From ambition to action: How Polish entrepreneurs plan to shape the economy

Poland is beginning to play a pivotal role in Europe and globally – at least economically. Warsaw has been invited to the G20 meetings, initially as an observer, though it may soon join the prestigious club of the world’s 20 most powerful economies. To capitalize on this opportunity, the country needs to strengthen both the innovativeness and competitiveness of its economy.

This is just one of several reasons why Polish entrepreneurs have decided to establish an organization that will not only foster economic growth but also help find answers to the most pressing challenges facing the nation.

At the helm of the new organization is Ryszard Chmura, President of Corporate Connections. The CEO is Adam Malinowski, director of the SprawdzaMY project. Managing Director is Eliza Kruczkowska, until recently head of the Innovation Development Department at PFR (the Polish Development Fund – a state-owned development institution that plays a crucial role in Poland's economic strategy).

Poland and the end of Europe’s “assembly line”

The founders of Think Tank The Company argue that Poland’s advantage as “Europe’s assembly line” is coming to an end. The era of cheap labor and easily accessible EU funds is over. From now on, the quality and pace of development will depend on efficient institutions, the stability and clarity of law, innovation, and energy security.

Polish entrepreneurs, however, have shown that they can act quickly and effectively. In 2024, they helped flood victims by building an entire residential neighborhood. They also joined the “Warmth for Kyiv” campaign, rapidly organizing humanitarian aid and equipment for Ukrainian civilians affected by Russian attacks on infrastructure.

At the same time, they contribute to improving the business environment in Poland. Through initiatives like SprawdzaMY, which supports deregulation, many ideas have already been implemented by the government.

“Think Tank The Company arises from the experience of Rafał Brzoska’s SprawdzaMY initiative. We don’t need more state intervention; we need higher-quality policy. For example, stable law, transparent procedures, long-term strategy, and predictable regulations,” explains Eliza Kruczkowska.

She emphasizes that the organization’s goal is to amplify the voice of entrepreneurs in public debate.

“Companies generate a significant share of GDP, jobs, and exports, so they have unique insight into how the state functions. Think Tank The Company was created precisely to turn that potential into smart decisions and better conditions for Polish businesses. In short – we’re playing for Poland,” declares Ms. Kruczkowska.

Think Tank The Company is envisioned as a space where the voices of entrepreneurs meet the expertise of professional analysts. At its foundation is the Business Council, a group of Poland’s leading entrepreneurs, led by Rafał Brzoska and Michał Sołowow.

Mr. Brzoska: Business needs a stable and understandable legal environment

“Building the strength of the Polish economy today is not a matter of accelerating growth further, but of improving the quality of its foundations. Poland has reached a level of development where competitive advantage is no longer determined solely by low labor costs, access to capital, or market size. What matters now is institutional efficiency, regulatory predictability, and trust between the state, business, and society. Without a stable, understandable, and enforceable legal environment, even the best entrepreneurs limit their ambitions, and capital, instead of investing for the long term, seeks safety,” explains Rafał Brzoska, founder and CEO of InPost.

He emphasizes that a strong economy requires a state that acts as a competent partner, not an unpredictable regulator.

“This means, for example, a simple and coherent tax system, efficient commercial courts, real assessment of regulatory impacts, and coordination of public institutions supporting business development. Through the SprawdzaMY initiative, we have demonstrated how to simplify laws effectively and streamline the functioning of citizens, entrepreneurs, and the administration. Now it’s time for the next steps – building trust in the state must be an ongoing process,” the entrepreneur adds.

According to the InPost founder, Poland’s only chance lies in maintaining the competitiveness of its economy. This is possible only when combined with stability in the legal and economic environment. The result is trust – both in public institutions and in entrepreneurship itself.

“If entrepreneurs do not believe in the stability of the system, and society does not see them as engines of development, the country falls into a middle-income trap despite impressive macroeconomic indicators. Strengthening the Polish economy therefore requires not only further ad hoc programs but a strategic improvement in the quality of institutions, which will unlock the capital, ambition, and entrepreneurship already present in Poland,” concludes Rafał Brzoska.

Mr. Sołowow: Polish administration must operate as efficiently as the best companies

“For years, I have observed how Polish entrepreneurs build outstanding companies despite systemic barriers,” says Michał Sołowow, Chair of the Business Council at the think tank.

The owner of, among others, Synthos, believes that Think Tank The Company offers a chance to remove those barriers. Moreover, it could transform public administration so that it functions as efficiently as the best companies.

“This is a project that goes beyond the interests of individual industries. It is an investment in the foundations of Poland’s competitiveness for decades to come,” adds Mr. Sołowow.

The founders of Think Tank The Company aim to shift the relationship between business and the state from confrontation to collaboration – a model of “state with business.”

“Through the SprawdzaMY initiative, we proved that it is possible to act quickly and concretely,” explains Ryszard Chmura, President of Think Tank The Company.

He adds that the think tank represents the next step:

“It is a tool that brings together entrepreneurs, experts, and policymakers to build an economy based on innovation, international expansion, and competitive advantage,” Mr. Chmura emphasizes.

The new think tank will, among other things, monitor the quality of legislation, support innovation, promote the image of entrepreneurship, and translate entrepreneurial ideas into actionable proposals for Poland. Its three guiding principles are quality, effectiveness, and nonpartisanship.

