On February 5th in the Philharmonic Hall in Szczecin, Klaster ICT Pomorze Zachodnie association and Technopark Pomerania presented the 2014 achievements, current situation on the IT market and perspectives for the IT sector development.  The event gathered representatives of 80 IT companies from Szczecin associated in the Cluster, as well as representatives of the local government and academic circles.

 

‘Our members operate in various IT sectors: software, multimedia, telecom networks and IT outsourcing, which provides great opportunities for them to start new business relationships, learn and start cooperating with others’, says Katarzyna Witkowska, Chairperson of Klaster ICT Pomorze Zachodnie.

 

The IT market in the region still is the fastest growing industry in West Pomerania and IT specialists are best placed to find jobs there.

 

In 2014, 25 new members joined the cluster; among them are big companies such as BL Stream, brightONE and Red Sky, as well as micro businesses. The number of the cluster members’ employees went up 60 per cent.

 

The cluster began to cooperate with an ICT cluster from Silesia and a medical cluster iSynergia. In addition, its members launched a lot of cutting-edge IT products and services.

 

This year we shall find out the results of the cluster’s business initiatives such as the Cloud for Cities which is a local data centre development programme carried out together with the Maritime Academy or the GrassHopper public data processing project.  The technologies which are certain to generate profit include intelligent machines, 3D print, multichannel applications, and hybrid and private clouds.  The nearest future should see advancements in invisible analytical solutions, contextual systems, solutions bringing together the reality and virtual reality together, or risk-based security solutions.

 

According to the data from the Central Statistical Office and ITC Cluster, 4410 microbusinesses (including 2213 in Szczecin) and 86 SMEs (63 in Szczecin) operate in the West Pomeranian IT sector, and 470 graduates with IT degrees graduate from higher education institution in the region every year.

 

The event summarising the ICT Cluster activities over the previous year included a ceremonial gala at which awards were given out in the national ‘IT Interactive Product’ competition organised by the Maritime Academy in Szczecin. The evening event also included a concert by Damian Ukeje.

 

AK