INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION
ICT sector has development potential, and, moreover it helps other industries in their business e.g. by cost optimization, targeting customers (applications and web sites).Companies looking for savings from other industries turn to IT industry, which helps in increasing efficiency at lower costs. The strategy of Lesser Poland recommends here to focus on support for ICT solutions, especially for other regional specializations, which could turn to be a significant development initiative for companies from other industries. What is necessary to follow this objective? First of all – regarding ICT industry as smart specialization with a horizontal character. It is also advisable to intensify informative actions within the scope of European funds for ICT industry. As regards information, it is also necessary to promote innovative solutions prepared by IT sector of Lesser Poland among entrepreneurs from other industries. The sector should be also supported by consolidation processes leading to internationalization of operations, among others by participation of ICT sector companies in fairs and industry events.
Support for startups is mentioned by the strategy of Lesser Poland as one of important categories of planned actions. One of its forms should be support for rising qualifications of ICT sector start-up personnel, especially in the areas with the highest development potential such as deeptech, since they have to respond to the problem of finding qualified personnel. Potential support should consider the potential of Lesser Poland startups (as compared with other regions) especially in such areas as Internet of things (IoT) or big data. It should also involve tightened cooperation with universities. According to the authors of strategy for Lesser Poland, such acceleration programmes as for example #StartUP Lesser Poland should also be continued, as they proved to be effective and efficient support tools. It is also advisable to develop infrastructure (e.g. office) used to explore the potential of mid-size cities (e.g. Tarnow, Nowy Sacz) to locate service centres of BPO, SSC, IT and R&D type.