Polish laboratories and institutes are forges of innovation. This is what NCBR strives for
- - We hope that the first STEP competitions will be announced this summer - says Jerzy Małachowski.
- The offer of the National Centre for Research and Development for 2025 includes nearly 40 programs and competitions.
- As the NCBR director emphasises, investments in the biotechnology sector are intended to strengthen the country's health immunity, enabling the development of modern drugs and therapies.
The National Centre for Research and Development has presented a new strategy to meet the challenges of global technological competition, climate change and the need to build a strong position for Poland in a knowledge-based economy.
The NCBR offer for 2025 includes nearly 40 programs and competitions, addressed to a wide range of recipients - from startups and research institutes to large enterprises. Financing will come from three main sources: European Funds (European Funds for Modern Economy and European Funds for Social Development programs), national funds and framework programs such as Horizon 2020.
- We want Polish laboratories and research institutes to become a forge of innovation not only at the national level, but also at the European level - emphasizes Prof. Dr. Hab. Eng. Jerzy Małachowski, director of the NCBR, in an interview with WNP.
The funds will be allocated both to research projects and to the development of prototypes and their implementation on the market.
One of the key new initiatives is the STEP programme, or the Strategic Technologies Platform for Europe . As Director Małachowski explains, STEP differs significantly from previous NCBR initiatives.
- The STEP program focuses on sectors that are critical to the development of the European Union - he explains in an interview with WNP. The project is sectoral and covers three strategic areas: biotechnology, digitalization and resource-efficient solutions.
Technologies of the future: biotechnology, photonics, green energy- We hope that the first STEP competitions will be announced this summer - says Jerzy Małachowski.
The NCBR Director clearly indicates the global trends that will shape the directions of innovation development in the coming years.
Among the key areas he mentions:
- biotechnology – covering the development of critical drugs and advanced biomedical technologies;
- digitalization - focused on quantum technologies, photonics, cybersecurity and dual-use solutions (civilian and military);
- resource-efficient solutions - relating to the efficient use of natural resources and the development of renewable energy sources.
As the NCBR director emphasizes, investments in the biotechnology sector are to strengthen the country's health immunity , enabling the development of modern drugs and therapies. In the field of digitalization, Poland has the potential to become one of the European leaders in quantum technologies and photonics . Today, thanks to the support of the Center, it was possible to conduct the first experimental connections in the country based on quantum technology.
- We believe that dual-use technologies will drive innovation both in the security sector and in the everyday lives of citizens - emphasizes Jerzy Małachowski.
The third pillar of future development are resource-efficient solutions, which are key to accelerating the energy transformation and effectively combating climate change.
- The future is being created in the National Centre for Research and Development - emphasizes Jerzy Małachowski, presenting the vision of the new role of NCBR. The institution, in his words, is becoming the axis of an intelligent development system around which modern technological solutions will be built in Poland.
- Our goal is to connect the world of science and business around three pillars: research, development and innovation - adds the director.
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