Owing to the changes in the country over the last few decades, Poland has become, according to a statement by McKinsey & Company, “Europe’s new growth engine”. Recent Eurostat data confirms this momentum, ranking Poland as the sixth-largest economy in the European Union with a nominal GDP reaching €922.9 billion. The German press has described our country as “Eastern Europe’s new success story.” The situation has changed dramatically, and international investors are increasingly referring to Poland as “the new Germany,” “the engine of growth in Europe,” or “the undiscovered superstar of the stock markets.”

This has happened not only because of Poland’s impressive economic performance but also because geopolitical, social, and infrastructural transformations have translated into positive development.

Poland is a member of the WTO (since 1995), NATO (since 1999), and the European Union (since 2004). This supports the country’s security and provides access to the common EU market and common EU legal and regulatory frameworks, making it easier for international companies to operate. As Forbes points out, these memberships are important for IT companies, which can benefit from favorable regional policies, including those on data and information sharing. For international companies contemplating setting up their IT team in Poland, it is also important to note that Poland has been a member of the Schengen Agreement since 2007. This gives Polish citizens much greater freedom of movement around the world, as well as fewer restrictions on taking up employment in many countries (either temporarily or permanently). This is highly instrumental in organizing, if necessary, delegations of Polish IT specialists to other countries or in their longer relocation for employment at the employer’s headquarters or an international branch.

Importantly, in the XXI century, Poland avoided major socio-political crises that unfortunately affected many countries across its eastern border. This helped to ensure the consistency of the country’s macro and structural policies that have been the key driver behind the economy’s growth and helped its transition to the World Bank’s High-Income Country (HIC) status in less than 15 years and leading S&P Dow Jones Indices to officially reclassify Poland as a Developed Market, the first country in Central and Eastern Europe to achieve this status.

For tech investors, this economic maturity is mirrored in the talent pool: according to ABSL, experienced senior specialists (aged 35+) now account for 51.3% of the business services sector workforce, marking a definitive shift toward high-value, complex operations. At the same time, Poland has gained the confidence of creditors: for many years, the country has enjoyed good ratings from various agencies (Fitch: A-, S&P Global: A-, Moody’s: A2 in 2026).

Living standards and wealth are also rising rapidly. According to the Henley & Partners Private Wealth Migration Report 2025, the millionaire population in Warsaw grew by 83% over the past decade, the fastest increase among major cities in Europe, surpassing growth in London, Paris, and Zurich. Warsaw is now home to around 12,800 millionaires, including 32 individuals with wealth exceeding $100 million and four billionaires.

Safety in Poland

What is also important is that Poland has become one of the safest countries in Europe (see detailed data from the Overseas Security Advisory Council here). According to Ipsos’ “What Worries the World" survey, a monthly 30-country tracker that includes Poland, crime and violence consistently ranks low among Polish respondents’ top concerns, in contrast to countries like France and Germany, where it remains a leading worry. All of these factors also affect travel safety. According to data from the U.S. Government, Poland is considered one of the safest destinations in Europe.

So, it’s no surprise that “Poland recorded the second-fastest tourism growth in the EU in 2025, with nights spent in tourist accommodation rising 7.2% year-on-year, behind only Malta (+10.1%), according to Eurostat.

We can also find many voices from other European countries commenting on Poland’s safety. According to the British “Daily Express", Poland is one of the most popular travel destinations, and Kraków is among the most frequently chosen cities. One of the bloggers interviewed said:

“Kraków is exactly what the United Kingdom should be. When I walk here after dark, I never feel unsafe. Yesterday I was walking along the Vistula River in the evening, there were plenty of adults and children outside. It’s very safe and clean here. I never worry about myself when I’m out.”

Another city that is mentioned in British newspapers is Lublin. “The Sunday Times" mentioned that Lublin is well worth a visit thanks to its rich historical significance and multicultural heritage. The city’s unique blend of traditions, architecture, and vibrant cultural life makes it an exceptional destination for travelers.

