Wroclaw among the largest R&D centers in Poland. New report is here
Huge R&D investment and a growing number of new technology companies - these are the key findings of the report “R&D potential in the Wroclaw Agglomeration.” It confirms that the capital of Lower Silesia is emerging as one of the most important R&D centers in Poland, attracting 11 percent of the country's R&D centers.
During this year's Made in Wroclaw conference, the “R&D Potential in the Wroclaw Agglomeration” report, prepared by the Wroclaw Agglomeration Development Agency and Antal, was presented for the first time. The survey covered 403 companies conducting research and development activities and provided a detailed analysis of the R&D sector in the capital of Lower Silesia.
Wroclaw companies are not saving on innovation
According to Artur Skiba, CEO of Antal, the report indicates that Wroclaw is emerging as one of the most important R&D centers in Poland, attracting 11 percent of the country's R&D centers.
As many as 20 percent of companies in the region invest more than 30 percent of their annual budget in innovation, making the city one of Europe's technology leaders. A 34 percent increase in the number of R&D companies in a few years shows how Wrocław is becoming a key player on the international stage.
Artur Skiba
Nearly PLN 4 billion for research and development
According to Magdalena Okulowska, president of the Wroclaw Agglomeration Development Agency, the capital of Lower Silesia has been attracting the attention of investors in the new technology sector for years.
An analysis we conducted shows that R&D expenditures in the Lower Silesia region reached an impressive PLN 3.9 billion in 2022, placing Wroclaw among the most dynamically developing centers in Poland, right after Mazovia and Malopolska.
Magdalena Okulowska
According to the ARAW president, investments in innovation translate into competitiveness of local companies in international markets.
High dynamics of the innovation sector
The report states that Wrocław is home to 11 percent of Polish companies with the status of research and development center granted by the Ministry of Development and Technology. These include the “NOVASOME” Research and Development Center and the Lower Silesia Innovation Center. At the same time, there were 663 entities operating in the R&D industry in the Lower Silesian province in 2022.
The city also stands out in terms of specialization in various areas of R&D activity. The survey conducted showed that the dominant ones here are:
- engineering and manufacturing (51 percent of companies),
- information and communication technologies (37 percent of companies),
- chemicals and materials (16 percent of companies)
Polish Silicon Valley
Wroclaw is the leader in Poland in terms of the number of startups. As many as 28 percent of all Polish young technology companies are registered in Lower Silesia, the vast majority of them in the region's capital. The dynamic development of this sector is supported by numerous incubators and accelerator programs.
Wroclaw is home to 30 universities, which educate more than 105,000 students, more than 42,000 of them in fields of study key to R&D. Research by ARAW and Antal shows that as many as 79 percent of companies actively take advantage of the opportunities offered by academic-business partnerships. Meanwhile, 58 percent engage in offering internships and apprenticeships, and 37 percent carry out joint research projects.
Additionally, 60 percent of companies rate the availability of qualified R&D professionals as good or very good.
Check out the report here!