The Export Leaders and A site worthy of a Medal awards presented during the PAIH Business Forum

The title of Export Leader was awarded in the following categories: export brand, Polish foreign investor, innovative product and service, global startup and debut on the international market. There were also winners in the category of exporters in the SME and large company sectors, and an individual award for a visionary. The latter category went to Olga Malinkiewicz - a Polish scientist and pioneer of research on perovskite photovoltaic cells.

A special award was granted to the Association of Biotechnology Companies BioForum for its contribution to the development and promotion of the Polish biotechnology industry and support in its promotion outside Poland. The manufacturer of window joinery Fakro was recognized as a leading export brand, while the award for foreign investments was given to Lug Light Factory. Among the SME exporters, the cosmetics manufacturer, Sylveco, which exports its products to 26 countries around the world, was distinguished. In the category of large exporters, the winner was Alvo Medical, a manufacturer of operating room equipment.

The medical industry also won awards in the category of innovative product and global startup. These were, respectively, M2M Cool Systems for innovative, automated systems for storing and transporting blood, and Aether Biomedical for advanced upper limb prostheses, controlled by impulses from the wearer’s muscles. The awarded newcomer on the international market turned out to be A4Bee, a company dealing with software engineering and providing intelligent devices for the biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing sectors.

Selecting only nine winners was a challenge. I would like to emphasize that all the companies whose achievements we analyzed when selecting the winners achieve fantastic results. The strength of the Polish economy on foreign markets is innovation, openness to cooperation and high business culture. We can see the results of this and we are awarding them today - said Paweł Kurtasz, Chairman of the Management Board of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency.

The winners of the 10th jubilee edition of the Site worthy of a Medal competition were equally appreciated. Its aim was to select the best undeveloped investment land (the so-called Greenfield site) in individual provinces, with an area of at least 2 hectares. The awards were given to local government units managing the awarded sites. The largest of the winning investment areas, located in the Opole Voivodeship, had an area of 111 hectares.

Suitable preparation of the investment area is one of the foundations of attracting an investor who, by deciding on the location of his new plant, brings capital and jobs to the commune. Local governments that understand this know how important their role is in supporting the development of local industry. Today, we have awarded those who have best met the standards set by PAIH in terms of investment areas - said Grzegorz Oszast, Member of PAIH’s Management Board, during the gala.

The awarded site are in: the Lower Silesian Voivodeship - Udanin Commune, Silesian Voivodeship - City of Częstochowa, Opole Voivodeship - City of Opole, Lesser Poland Voivodeship - Niepołomice Commune, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship - City of Toruń, Łódź Voivodeship - Koluszki Commune, Masovian Voivodeship - City of Radom, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship - Stąporków Commune, Subcarpathian Voivodeship - Stalowa Wola Commune, Lublin Voivodeship - Krasnystaw Commune, Podlaskie Voivodeship - Grajewo Commune, Voivodeship Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship - Gmina Olsztynek, Pomeranian Voivodeship - Gmina Pruszcz Gdański, West Pomeranian Voivodeship - Gmina Karlino, Lubusz Voivodeship - Gmina Żagań, Greater Poland Voivodeship - Gmina Września.

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About the Polish Investment and Trade Agency

The Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) is an advisory institution that is part of the Polish Development Fund (PFR) Group. It is the first point of contact for exporters and investors. It operates both in Poland and through a network of its offices around the world. It strengthens the recognition of Polish brands on international markets, promotes domestic products and services as well as technological solutions made in Poland. The agency helps entrepreneurs choose their optimal path of expansion abroad. It also supports the inflow of foreign direct investments to Poland and the implementation of Polish investments in the country. PAIH cooperates with the public sector and regional partners, offering, among other things, training, audit and promotion of investment properties, cooperation in the organization of business missions and communication support in the implementation of joint projects.