Loud voices of entrepreneurs at largest event fof SMES

Although the slogan of this year's edition is readiness for change, one thing does not change: The European Congress of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises is the sector's largest and most important meeting.

The European Congress of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises launched today in Katowice. The inauguration ceremony was attended by leading representatives of business, politics and the economy.

 - It is rare to have so many experts, so many excellent, international, experienced entrepreneurs in one place,"Tomasz Zjawiony, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice, organizer of the congress, welcomed the participants. - I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity, I encourage you to talk with each other. I encourage you to use these two days to expand your network of business contacts and strengthen the position of your companies.

Ready for change?

The slogan for the 13th edition of the ECSME is: "Ready for Change?" This is a multifaceted thought. Ready for change, in a global economy full of threats and uncertainty, must be not only entrepreneurs, but also residents of the Silesian Voivodeship - a region that has already gone through a long road of economic transformation, but still faces many challenges.

 - Silesia is able to listen to social dialogue in the broadest sense, to listen to the voice of entrepreneurs. Adapting tools, even if only EU ones, to the needs that our market generates, because a good dialogue generates good solutions, and I wish you and myself this good dialogue today - said Jakub Chełstowski, Marshal of Silesia.

Entrepreneurs - the new "Salt of the Black Earth"

The voice of entrepreneurs, who participated in large numbers at the 13th ECSME, is extremely loud. The first day - Europe's largest meeting of the sector - was attended by more than a thousand more people than last year.

- What has worked in Katowice and the region would not have succeeded without entrepreneurs and their activity. But there is still very, very much to discuss, I think more than we have done. In Katowice, a city of 300,000 people, we have about 50,000 registered businesses. This is a wonderful number reflecting the creativity of our city's residents. Two-thirds of GDP is provided by small and medium-sized entrepreneurs. Great respect for your activities - emphasized Deputy Mayor of Katowice, Bogumił Sobula.

 Multi-dimensional transformation

Key topics included digital and energy transformation, building and growing a business, e-exports, innovation, artificial intelligence and what cities can do for business.

- I hope you will cheer for Katowice to become a great city, for it to generate opportunities for very good business, good quality for our residents, for us to be competitive on the map of Europe and, in the good sense of the word, this will pay off to the benefit of everyone - said Kazimierz Karolczak, chairman of the Metropolis GZM

 Experts at your fingertips

The congress is not only discussions, but also practical knowledge and advice. The Expert Zone created by representatives of public administration, universities, companies, business support institutions and law firms, year after year, is very popular. This year, representatives of the: Social Insurance Institution (ZUS), Humanitas University, Silesian Centre for Entrepreneurship, Symfonia, ZoriusPro, 3 Soft, 4WISE Group, BIG Infomonitor, GLC Katowice and PAJS Szumny Achtelik Law Firm awaited congress participants.

 Representatives of more than a dozen industries presented themselves at the Business Expo Fair, including companies providing advice on raising EU funds, car rental or offering business management software.

The second exhibition space, Work For All, was organized in cooperation with the International Rescue Committee, with job seekers and employers in mind.

For the first time in the 13th year history of ECSME the organizers awarded Economic Prizes. The award winners were: Rafał Brzoska – CEO and President of the international Integer.pl Capital Group (owner of the InPost brand), Rafał Sonik – entrepreneur, athlete and philanthropist, Mokate Group - one of Europe's largest family-owned companies, John C. Maxwell -world authority on leadership, as well as Poland's largest private rail carrier Ecco Rail Sp. z o.o., international organization supporting refugees International Rescue Committee, and Wojciech Kostrzewa - entrepreneur and chairman of the Polish Business Council.

 - One thing I would really like to ask of entrepreneurs as people who have a real impact on our economy, not only on where our country is heading and how we see it, but also how we are seen externally. Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs are seen as bloodthirsty capitalists, exploiters, the perfect group to be taxed, to whom nothing is given, but who must give back. If we ourselves - as entrepreneurs - don't start implementing give-back policies, which in the economies of the civilized West and the States is a given: they will take it away from us. We should take these matters into our own hands, as we showed in the beginning of the war in Ukraine - appealed Rafal Brzoska to the assembled entrepreneurs.

 Congressional Friday no less exciting

Tomorrow is the second day of the 13th European Congress of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. On the agenda are discussions on key legal changes in 2024, transformation of the region, urban mobility, digitization and 21st century education, among others.

First discussions will start at 9.30 am.

Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice is the organizer of #ECSME. As a creator of the meetings and events industry for more than 33 years, it has supported regional business and stimulated its development - including among young people at the threshold of their careers. It provides business and communications consulting to its Member Companies and helps establish contacts with partners in the country and abroad. It shapes and disseminates the principles of ethics, honesty in business and generally understood corporate social responsibility.