On the other hand, smaller cities such as Toruń are also attracting interest from Asian countries. The city is part of the Pomeranian Special Economic Zone, and Japanese companies like Sohbi Craft Poland and Yusen Logistics have been operating in the Toruń district for many years. In recent years, Toruń has also been visited by Japan’s ambassadors to Poland, Akio Miyajima, and the current ambassador, Akira Kono. The purpose of these visits included discussions on promoting the special economic zone among Japanese businesses.

Even more impressive is that Poland maintains safety on par with cleanliness. Kraków is considered the cleanest city in the world, with 98.5% of respondents praising its tidiness. Warsaw ranks in the top 5 with a score of 97.8%.

Poland has also taken significant steps in resolving gender inequality, making it 2^nd safest country in the world for women (see more here) and a country with one of the highest shares of women employed in science and technology, according to a Eurostat 2026 report with an average participation rate at 57%, ranking the country 5th overall in Europe. Poland is well ahead of the European average (53%) and above major Western hubs such as Germany (52%), France (53%), the Netherlands (50%), and Nordics like Sweden and Finland (53%).

 All of the previously mentioned factors, combined with the stable political situation, enable its citizens to enjoy growing prosperity and focus on things such as professional development and business success.

Poland as an EU Member

The above changes, notably the EU membership, also help Poland to modernize more quickly. As reported by Euronews, in terms of infrastructure investments, Poland has been the biggest beneficiary of EU funds from 2007 to 2013, from 2014 to 2020 (and also in 2023), with €102 billion and €106 billion of funds received for each period. Poland also secured a record total of over €136 billion for the 2021–2027 framework (€76.5 billion in Cohesion Policy funds alongside €59.8 billion from Recovery and Resilience funds). As a result, Poland has a constantly improving internal transportation system and connections to other countries, historical monuments in Polish cities stand alongside modern office buildings, where we will find subsidiaries of well-known companies from around the world. A stable and modern financial system, including numerous banks with international capital, is also important for international companies that operate in Poland. According to Aman Ghei, principal at Finch Capital, in terms of Fintech, Poland has one of the most sophisticated banking infrastructures in Europe, with 20+ banks having large portfolios and market values of $1b+.

Source: SGH Newspaper

Quality of Internet in Poland

One of the mostcritical operational factors for IT companies is the quality of Internet connections, and its importance became particularly apparent during the COVID-19 lockdown. Poland ranks very well in this respect, as indicated in the McKinsey & Company and Forbes report (download it here), and 99.9% of households are covered by broadband Internet whereas Poland ranks second in Europe for mobile access, with an average of 144 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.

According to the2025  official report by the Polish Office of Electronic Communications , national infrastructure parameters continue a steep upward trend. The average download speed reached 160.28 Mb/s (up from 19.9 Mb/s in 2016, representing an impressive 705% increase), with major economic hubs like Pomerania and Mazovia (Warsaw) averaging over 247 Mb/s.What is even more remarkable, the average upload speed expanded to 60.35 Mb/s (up from 6.6 Mb/s in 2016, an extraordinary 814% increase), while average network latency (ping) dropped to a highly responsive 19 ms.

Opensignal’s 2025 Global 5G Awards recognized three Polish operators, T-Mobile, Orange, and Play, as 5G Global Rising Stars for Download Speed among large land-area markets, with T-Mobile’s average speeds increasing by 140.7 Mbps year-on-year, the 2nd-largest absolute gain worldwide, ahead of Orange (+115.3 Mbps, 3rd) and Play (+51.3 Mbps, 10th) .Importantly, Internet access in Poland stands out for its high quality not only in cities – numerous projects are being implemented for this purpose, and one of them, which covered the whole of Poland, especially remote areas, received the European Broadband Award 2018.

