Augmented reality, artificial intelligence and robotics: discover Poland’s “Silicon Forest”.

The Podlaskie region of Poland is rich in natural beauty and has abundant forests. But now it aspires to become a kind of Silicon Jungle, through the booming technology and IT scene.

Innovation is at the heart of Podlaskies innovation and investment vision. It seeks to foster an ecosystem that data shows currently employs more than 10,000 people in the IT sector, including more than 4,000 software developers.

TenderHut International Group has its roots in Podlaskie. One of its 15 companies, Holo4Labs, has developed advanced augmented reality technology to help scientists do away with manual, time-consuming tasks.

The company says its advanced glasses can help reduce drug production by up to three years.

With new drugs, it takes 10 or 15 years to develop this drug. It cuts that time down to one, two or even three years.”

I can fully concentrate on my work as a scientist because I can see everything in my eyes and navigate with voice commands, so I can work hands free.

If we talk about the future and what we want to do here is to really work closely with all the universities. “We’re trying to train new people, we’re trying to have the best employees we can, and I’m also seeing a lot of growth here,” said Robert Strzelecki, CEO of TenderHut Group SA.

For the Medical University of Bialystok, in the regional capital, technology is at the heart of research, focusing on things like artificial intelligence and how it can help personalize future treatments.

Dr. Lukasz Szczerbiski, assistant professor at the Clinical Research Center of Bialystok Medical University, told Focus: “There is an excellent environment for collaboration between universities, such as universities and commercial partners, which helps develop tools that are actually delivered to patient bedsides.” .

“Another thing we’ve been lucky with is partners with great experience, especially from the US or Germany,” he added.

Cultivating and maintaining young talents

Photon is an interactive robot that helps introduce students to technology and is the brainchild of Podlaskie graduates. This robot can touch, hear and understand.

Designed and assembled in Podlaskie, Photon says its 60,000 robots are now deployed in classrooms in Europe and the United States. And as it grows, the startup wants to stay true to its roots.

“I see a lot of regional development in terms of companies and new technology coming to this area, and I think it’s very beneficial that we can develop together,” explained Mika Gerze, CEO of Photon Education.

For the future, we will of course do global and international expansion, but the core of the company will still be here.

The technical and creative mind behind Foton graduated from Bialystok University of Technology. Creating a track record of graduate startups helps keep young minds in the region.

“We involve entrepreneurs.”

“Currently in the recruitment phase, we show future candidates the possibility of developing the engineering profession in our region. During the study, we work closely with companies, organizing internships, study visits, lectures and classes of specialists in We cooperate with our university.

Podlaskie graduates skilled bankers to realize their high-tech vision. But the region acknowledges that having enough of them is one of the key challenges ahead.

Around 9,000 students graduate in Podlaskie every year – the region’s skilled and young workforce relies on them to realize its innovation and investment vision.

We had many study trips to foreign countries. We went to Silicon Valley, we went to Israel and many European countries.”

We were trying to train as many people as possible, but I still think it’s not enough. So, this is the main challenge – I think not only in this part of Poland, but in the entire EU.”