Polish railways need to invest more boldly in research and development

Nearly 150 owners and board representatives of the largest Polish companies in the railway construction and signaling systems industry estimated in a survey that the most important factor determining Poland's competitive advantage in 2040 will be People. At the same time, 78% of the IXL Talks event participants assessed - in line with reality - that Poland's spending on research and development amounts to no more than 2% of GDP.

The survey was conducted during IXL Talks, an event that marked the 35th anniversary of Kombud's operations and acted as an opportunity to discuss technology, the future of railways, space, Polish competencies, and technological sovereignty. Approximately 150 people – owners and board representatives of the largest Polish companies operating in the railway traffic control and railway construction industries – took part in the poll.

Dr. Maciej Kawecki, creator of the "This is world" channel, discussing the potential of Polish engineers and inventors at the event, noted: – Poland should invest more boldly, be more open to risk. Because it is in risk, in the area of innovation, that the most is born. Poland should accept failure, but also speak more boldly about itself and believe that it has a chance to be a world leader in many areas and create global brands.

Poland invests less in research and development than the European Union average

78% of the IXL Talks event participants assessed - in line with reality - that Poland's spending on research and development amounts to no more than 2% of GDP. In reality, it is only about 1.5%. Meanwhile, in Europe, the level of investment in research and development is 2%, in the United States 3.5%, in South Korea nearly 5%, and Israel invests over 5% of its GDP in R&D annually.

I have this challenge for us to double our level of investment in research and development over the next 5 years, just as we have doubled our revenues. I believe this is achievable and will be our common goal – proposed Anna Szczygielska, board member of Kombud Group S.A., to the entrepreneurs.

What will be Poland's greatest advantage in 2040?

Here the answer was almost unanimous. The most frequently appearing word was "people." Only in further positions were competencies, innovation, technology, entrepreneurship, or creativity. This is an important signal in the context of the technology company's anniversary.

We all talked about innovation, but the participants of IXL Talks emphasized that behind each of them are, above all, people and rightly so! Because regardless of whether we are talking about a railway ready for 350 km/h or technological sovereignty – our most important asset remains our outstanding specialists and local competencies that we build together – said Artur Marcinkiewicz, president of the management board of Zakłady Automatyki Kombud S.A.

Kombud Group S.A. unites dynamic companies providing digital solutions for critical infrastructure
and industry. Over 35 years of operation, Kombud Group companies have implemented more than 350 station systems for railways and subways and approximately 3000 traffic safety systems at level crossings. Kombud's computer systems handle traffic on the Central Trunk Line (CMK), stations of the Warsaw railway junction, the Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line, as well as both lines of the Warsaw Metro. Over 700 employees, including 400 engineers, create, patent, and implement modern solutions designed for subways and railways, based
on European standards.