Good internet access was one of the factors that helped Polish IT specialists, in contrast with their counterparts in many other countries, to make a smooth transition to fully remote work during COVID-19. As reported by Reuters, given the digital nature of their work, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, two-thirds of the sector’s employees in Poland were able to work from home. In this case, it was also important that many Polish IT specialists had been used to working in dispersed international teams for many years – Poland’s proximity to Western markets means that Poles often carry out global projects working entirely or mostly (with delegations) in their own country. It is also worth mentioning, that in early 2023 remote work, as a form of employment, was officially recognized by the Polish Labour Code.

Modern Society: Banking 

Poland’s banking sector is recognised as one of the most digitally advanced in Europe. Mobile banking, remote customer service, instant payments and fully digital product management have become everyday standards rather than premium services. Consumers are among Europe’s most enthusiastic adopters of contactless and mobile payments, with cards, digital wallets and bank-based transfers widely accepted.

Poland embraced digital banking long before mobile-first finance became the norm across Europe. As a result, the country developed a unique financial ecosystem in which fintech companies have largely evolved alongside innovative banks rather than disrupting them. Close cooperation between traditional financial institutions and technology providers has accelerated the adoption of new digital services and payment solutions.

As the largest economy in Central and Eastern Europe, Poland offers more than a digitally mature banking sector. Its sizeable domestic market, highly skilled technology workforce and access to the European Union’s regulatory and investment framework make it an attractive location for financial institutions and fintech companies alike. Warsaw serves as the country’s financial hub, while Kraków, Wrocław, Poznań and the Tricity have become important centres for technology, fintech and business services.

One of the strongest examples of this collaborative approach is BLIK, Poland’s home-grown mobile payment system. Developed jointly by several of the country’s largest banks, rather than by an international card network or a fintech challenger, BLIK has become deeply integrated into everyday financial life. Today it is widely used for online shopping, person-to-person transfers, ATM withdrawals and in-store payments, making it one of the most successful domestic payment systems in Europe and is actively expanding its footprint across Central Europe.

Poland’s Startup Ecosystem

In general, as noted in Deloitte’s report Investment in Poland: Unused Potential, Poles embrace new inventions and actively seek them out. The authors of the report added also that the spirit of innovation is evident in the growing number of Polish tech startups, which have the potential to significantly boost the country’s economy in the coming years. This impact can be very significant, given the changes in recent years and statistics about the Polish startup ecosystem. The Polish and CEE Tech Ecosystem Outlook report states that Poland recently became a vibrant startup scene, having access to domestic seed capital, experienced founders, and top-notch developers. Startup Universal, in its turn, shows that, in recent years, there were 3,000+ new startups, 300+ coworking spaces, 130+ VCs, and plenty of acceleration programs and events (notably Infoshare, the biggest Tech Conference in CEE that gathers 6,000+ attendees, 200+ speakers, and 500+ startups). A report by Dealroom.co and Atomico (download the full report here) indicates that the number of startups in Poland has grown 3.2 times between 2017 and 2022.

Hence, it is no surprise that many international media today acknowledge a high level of Polish startup ecosystem development and predict its further growth. For example, CEO World Magazine has recently marked Poland as the 7th most startup-friendly country in the world while CoFounder stated that “Poland remains a hotspot for startups in Europe and that won’t stop anytime soon.” Even more information about the Polish Startup Ecosystem can be found on our website in the Impressive Economy tab.

Worth noting is the startup distribution, which also reflects Poles’ passion for technology: compared with the EU, Poland has a much higher concentration of startups, among others in Enterprise Software, Fintech, Healthtech, and Gaming areas:

Source: Invest in Digital Poland 2021

To sum up, as a result of all the changes that have taken place in the last few decades, Poland today is a very friendly country for international companies, especially those planning to establish their own Engineering or R&D teams here. Access to the EU market helps to boost revenues, and the country’s stability and modern standards, together with the passion for innovation among its people, make Poland one of the best places on Earth to do IT.