European Business Club Poland organized a nationwide conference “Key to the success of business – how to join forces and raise funds for business activity” that was held on 27 June 2019. It was the first edition of the conferences entitled “Key to the success of business “. The main partner of the event was the Industrial Development Agency JSC (Agencja Rozwoju Przemysłu S.A.). The event took place at the Olympic Center John Paul II in Warsaw and was hosted by the editor Krzysztof Skowroński.
The conference, that was created by the people of business, prominent practitioners and was dedicated to all entrepreneurs – attracted both entrepreneurs who are interested in the subject as well as a large group of representatives of marshal offices from whole Poland and representatives of the administration who presented various methods of obtaining domestic and EU funds by Polish companies.
Main Partner of the conference – the Industrial Development Agency JSC – was represented by: Cezariusz Lesisz, President of the Board; Paweł Kolczyński, Vice President of the Board; Konrad Trzonkowski, Managing Director.
The special guest of the event was Anna Gembicka, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Investment and Development, Government Plenipotentiary for Small and Medium Enterprises.
Our invitation was also accepted by Jarosław Stawiarski, Marshal of the Lubelskie Voivodeship; Marek Olbryś, Deputy Marshal of the Podlasie Voivodship; Andrzej Garlicki, Deputy President of Łomża, as well as representatives of the Marshal’s Office of the Śląskie, Świętokrzyskie, Małopolskie and Podkarpackie Voivodeships.
Janusz Cieślak, President of the European Business Club Poland, who has opened the conference and welcomed the guests, has also defined the objectives of the undertaking, which are the integration of the business environment around one of the most difficult challenges in running business – gaining financial resources and transferring knowledge, or sharing “know-how” by organizations that have been successful.
The next speaker was Cezariusz Lesisz, President of the Management Board of Industrial Development Agency JSC, who presented the Agency’s main activities and its achievements. Among the discussed projects was the ARP Investment Zone – a project addressed to entrepreneurs interested in investing in areas managed by ARP S.A. – special economic zones in Mielec and Tarnobrzeg, that were created on the base of a governmental project of the Polish Investment Zone; Technology Transfer Platform – a website through which registered users can inform each other about their innovative resources, needs, and search through the technologies and experts bases. The advantage of PTT, together with the rich and continuously updated information resources, is the intelligent system matching technology donors and its recipients; Network of Open Innovations – the aim of the project is to build a network of open innovations through actions that animate the transfer of technology between the innovative environment and the sector of micro, small and medium Polish enterprises. As part of the project, it is possible to refinance the purchase of intangible and legal property, the so-called WNiP in the form of patents, licenses, know-how and utility models; Capital-Accounting Agency JSC (Agencja Kapitałowo Rozliczeniowa S.A.) – AKR S.A is a financial and service institution with a broad business profile, with an offer for individual and institutional clients. A large spectrum of renowned, recognized on the market companies, that AKR SA cooperates with. It gives an opportunity to choose the best and most-tailored offer.
One of the guest of the conference was also Ms. Anna Gembicka, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Investment and Development, Government Plenipotentiary for Small and Medium Enterprises, who presented a very comprehensive information on support for companies, that is provided by the ministry, among others loan and guarantee funds, support instruments under specific legal bases and programs of their functioning, as well as issues related to the Constitution for Business and the sustainable development program.
The next part of the conference included the following panels:
- “Presentation of ARP products addressed to entrepreneurs, including the SME sector”. The offer of the Entrepreneur Service Center was presented by: Paweł Kolczyński, Vice President of ARP S.A. and Konrad Trzonkowski, Managing Director of ARP S.A.
- “Support of export support and foreign cooperation”, that was presented by Wojciech Dzięgiel, Head of the International Cooperation Team ARP S.A.
3. “Offer of the Industrial Development Agency JSC. Restructuring (Agencja Rozwoju Przemysłu S.A. Restrukturyzacje)”, presented by Radosław Świątek from the Capital Investment Office ARP S.A. (Biuro Inwestycji Kapitałowych ARP S.A.)
4. “Presentation of products from the area of innovation implementation” made by Kamila Bitner and Włodzimierz Pomierny, specialists from the ARP S.A.
5. “EU funds for enterprises – presentation of current and planned calls for proposals, advising on where to find locations of information on European funds”, presented by Hubert Komorowski and Jaroslaw Pawlak, experts from the Center for European Projects (Centrum Projektów Europejskich).
The integral part of the conference were stands with information and advertising materials of Industrial Development Agency JSC – Main Partner and European Projects Center – Conference Partner.
Partners of the event were also: WALKRYS Security Group, RAGUS Printing House and PINUS J and M. Smolarczyk.
Both in the opinion of the organizers of the event and, above all, the participants, the goal of the conference was fully achieved. The guests were provided with a very conrete and practical knowledge on how to raise funds for business operations: how, when and where. Participants expressed their interest in participating in the next conferences of the cycle entitled: “Key to the success of the enterprise”.
The Management Board of the European Business Club Poland would like to thank all guests and participants of the conference as well as give special thanks to the Main Partner of the Conference – the Industrial Development Agency JSC – and Partners: Centrum Projektów Europejskich, WALKRYS Security Group, Drukarnia RAGUS and PINUS J and M. Smolarczyk.
We would like to already invite entrepreneurs as well as representatives of other interested institutions and organizations for our next conferences, which will be announced on the website www.ekb.org.pl.