Objective of the “Mazovia Development Forum” event is to promote innovativeness, entrepreneurship, and absorption of funds allocated by EU for development of the Mazovia region. This year 6^th edition will be held on National Stadium in Warsaw between October 7–8, 2015. About 40 debates/presentations and numerous workshops/networking meetings in 10 thematic areas are on the agenda.

Mazovia Development Forum is an opportunity for people of various worlds (science, business, local governments, NGOs) to mutually meet, exchange views, and conduct dialogue with experts on how to innovatively approach key challenges in development of the region.

The Forum has been organized by Mazovian Voivodeship Office for Implementation of EU Programmes within the framework of a campaign aimed to facilitate absorption of the 2014-2020 EU funding in the Mazovian Voivodeship (about 900 million PLN). – The Office is going to announce 21 calls for proposals before the end of 2015. Discussions held during the Forum, information available in booths/kiosks, and workshops led by some experts should help potential beneficiaries to learn how to write successful applications for funding and principles of granting the funds – said Mariusz Frankowski, Director of the Office.

Forum guests are invited to 10  dedicated thematic areas , including the Mazovian Voivodeship, innovative campuses, smart cities, R&D, clustering, social innovations, EU good practices, start-up companies, innovation financing, modern design. Numerous meetings, workshops and participants networking events are envisaged. The most interesting initiatives of companies and institutions that are leaders in their thematic areas will be presented.

Some best practices and key challenges in development of the region during the 2014-2020 EU perspective will be presented by Polish and foreign experts in several debates and lectures. All attendees will be invited to participate in numerous open debates.

– We deeply care that development projects accomplished by Warsaw University of Technology could lead in the future to some substantial improvement of innovativeness in the region. Therefore during the Forum we would like to initiate a debate on the role that Universities should play in creating a permanent ecosystem for innovations in the region – said Professor Jan Szmidt, Chancellor of Warsaw University of Technology, a Forum Scientific Partner. – Mazovian Region has already to-day met all criteria of a future leader of innovations: the largest in the country business market, the best Universities in the country, creative students, excellent labs, local government determined to invest in daring innovative solutions. Now we need to create a comprehensive system of permanent links between the world of science, business, and local government to make the best use of the resources – comments Łukasz Madej, President of the Creative Mazovia Foundation, a strategic partner of the Forum.

Open formula of the event is conducive to make new contacts and permanent partnerships. Forum guests will also be offered some know-how and tools necessary to accomplish innovative projects.

– The Forum will focus on various aspects of entrepreneurship and commercialization of R&D results. Using workshops and numerous other activity forms we will try to transfer from abroad onto home soil some best practices and verified solutions, as well as to encourage everybody to look around for inspiration and ideas for new development paths – said Magdalena Jackowska-Rejman, President of the techBrainers company, a programme partner of the Forum.

Several partners have teamed up their efforts with Mazovian Voivodeship Office for Implementation of EU Programmes to prepare an interesting and inspiring programme of the Forum 6^th edition. Announced presence of outstanding experts and devoted fans of various topics among the attendees, wide thematic scope, and numerous debates/lectures/presentations/workshops foreseen in the Forum agenda justify the expectation that the Forum will turn out to be one of the most important events promoting innovativeness and entrepreneurship in the Mazovian region, especially in the context of absorbing regional development funds allocated by EU. It is hoped that the event will be a good opportunity to deepen knowledge of the attendees, to establish valuable contacts, and also to jointly create platform for dialog on direction of development of the Mazovian Voivodeship.

Participation in the event is free of charge. However, every would-be attendee have to pre-register at the www.forumrozwojumazowsza.eu/rejestracja/  Webpage.

See www.forumrozwojumazowsza.eu for more info on the Forum.

Parners of the Forum: