As part of the mission of Ukrainian Industry 4.0 policymakers to Poland, we continue the topic of best practices of our Polish partners. In the previous article, we highlighted the activities of FPPP (the Polish state agency for the development of Industry 4.0), and today, we want to introduce you to the key innovator actors in the direction of Smart industry and the scientific and educational sector of Poland.

Subcarpathian science and technology park AEROPOLIS: Innovations and Investments

The Subcarpathian Science and Technology Park AEROPOLIS is one of the most attractive investment sites in Southeastern Poland. This Park was created to attract modern companies and technologies to the simultaneous maximum utilization of the potential of local universities and research centers.

The key feature of the Park’s offer is a fully developed investment area of 170 hectares. Companies that choose AEROPOLIS as a place for their development can benefit from local taxes and fees, and thanks to the inclusion of the Park territory in the special economic zone “EURO PARK Melets,” they receive benefits from income tax. The Regional Development Agency of Rzeszów manages AEROPOLIS.

The Subcarpathian Science and Technology Park AEROPOLIS provides various services and opportunities for companies and innovators. Several key components of the Park’s offering include:

1. Promotion of high technologies: The Park actively promotes high technologies in aviation, IT, electromechanical, biotechnology, and the chemical industry through the “Technology Incubator” project. This helps to create innovative solutions and increase competitiveness.
2. Pre-incubator: The Park supports start-ups and entrepreneurs in implementing modern technological solutions and managing knowledge and capital resources.
3. Research and Innovation: The Park offers laboratory research, measurement, testing, and analysis at the Aeropolis Materials Science and Prototyping Laboratory, contributing to developing new materials and technologies.
4. Consulting services: AEROPOLIS provides consulting on the creation and development of business concepts for start-ups, business planning, intellectual property rights, industrial design, fundraising, financial and accounting consulting, and legal advice.

The work of the Subcarpathian Science and Technology Park AEROPOLIS is an example of a successful combination of innovation and investment in the region’s development. Its proposal, covering a wide range of services, can be an example for Ukraine in forming similar institutions. The development of innovation potential and technological industry is a key element of sustainable economic growth, and AEROPOLIS plays an important role in achieving this goal in the Subcarpathian region of Poland.

The Łukasiewicz Research Network is an example of the work of the Institute of Ceramics and Building Materials

The Lukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals (Ł-IMN) is recognized as Europe’s leading scientific and technological center of non-ferrous metallurgy. With more than 60 years of experience in research and development, the Institute has about 500 highly qualified employees. It performs various activities in ore processing, electrometallurgy, environmental protection, materials science, metal processing, and others.

The main areas of activity of Ł-IMN include:

1. In the sustainable economy and energy field, the Institute focuses on developing and implementing environmentally safe production technologies, using a circular economy, and creating materials and products for modern electrical networks.
2. Intelligent Mobility: The Institute works on storing electricity, using renewable energy sources, and developing high-performance power systems for electric mobility.
3. Health: The Institute produces advanced materials for medicine and medical nanotechnology, contributing to the development of medical innovation.
4. Defense and Security: Ł-IMN introduces new materials for defense needs using advanced technologies such as 3D printing and power supply.

The Institute offers innovative and high-tech solutions in many areas, including the processing of non-ferrous metals, the development of new materials for power electronics, energy, transport, and medicine, and the research of composite materials and powders.

The opportunities for cooperation with this Institute can be used by clusters of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences for the formation and joint work on innovative projects of SMEs.

The Lukashevich Research Network in Poland is an example of successful reform of research institutes, especially those engaged in applied research. This network brought together 22 institutes from different scientific fields under common approaches in the field of innovation, which created a unique opportunity for cooperation and coordination of research.

