It is with the utmost pleasure that we welcome you to one of the most attractive investment regions of Poland.
The Małopolska Region, following its tradition and enriched by its unique history, is undergoing a dynamic development process. Today, Małopolska is an important place not only for tourists, but also and primarily for investors. Our strength lies in the convenient location of Małopolska in Poland and Europe, in close proximity to important national and international transportation routes, linking the region with the whole world. Małopolska is also a well recognised European scientific centre. We wish to build bridges between science and industry and support innovative programmes and projects strengthening the potential of the region.
Thus we wish to take advantage of all our opportunities and encourage those who desire to realise their investment projects in our region.
Małopolska abounds in raw materials: rock salt, petroleum, coal, tin and lead ores, mineral waters, geothermal sources, building materials. Almost 300,000 businesses operate in the Małopolska Region.

In 2008 foreign investments in the region amounted to USD 2,025 bilion. Foreign Direct Investment implemented in the Małopolska from 1989 until the end of 2009 amounted to ca. USD 12 bilion. Małopolska is responsible for ca. 8% of FDI in Poland and 2992 companies with foreign capital. The main foreign investor in Małopolska:

• Arcelor Mittal (India/USA),
• MAN Trucks (Germany),
• Carlsberg (Denmark),
• EdF (France), CEZ (Czech),
• Philip Morris (USA),
• RR Donnelly (USA),
• Deutsche Bank (Germany),
• Pliva (Croatia/Israel),
• TRI Granit (Hungary),
• Motorola (USA),
• Capgemini (France), BP (UK),
• Nidec Motors & Actuators (Japan)
• Can-Pac (USA)
• ...and many more
•  

Małopolska provides 7.2 % of Poland’s GDP and has high rates of economic growth.
The development of the labour market is influenced in a considerable manner by workforce and labour costs.
The existence of appropriate workforce resources, and their quality, condition the efficiency of enterprises’ activities, and the cost of labour is an important factor influencing profitability.
The unemployment rate in Małopolska is at 9,5 %, the end of Q3 2010, the number of employees in productive age (18-59 years for women and 18-64 for men) amounted to over 2 million persons Małopolska is characteristic for its great availability of qualified workforce. Labours costs in the region are close to the national average (average monthly salary in the region: 3135,00 PLN – ca. 780 euro)  At the same time, the level of the social activity, which is one of the indicators of workforce quality, is above average.
The Małopolska Region has a clear potential for innovation development. Numerous institutions supporting innovation development are active in Małopolska, including: Technology Transfer Centre – University of Technology, Jagiellonian University Centre of Innovation, Technology Transfer and University Development, Jagiellonian Centre of Innovation Ltd. Krakow Technology Park. Małopolska universities and research centres have a great R&D potential in such fields as biotechnology, computer science, product quality and competitiveness, environment shaping and protection in the context of sustainable development, nanotechnology, new technologies in medicine and renewable energy sources. Higher education is very developed, and the ratio of persons employed in the R&D sector to the number of inhabitants is high Expenditure on R&D activities in Małopolska show a growth tendency, making the region the second in this field in the country.