Krakow, Cracow, Cracovie, Cracovia – call it what you will – is the scientific, administrative, financial and economic centre of Southern Poland. It is a city of over a hundred research and development institutions, as well as 18 univerisities, including the renowned Jagiellonian University as well as AGH University of Science and Technology, Cracow University of Economics (AE Krakow) and Krakow Technical University (Politechnika), all providing tuition for about 200,000 students.

 

With over 60% of residents under 45 years of age, Krakow is the city of the young and well-educated who now provide a perfect environment for the development of economy and in future will be a decisive factor for the successful development of the city.

 

Foreign investors are eager to choose Krakow as their investment location. Those who came to Krakow in 1990s like Motorola, Delphi, Valeo, Pliva, Electricite de France, RR Donnelley & Sons, Tesco, HVB, Metro AG, Carrefour, Ahold and Philip Morris were recently joined by IBM, Electrolux, Lufthansa, Hewitt, Shell, Royal Canin and MAN, among other companies.

 

The pro-developmental policy of municipal authorities is an important factor increasing investment attractiveness of the City. The authorities undertook activities aimed at covering the largest possible areas of the city with local master plans; at present, the effort of the City to achieve this is extensive. The schedule of works assumes that the plans will have covered 25% percent of the city by the year 2007.

 

Another very important development incentive is the plans to revitalise postindustrial, brownfield, and historic districts of Krakow, namely Zablocie, Nowa Huta, and Kazimierz.

 

The City’s main investments currently include development of the infrastructure, including transport infrastructure, producing favourable conditions for the comfort of business activity. Kraków and its authorities are oriented at dynamic growth and increasing the metropolitan position of the City, which paves the way to consecutive new, major development projects, as e.g. Congress and Exhibition Centre, EUR 50m+ multi-purpose arena, sports and recreation facilities, and logistic centres.

 

The exceptionally powerful standing of the city as a research and scientific centre, numerous completed investments (including infrastructural), young, skilled and well-educated labour, good accessibility and transport connections, and last but not least the most exceptional atmosphere of the place are among the foremost advantages that make those who mean business perceive Krakow as the place for investments and business activity.