ZPP Newsletter
Warsaw, 12 January 2023
Inauguration of the new project of ZPP and Totalizator Sportowy Foundation –
“Business for Ukraine Center”
“Business for Ukraine Center” is a project of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers (ZPP) and the Totalizator Sportowy Foundation, which aims to support the development of Polish-Ukrainian economic relations in the difficult conditions of war and continued attacks by the Russian army on infrastructure and industrial facilities in Ukraine. The center is expected to help several hundred entrepreneurs and companies from Ukraine.
The capital’s Freedom Lounge presented an offer of a new program of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers (ZPP) and the Totalizator Sportowy Foundation on support for Ukrainian companies in launching investment activities in Poland and the European Union. As part of the assistance that will be provided to companies that relocate to Poland during the war and plan to expand into the European market looking for new partners, the “Business for Ukraine Center” will provide, among others, business and localization advice, assistance in finding Polish contractors or investors. The center will also provide its clients with free coworking space. In addition, there will be educational webinars on the conditions for doing business in Poland, current regulations or funding opportunities. Companies will be able to benefit from assistance in finding a location for their business. At the same time, the Center has the opportunity to provide free production space in Warsaw.
The Thursday inauguration of the Center was attended by Minister of Development and Technology of the Republic of Poland Waldemar Buda, President of the Board of Totalizator Sportowy Olgierd Cieślik, President of the Board of the Totalizator Sportowy Foundation Izabela Wyżga, President of the Board of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers Cezary Kaźmierczak and Bogusława Rudecka, Director of the Business for Ukraine Center at ZPP.
The “Business for Ukraine Center” program will also provide assistance and advice to Polish companies that are looking for business partners from Ukraine or are interested in participating in the reconstruction of post-war Ukraine.
“Given the large influx of companies from Ukraine – our data says that some 17,900 Ukrainian companies have been established in Poland – the program opening today fits in very well with this trend, and our first task should be to identify the problems of Ukrainian companies. As a government entity, we always pledge our support for such initiatives” , Minister Waldemar Buda said at the event.
Cezary Kaźmierczak, President of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers (ZPP): “I am convinced that this next project of ours will benefit both the Ukrainian and Polish entities. For obvious reasons, we are seeing a rapid increase in the interest and activity of Ukrainian companies in the Polish market. In 2022 alone, Ukrainian citizens opened some 20,000 businesses in Poland. We are currently seeing high demand for this project. These days, Ukrainian businesses are looking to Poland for what is most important – security. It is also necessary to take advantage of geographic location, similarity of mentality, proximity of cultures and the natural desire to help one’s neighbor”.
Olgierd Cieślik, President of the Board of Totalizator Sportowy: “Totalizator Sportowy has always focused on being active – not only in terms of sports or culture, but also social and business activity. I am pleased that the Totalizator Sportowy Foundation, which we have established, supports such a valuable initiative as the Business for Ukraine Center. I am convinced that thanks to the center, entrepreneurs from Ukraine will gain valuable advice and support, and companies established in Poland will allow to build lasting business relationships to the benefit of both sides.”.
In turn, Ms. Izabela Wyżga, President of the Totalizator Sportowy Foundation, the founder of the program, referred to the aspect of uniqueness of the offer: “Through the Business for Ukraine Center program, we aim to provide Ukrainian citizens with comprehensive assistance for their business in the Republic of Poland and Europe. The program is gaining uniqueness and timeliness, as it offers systemic and comprehensive organizational, administrative, legal, as well as consulting and advisory support to Ukrainian entrepreneurs. First and foremost, this initiative makes it possible to provide custom support to companies that are interested in doing business in our country. Moreover, we firmly believe that our original program will contribute to the development of business relations between Ukrainian and Polish companies, and of international dialogue between Poland and Ukraine to build a Polish-Ukrainian community based on mutual trust, cooperation and openness.”
Program Director, Bogusława Rudecka said, “Our offer is aimed at companies with an appetite for growth. In our opinion, the time has come for further development of cooperation with Ukraine and more direct and precise assistance measures tailored to the needs of specific companies. It’s quite a challenge, but we are full of energy to work and to serve Ukrainian companies who, in the face of war, do not give up and try at all costs to find a way out of the difficult situation in which they find themselves”.
The Business for Ukraine Center was established at the initiative of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers and the Totalizator Sportowy Foundation.
The program is financed by the Totalizator Sportowy Foundation, and operated by the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers. The project will be implemented in January-December 2023.
The inauguration of the Business for Ukraine Center was held under the honorary patronage of the Ministry of Development and Technology.
