9th Investment Forum of the Economic Forum

This year's edition of the Investment Forum has been its 9th edition. The following topics: how to support innovative solutions, the importance of technology in business development, and how the energy sector and science create the technology of the future – these were the leading topics of the 9—Investment Forum in Tarnów.

The Investment Forum was opened by Christian Buchmann, Chairman of the ECON Committee and the Regional Minister of Economy and Tourism in Styria. He said:" It is an unusual pleasure to open the Committee of the Regions conference. The European economy is slowly recovering after the crisis, but we want to be competitive in the market – we create new ideas, new trends, and startups. Of course, there are the regions in Europe that are more developed, but Europe as a whole remains a little behind, so we have to strengthen their competitiveness.

Jacek Krupa, the Marshal of the Malopolska Region, stressed that the Investment Forum in Tarnów is an important event in our region. He added that thanks to the ECON Committee meeting, the forum’s addition is vital this year. The development of entrepreneurship and better conditions for business is our priority, so we support their development/. We invest in people and their potential, knowledge, and creativity. Success is not built Individually.

Roman Ciepiela, President of Tarnow, said that the Innovation Forum was being held in Tarnow during dynamic changes. The support for innovative solutions can become a driving force for creative development. He stressed the importance of system solutions and the fact that currently, we are witnessing the fourth digital revolution. Therefore, as Mr Ciepiela added: “We need to develop innovative solutions and the meetings of the format of 9. Innovation Forums are of particular importance and are highly required.

Elizabeth Bieńkowska, the European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, said that Europe needs innovative technologies and businesses – therefore, regions are of particular importance here. Ms Bienkowska added: “We are trying to remove the barriers stopping innovations. We want to improve the environment for startup development. We will not replace, however, the region and the daily support given to entrepreneurs. Therefore, sup, regional cooperation is also required.

The participants of the first discussion panel of 9. Investment Forum discussed the ways innovations can affect business development. Mariusz Bober, the President of the Azoty Group, referred to innovations from the business perspective. He said: “A few decades ago, innovation was a long innovation. Today, innovation can be brief; therefore, I would link the concept of innovation with the concept of flexibility. These are the people who can innovate and who can invent new things. This is not done neither by the machines nor money”.

The meeting was also an opportunity to exchange experiences with other countries. Diana Arsovic Nielsen, the Director for Innovation in Copenhagen, presented the Danish approach to innovation. She said: “We have forty-eight thousand employees. Combining their expertise is the key to innovation and more efficient and productive solutions – she said, adding that listening to the needs and social problems is important. Otherwise, the activities may focus on the wrong purposes”.

The issues of investment in R&D were also raised at the Forum. The Deputy Minister of Development, Jerzy Kwieciński, drew attention to the insufficient level of innovation in Polish companies, especially in the service sector. He stressed the importance for our government of strengthening the innovativeness of our economy. He concluded: “If we are talking about reindustrialization, it should be done through digitization and innovation. The same applies to foreign business expansion”. –” We genuinely want to sell products with high added value, giving high margins,” – stressed the Minister.

The first day of 9. Investment Forum in Tarnów was closed with the Gala Ceremony, during which the Investment of the Year and the Investor of the Year awards were announced and given, and the winner of the Startup Award was presented.

The title of Investor of the Year was given to Mr Sławomir Rusinek, the co-founder of Maspex Group, for his investment in Ski Arena Słotwiny in Krynica. The laudation was provided by Mr Roman Ciepiela, the President of Tarnow, and a prize was handed to Ms Jadwiga Emilewicz, the Minister of Development.

The prize for the best investment was given to Wilk Elektronik, Europe's leading manufacturer of computer memory modules and the owner of the GOODRAM brand. The laudation was delivered by the Chairman of the Economic Forum Program -Mr. Zygmunt Berdychowski. The award was handed over by Mr. Pawel Szefernaker, Secretary of State in the Prime Minister's Office.

This year's Startup Awards and Robot Show have attracted almost 80 projects from Poland, Bulgaria, and Ukraine. The Selecting Chapter has selected 15 innovative projects. The authors of the LGM generators were announced as the winners of the Startup Award Competition in 2016. The prize – a check for PLN 100 000 was handed over to the winners by the Speaker of the Senate, Stanislaw Karczewski. PKN Orlen, the Economic Forum, and the city of Tarnow are the founders of the prize in the Competition.

The Selecting Chapter House has given the honorary award to one of the finalists- Sidly.

The company has received the opportunity to give the presentation during the XXVI Economic Forum in Krynica (6-8 September). Sidly has also received the audience award and seven hours of consulting firm PwC.

Over the second day of the Forum, the participants discussed, among others, an integrated electronic healthcare system and the need for unification of the system for clinics and hospitals. Stanislaw Karczewski, the Speaker of the Senate, stressed that if we have a good flow of information, we can reduce the queues to the doctors in public health centers. During the discussion, the issue of a coordinated care system was also tackled. The Speaker of the Senate stressed that it is not a specialized treatment but primary care that should solve the majority of patient’s medical problems.

The Forum was closed with a ROBOT SHOW gala, during which university students and students of technical school graduation showed the constructed machines. The contest's first edition winners were the following contestants: Krzysztof Kieroński, Łukasz Lizak, and Daniel Krzyzanowski – the authors of an automated warehouse handling goods. They have received a scholarship for PLN 10,000.

The Competition was held under the honorary patronage of Lesser Polska Marshal.