right skills , education and experience to bolster the tech and IT industries . Top tech talent wants to be where the action is , and the significant activity taking place across the country , from technological

Bartosz Majewski , Founding Member and President at SoDA

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