Ivan Kulchytskyi, director of the European Innovation Agency, shares his thoughts on this network and highlights the following important aspects:

• Unification of institutes: In Poland, institutes were united into a single Lukashevich network. This contributed to the elimination of duplication of work and the creation of joint approaches to research.
• Collaborative approaches to innovation: Networked institutes work on collaborative approaches to innovation. It allows them to solve tasks and use resources to figure out complex problems more efficiently.
• Coordination center: An essential element of this network is the coordination center, which potential business customers can contact. The center facilitates the efficient distribution of tasks and makes the process of cooperation between business and scientific institutes more accessible and convenient.
• Potential for reforms in NASU and other institutes: This example can provide an initiative for reforming research institutes in other countries, including Ukraine. This could mean bringing together institutions, sharing research approaches, and creating focal points to facilitate collaboration with businesses and other stakeholders.

The success story of Hub4industry is the flagship Digital Innovation Hub in Poland.

Hub4industry is the flagship Digital Innovation Hub in Poland, which is an initiative of the European Union to create regional centers of digital innovation, known as European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH). This hub was created in cooperation with Kraków Technopark, companies ASTOR and T-Mobile Polska, as well as universities: AGH University of Science and Technology and Kraków University of Technology, other companies and industry experts.

Hub4industry specializes in the implementation of Industry 4.0 solutions for industrial companies. It combines the key technologies and areas needed to create the Factory of the Future. It covers 5G network connectivity, automation and robotics, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), artificial intelligence (AI), augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR), cloud computing, BIM technology, 3D printing, cybersecurity and others.

Digital Innovation Hub4industry in Poland is an example of a successful initiative for developing digital innovation and digital transformation in the industry. Here are some main aspects that Ukrainian actors in the innovation ecosystem can take for themselves:

• Creation of an Innovation Ecosystem Hub: Hub4industry has brought together various actors, such as companies, universities, institutes, and business incubators, to create a comprehensive support point for industrial companies. This creates a conducive innovation ecosystem where players can collaborate and share knowledge.
• Multidisciplinary and Technological Diversity: Hub4industry brings together various technologies and industries, such as 5G, artificial intelligence, robotics, IoT, cloud computing, and others, to create enterprise end-to-end solutions. Ukrainian actors can also develop innovations in various technological areas to increase competitiveness.
• Training and Education: Hub4industry has a robotics training center that helps train employees and create a skilled workforce for digital transformation. Ukrainian organizations can also invest in training and development of staff skills.
• Partnership and Cooperation: The success of Hub4industry is based on active cooperation with other companies, universities, and research institutions. Ukrainian actors can also attract partners for joint development and implementation of innovations.
• Focus on Practical Solutions: Hub4industry strives to showcase industry-ready solutions and applications that simplify digital adoption for companies. Ukrainian companies can also develop and present specific innovative solutions.

Oleksandr Yurchak, director of the Ukrainian Cluster Alliance, pointed out the importance of practical experience and challenges in the process of building innovative networks. Ukrainian actors can take these challenges into account and investigate how to improve the development of innovation centers.

Conclusion

The Polish experience, presented by the examples of the Lukashevich Network, Hub4industry, Pidkarpatsky Science and Technology Park AEROPOLIS, is critical for Ukrainian companies and the innovation community. The importance of this experience and opportunities for Ukrainian companies can be summarized as follows:

• Creation of Innovation Infrastructure: The Polish experience shows that bringing together different actors, such as companies, universities, institutes, and business incubators, is a successful approach to creating a favorable innovation ecosystem.
• Multidisciplinary and Technological Diversity: Ukrainian companies can develop solutions in various technological fields, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, 5G, cloud computing, and others, to increase their competitiveness.
• Training and Skills Development: Investing in staff training and skills development is a critical element of success. Training centers and programs can help prepare a skilled workforce for digital transformation.
• Partnership and Cooperation: Active cooperation with other companies, universities, and research institutions allows the exchange of knowledge and resources for joint development and implementation of innovations.
• Focus on Practical Solutions: It is important to develop and present concrete, practical solutions for companies that facilitate the adoption of digital technologies.

The development of innovative infrastructure in Ukraine based on this experience can contribute to industry development and increase the country’s competitiveness.

In addition, the Rzeszów Regional Development Agency is another interesting case to consider, as it successfully engages in regional development and innovation.
Such initiatives can help Ukraine build a robust and innovative infrastructure that will contribute to future economic and technological development.