Strong Małopolska:

Małopolska is an exceptional and diverse region with strong identity, drawing inspiration from its unique heritage. It is attractive in every respect – as a place to live, work, and have fun. Undoubtedly, one of the most interesting regions in Poland. Here are some proofs. We have the largest number of monuments in Poland, every year visited by more than 17,2 million tourists who spend more than 15,2 billions PLN. Half of the region is a protected area: 14 Małopolska sites have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In 2020, Krakow took the second position in Europe among the most attractive cities for international business services in the prestigious Tholons Services Globalization City Index. But there's something else. A unique investment climate. Małopolska has been at the forefront of the national ratings of investment attractiveness for many years. We have good transport accessibility and location at the intersection of international transit routes. We support modern infrastructure for staff education and development of companies. We invest in human capital – we have a large number of graduates and a high percentage of people with higher education.

The land of smart specialisations:

Małopolska has focused on smart development and is implementing it in a consistent way. As a result, Małopolska has become one of the most innovative regions in the country. Małopolska smart specialisations determine directions of the region's development. They support the collaboration of science and business which opens door for innovation. We picked Małopolska specialisations to support areas with the greatest growth potential in the region. We have conducted extensive consulting and research work with representatives of various institutions and environments, including the business, science and business environment sectors, to select the areas of specialisation. We chose those, which will strengthen the competitiveness of Małopolska both in the national and international arena.

Seven smart specialisations:

1. Life Science:

Life science is a very broad concept. Therefore, it was divided into two groups. The first one is health and quality of life. It consists of products and technologies used in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of diseases of both humans and animals. The other group encompasses bioeconomy and its intermediates as well as products used for the production of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, materials and energy. 

2. Sustainable energy:

Sustainable energy, as a smart specialisation covers the development of power industry and energy use. It focuses on clean energy technologies, energy efficiency and prosumer energy.

3. Information and communication technologies:

ICT encompasses all activities related to the production of communication and IT devices as well as the associated services. Małopolska is a region with a high concentration of ICT companies. It is the second region in Poland with the highest employment rate in this industry.

4. Chemistry:

The Małopolska specialisation includes particularly programmes aimed at implementing new chemical compounds, materials and technologies as well as solutions in the field of chemical engineering. The industry in the region can be characterized by high work efficiency. New enterprises are still being created. The large-scale of export of chemical products manufactured in the region (in 2018, the value of exports stood at 1.64 billion EUR) is definitely worth noticing.

5. Production of metals, metal products and non-metalilic mineral products:

The specialisation (metal production) mainly comprises of research and development of technologies for manufacturing and forming of metallic and ceramic materials as well as waste management. Metal production dedicates particularly to the development of metal products for the electrical and energy industries. It also includes research in the field of material engineering. As for products from other mineral non-metallic materials those are mainly: glass, porcelain, ceramics, cement, lime, plaster.

6. Electrical engineering and machiune industry:

The industry encompasses the production of electronic and optical products, electrical and mechanical equipment as well as the production of vehicles, means of transport and their components. Małopolska is a significant exporter of electromechanical products. The export of electrical machines, equipment and their parts, as well as vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling-stock and parts and accessories there of has amounted to several billion euros in recent years. Within this specialisation Małopolska companies operate predominantly in the areas of repair, maintenance and installation of machinery and equipment.

7. Creative and leisure industries:

These activities have potential to create wealth and jobs through individual talent. The companies working in creative industries are among the most active on the market in terms of creating and implementing innovations. Małopolska specialisation includes creative industries, graphic design, computer games and software, industrial design, architecture, fashion and leisure industry. The last one encompasses tourism, entertainment and recreation.

 If You want to know more about Smart Specialisations in Małopolska Region, read publication about it in our publications section.