“Poland’s participation in the G20 is not only a matter of prestige; it is a test of maturity. The world is watching whether we can build 21st-century institutions,” says Małgorzata Adamkiewicz of the Business Council.

She adds that Think Tank The Company demonstrates that cooperation between business, experts, and government in Poland can be transparent and yield tangible results.

Think tank’s proposals will follow a special path before being announced

The founders of Think Tank The Company emphasize that it will not represent individual industries or specific groups of entrepreneurs. Before any proposals are officially announced, they will undergo a rigorous review process. Only when it is clear that they benefit the entire economy – and bring advantages to entrepreneurs, employees, and consumers alike – will they be presented publicly.

According to the think tank’s CEO, Adam Malinowski, the organization will operate in a “concrete and measurable” way, without empty declarations.

“We are not interested in statements or manifestos; we are interested in results. Every project, every analysis, every recommendation must translate into real change in the Polish economy. A think tank built by entrepreneurs operates like a business: quickly, efficiently, and goal-oriented,” Mr. Malinowski explains.

Expert's perspective

What the innovation world needs

If we want the Polish economy to grow faster, we must start treating innovation as a strategic element, not merely a market phenomenon.

First, the state should act as an informed customer. Where Polish or European technologies meet requirements, they should be prioritized. This approach helps build local expertise and scale.

Second, who finances innovation is crucial. The more private capital from Poland flows to domestic founders and venture capital funds operating in the region, the more value-added will remain in the country over the long term.

Finally, Europe needs simple, harmonized frameworks for tech companies – such as EU-inc standards and uniform investment rules (e.g., SAFE agreements) – so European startups can scale globally without relying on U.S. structures. These are also objectives pursued by Startup Poland, which, as the voice of Polish founders, is open to collaborating with other organizations to implement these principles in practice.

Borys Musielak

Head of SMOK Ventures

How Think Tank The Company will operate

According to Adam Malinowski, Poland is no longer a country of cheap labor – it has become a country of ambitious companies.

"Entrepreneurship now drives innovation, international expansion, and economic resilience. Today we have the experience, scale, and capital to co-create the country’s future. Think Tank The Company was created precisely to turn that potential into smart decisions and better conditions for the growth of Polish businesses," adds Eliza Kruczkowska, Managing Director.

For many years, Ms. Kruczkowska worked at PFR, where she was responsible for supporting domestic innovation. Since December 2025, she has also been the only Polish member of the European Innovation Council.

“Throughout my career – at the European Innovation Council, PFR, and earlier at Startup Poland – I have always focused on developing entrepreneurship and building a stronger economy. Working with financial instruments, I saw the immense potential of Polish companies. I also saw how many regulatory, institutional, and systemic barriers limit their ability to scale,” Ms. Kruczkowska explains.

According to the new head of Think Tank The Company, Poland’s rise to the world’s twentieth largest economy by GDP and its invitation to the G20 was made possible in part by entrepreneurial energy, integration with the European Union, and modernization across sectors.

“At the same time, the model based on cheap labor and absorption of external capital is exhausted. It is increasingly clear that the pace of further development will no longer be determined solely by access to financing. What is needed are quality institutions, stable law, and the state’s ability to collaborate with business. For me, moving from the world of funds and VC to a think tank is a natural consequence of this observation. I want to work not only on financing growth but on the systemic conditions that make that growth possible,” Ms. Kruczkowska declares.

Expert's perspective

Concrete actions are needed

One of the greatest challenges for Polish companies is scaling exports, expanding beyond Poland, and leveraging the strengths of our firms – technology, ambition, and perseverance – for international growth and M&A. Achieving this requires stable operating conditions, predictable taxation, and funds that systematically support Polish businesses. Few companies can do this alone, as InPost or Rawplug have.

At the same time, effective measures are needed to support education, particularly in emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing – and, perhaps less obviously, in entrepreneurship itself.

Polish tech firms have already achieved major successes, including Elevenlabs, Callstack, Booksy, and Synerise. What is needed now are more initiatives – accelerator and scale-up programs, financing – that ensure these successes become the foundation of a new era, building long-term value for the Polish economy in the coming global technological order.

Przemysław Budnicki

Entrepreneur and Investor

Key Takeaways

1. The creation of Think Tank The Company is an attempt to establish a lasting platform for collaboration between business, experts, and public administration. Its goal is not only to improve the business environment in Poland but also to build state institutions that meet the needs of a modern economy. The initiative is based on analyses, concrete recommendations, and tested proposals, all designed to deliver measurable results for the entire economy, not just selected sectors.
2. The founders of Think Tank The Company emphasize that Poland has moved beyond a development model based on cheap labor and EU funds. This shift requires a new economic strategy. The key challenges today are legal stability, regulatory predictability, and efficient public institutions. According to the organization’s leaders, further growth will only be possible if the state becomes a partner for business, providing clear rules and supporting innovation and the international expansion of Polish companies.
3. The organization brings together leading figures in Polish business and builds its credibility on past achievements, such as the SprawdzaMY Initiative. Leaders like Rafał Brzoska and Michał Sołowow express a commitment to driving systemic change through entrepreneurial experience and analytical expertise. Think Tank The Company is designed to operate like a well-managed company: quickly, effectively, and without empty statements. Its foundation rests on three principles: quality, effectiveness, and nonpartisanship.

We have covered this topic due to its significance and interest to our readers. For full transparency, we note that the RiO Fund, owned by Rafał Brzoska – president and shareholder of InPost – is an investor in XYZ.