In brief

• European Funds finance innovation in industry, energy, medicine and defence.
• Experts at the Polish Innovation Day pointed to the significant potential of Polish companies, including in the space sector.
• Entrepreneurs still need advisory and mentoring support when expanding abroad.

Innovation in a growing number of industries

Thanks to European Funds, entrepreneurs can finance research, introduce new technologies and look for customers abroad (Fundusze Europejskie wspierają coraz więcej obszarów innowacji. Firmy potrzebują też pomocy w ekspansji zagranicznej - Executive Magazine - magazyn i portal biznesowy dla przedsiębiorców – executivemagazine.pl). Support is no longer limited to traditional industry, but also covers energy, medicine and defence. Instruments are also available for dual-use technologies, that is, solutions that can serve both civilian and military purposes.

Company potential and the support gap

At the Polish Innovation Day, organised by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, experts spoke about the significant potential of Polish companies. As they noted, in recent years more and more Polish businesses are entering foreign markets and developing in modern fields such as the space sector.

In the experts' view, support is still lacking at every stage of a company's development. The problem concerns not only start-ups but also firms that have been operating for a longer time. Non-financial, advisory and mentoring support is needed to allow companies to use their competitive advantages and win new markets.

What this means for entrepreneurs

Companies planning international expansion may need more than just a grant. It is worth checking whether the chosen programme provides advisory, mentoring or help in establishing international contacts.

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