DIRECTION: FUTURE Białystok as a centre of innovation and business of north-eastern Poland

19 May 2011, Seminar, Białystok, HOTEL BRANICKI

Białystok is the capital of the Podlaskie region – central part of eastern Poland. The city and the nearby areas which, until recently, were mainly associated with beautiful nature, wisents and a melodious accent started an intensive offensive. The region is convinced of its potential, unique characteristics and wants to talk about them in a loud voice.

The promotional slogan of the city “Rising Białystok” is a good reflection of the path chosen by the capital of the Podlaskie region. Based on a report about large Polish cities prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Białystok has a chance to become a development centre of north-eastern Poland thanks to its dynamic growth. The use of numerous EU funds, state of the city’s finances and residents’ sense of security are viewed by specialists as important assets. The same experts draw attention to the need to improve infrastructure, climate for investments and the city’s image.

Białystok benefits from its frontier location. In this region there are 9 border crossings with Belarus and Lithuania and through the city run the international road E 67 and a railway line. There are also plans to build in the future an airport in Saniki.

Białystok is known for the agri-food processing industry, electrotechnical, textile and wood industries, production of household appliances and building materials. It is worth mentioning that in the city there are such large companies as Philips, Pilkington, Group 4 Falk and the Brewing Company (SABMiller). Białystok is also a place where operates the sub-zone of the Suwałki Special Economic Zone (SSEZ). The city’s large potential are people (over 294 thousand inhabitants) who feel good and safe in their place of residence. The youth from Białystok can learn in a number of higher education schools e.g. the University, the Technical University, the Medical University, the Higher School of Economics. Among others, with their knowledge and intellectual potential in mind there was drawn up a project of the Białystok Science and Technology Park (scheduled end of the project – 31 December 2012). Its location in the vicinity of the sub-zone of the SSEZ aims at creating a science and industry district in Białystok.

Growth, especially ambitious one, entails a struggle against numerous problems of different kind e.g. legal, social, demographic, technological and financial. How to define them accurately? Where to look for support to solve them? Whose experience should we use? These questions will be answered by participants of the panel discussion including speakers at the seminar “Direction: future. Białystok as a centre of innovation and business of north-eastern Poland” which will be held on 19 May 2011 in Białystok.

The seminar is a sequential meeting within the cycle “Prospects in Poland” which promotes Polish cities and their investment potential.

The objective of the half-daily conference in Białystok is:
- discussion about the investment policy of Białystok with particular consideration of cooperation with companies
- analysis of the investment potential of Białystok
- introduction of companies which operate in Białystok and which take large steps on the road of success
- presentation of needs and expectations of the private sector’s representatives towards the local government
- presentation of the Białystok Science and Technology Park’s idea
- financing of investment, innovation and research projects.

To the group of speakers there were invited representatives of the city’s authorities. The seminar will also be attended by advisers from the best global consulting companies, lawyers, financiers and experts of business organisations. Other guests of equal importance will be representatives of businesses which invested in Białystok.