How IP Will Drive Poland’s Next Growth Phase: Three Questions with Bartosz Krakowiak and Alicja Zalewska-Orabona

INTA’s global workshop series arrives in Warsaw, Poland, on June 23, with the Integrating IP, Finance, and Valuation Workshop examining how intellectual property (IP) and intangible assets support value creation in one of Central Europe’s most dynamic and increasingly innovation-driven economies.

Poland is experiencing a period of sustained growth and prosperity and is consistently climbing rankings in innovation (Global Innovation Index 2024–2026). As Polish companies move up the value chain—from contract manufacturing toward innovation-led growth—IP, data, and proprietary knowledge are becoming central to competitiveness, financing, and strategic control.

Against this backdrop, the workshop will focus on how intangible assets function in practice across Poland’s business landscape, particularly for industrial enterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and technology-driven firms. Tailored for executives, legal and financial specialists, investors, and bankers, the complimentary workshop will be held in central Warsaw in Dom Towarowy Bracia Jabłkowscy S.A. between 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm.

The INTA Bulletin spoke to two members of the project team, Bartosz Krakowiak, management board member at Polservice Patent and Trademark Attorneys Office (Poland), and Alicja Zalewska-Orabona, partner at CMS (Poland), about the event. Ms. Zalewska-Orabona will moderate a session at the workshop entitled Global Trends in Intellectual Property: Perspectives for Poland and Central Europe. In this interview, they discuss what they hope registrants will take away from the event, where the biggest opportunities are for IP-driven value creation, and how the perception of IP is evolving, particularly among SMEs.

The responses below draw on combined contributions from both project team members.

Bartosz Krakowiak, Polservice Patent and Trademark Attorneys Office (Poland)

What do you most want registrants to take away about how IP and intangible assets are driving value creation in Poland’s evolving economy—especially as companies move up the value chain and expand across borders?
Poland’s economy has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past two decades. While manufacturing excellence, engineering talent, and operational efficiency remain important strengths, an increasing share of enterprise value is now being created through intangible assets, including technology, software, data, know-how, and, of course, brands, which help build customer relationships and trust.

What we would emphasize is a shift in perspective we still do not see consistently enough in practice. Many companies continue to treat IP as a legal protection tool rather than a strategic business asset, while universities protect IP primarily for research evaluation purposes rather than commercialization. Yet, in cross‑border expansion, it is often IP that determines how value is captured and retained. We want registrants to walk away with a clear understanding that IP is a catalyst for growth and valuation.

As Polish companies expand internationally and compete in more sophisticated markets, the ability to identify, protect, and commercialize intellectual assets becomes a critical source of competitive advantage. Organizations that understand the value of their intangible assets are often better positioned to attract investment, negotiate partnerships, and build long-term resilience. In other words, the question is no longer just what a company produces, but what it knows, protects,and controls.

The Warsaw workshop frames Poland as an economy where manufacturing strengthand technical know‑how now sit alongside fast‑growing technology sectors. Where do you see the biggest opportunity for Polish and Central European companies to turn that mix into stronger IP‑driven value creation?
Poland and some other countries in the wider Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region are in quite a unique position because they combine deep industrial capabilities with a rapidly expanding technology ecosystem. For many years, the region’s competitive advantage was based on manufacturing excellence, engineering talent, and integration into global supply chains. Today, the greatest opportunity is to capture more value by owning and commercializing the intellectual assets that emerge from those strengths.