Summary of 2019 and ambitious plans of the Kraków Technology Park

According to representatives of the Kraków Technology Park (KPT), 2019 was the best year in its 22-year history. The plans for the next years are therefore equally ambitious.

Author: Paweł Hałabuda

The past 12 months have been a time of challenges for the Kraków Technology Park, but also many successes connected with them. And there are many, starting with the development of the Polish Innovation Zone in Małopolska, which today includes 36 subzones in 35 communes, with a total area of 949 ha and services being used by approximately 1 500 entrepreneurs every year.

It was a very intense year for the Kraków Technology Park – says Barbara Wityńska-Słącz, promotion manager for the Kraków Technology Park. – First of all, as the company managing the Polish Investment Zone in Małoplska, we achieved a historical result, taking second place in terms of issued decisions and declared new jobs among the companies managing the zones.

Last year, Orlen joined the zone and is planning to invest PLN 300 million in it.

Development of digital services

The company offers acceleration programs, workshops and consulting, as well as a modern data centre for enterprises operating in the KPT. Last year, the KPT was also selected to implement the Digital Innovation Hub project, which is designed to help entrepreneurs carry out digital transformation.

We have been selected as one of five consortia, winning the highest number of points out of all 41 submitted in the competition – emphasizes Barbara Wityńska-Słącz from the KPT. – Our offer is also coming into bloom on the international market. Last year, we became the leader of an international project for the first time, constituting the extension of activities related to the Digital Innovation Hub in Europe. Nevertheless, the most important measure of our successes is always the successes of our companies and we enjoy these the most.
Activities in the area of 4.0 Industry, i.e. the implementation of digital technology solutions, will be among the greatest challenges for the Kraków Technology Park. As Barbara Wityńska-Słącz points out: We are implementing these activities together with partners, and our task will be to convince entrepreneurs that digitization, automation and cyber security are not just fashionable slogans, but development directions that are necessary in every company.

Digital Dragons and the gaming industry

The KPT is famous for supporting not only traditional industry or enterprises, but also companies from the new technologies industry. The clients of the Kraków Technology Park included companies such as CD Projekt Red (responsible for the success of the Witcher games), Synerise and Revolut (a popular currency card).

The Kraków Technology Park is also responsible for organization of one of the largest events for the gaming industry – Digital Dragons. Last year alone, the event attracted around 2 000 people and 650 companies. This year, the ninth edition of Digital Dragons will again take place in Kraków on 18-19 May.

The organization of this event is always a challenge, two thousand participants from around the world oblige to maintain the highest standard of our event – emphasizes Wityńska-Słącz.

Record year of KPT ScaleUp

This year, we are also starting the next stage of the KPT ScaleUp acceleration program, to which we have received a record number of applications – sums up the representative of KPT. – This year, a new recruitment will start, and for us it will be important to reach new start-ups, acquire new industrial partners, as well as enter international markets.

KPT ScaleUp is an acceleration program that has been implemented by the KPT since 2017, in which 34 start-ups have participated so far. This year’s fourth edition is focused on young companies from the new technologies industry, offering solutions for 4.0 Industry. The digital transformation and support of the gaming industry are, together with the offer for companies from the traditional industry sector, important tasks set by the KPT authorities.