One of Europe's leading locations for the business services sector will become a stage for strategic discussions on the future of the industry.
Wroclaw - a city that attracts global technology leaders - will become the center of debate on the future of the global economy on 17–19 June during the ABSL Summit 2026: Know the unknown. The most important event for the business services sector in Europe will bring together at Wroclaw’s Centennial Hall leaders of the largest global Fortune 500 corporations, economists, and public administration representatives. The special guest will be Prof. Geoffrey Hinton - winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize and the “godfather of artificial intelligence” - who will share his insights on the consequences of AI development and the creation of a safe digital environment.
Business services sector in Poland has undergone a profound transformation in recent years, becoming one of the key pillars of the national economy. According to the ABSL 2025 report, business services already generate 5.7% of Poland’s GDP and account for 7.6% of total employment in the enterprise sector. With nearly half a million employees across more than 2,000 centers, the sector has become a driver of Poland’s innovation. The value of knowledge-intensive services exports reached USD 42.3 billion, representing nearly one quarter of Poland’s total commercial services exports.
“Poland’s business services sector is currently at a stage of maturity characterized by a shift from scaling employment to scaling productivity. Our evolution, based on the 3T model - talent, technology, and transformation - is reflected in the growing advancement of processes. Nearly 60% of the tasks delivered in Poland are already knowledge-intensive services. As leaders, we not only adapt to global trends, but - through the accelerating adoption of AI - we are becoming co-creators of modern business solutions, building Poland’s competitive advantage as a mature, expert hub,” says Janusz Dziurzyński, President of ABSL in Poland.
Practical knowledge for business leaders
This year’s ABSL Summit special guest will be Prof. Geoffrey Hinton, Nobel Prize laureate and one of the pioneers of artificial intelligence, often referred to as the “godfather of AI.” In his keynote, he will focus on the impact of the rapid development of advanced technologies on business and society, and on how to build safe and responsible implementation models.
This year’s agenda places strong emphasis on learning from practice, offering a unique opportunity to look behind the scenes of transformations at the world’s largest companies. Traditional debates will be complemented by multiple case study sessions, showcasing AI implementations and operational transformations in organizations such as Takeda, Danone, and Philips. The programme will include, among others, the journey “from an AI lab to an AI factory,” based on the experience of Alcon, as well as lessons from implementing responsible technological solutions in healthcare, presented by Roche. The agenda will also feature an intellectual sparring session between Prof. Andrzej Dragan and Prof. Michał Kosiński from Stanford University, and a discussion moderated by Katarzyna Kasia on the fears and hopes of an uncertain future, with participation from cultural powerhouse figures including Kinga Preis, Tomasz Kot, and Łukasz L.U.C. Rostkowski.
Poland’s “Silicon Valley”
The sector’s growth is closely linked to regional potential, and Lower Silesia has for years maintained its position as one of the most attractive destinations for foreign investment in Europe. The region attracts investors not only due to its infrastructure, but above all thanks to the high level of technological advancement of its local enterprises and an excellent business environment. This is evidenced by the presence in Wroclaw of centers operated by companies such as Nokia Solutions and Networks, Kyndryl Global Services Delivery Centre Poland, BNY, UBS, Capgemini Software Solutions Center, EY, Volvo IT, and EPAM.
Paweł Gancarz, Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, emphasizes: “In Lower Silesia, modern technologies and innovative industry meet a dynamically developing business services sector. Thanks to effective cooperation between academia, business, and public administration, we are a natural choice for leaders building globally significant solutions here. Our ambition for the coming years is to strengthen Lower Silesia’s role as a European center for knowledge-intensive and highly innovative sectors.”
The capital of Lower Silesia is among the largest business services locations in Poland. As of the end of Q1 2025, Wroclaw hosted more than 250 service centers, employing over 70,000 people. Business services are a key driver of the metropolitan area’s growth.
As noted by Jacek Sutryk, Mayor of Wroclaw: “The selection of Wroclaw as the host city of ABSL Summit 2026 confirms our position as a leader in the modern economy. Wroclaw has become a hub for highly specialized services, attracting investments from the world’s largest global companies. The dynamic growth of the sector in Wroclaw, supported by our strong academic base and high quality of life, translates into specialized jobs. Active cooperation between the city and business allows us to jointly shape an innovative environment that serves as an inspiration for other European metropolises. All these factors position Wroclaw as a stable destination for investors, resilient to geopolitical and economic turbulence.”
For years, Wroclaw has been building its brand as “Poland’s Silicon Valley,” with advanced projects in software engineering and artificial intelligence concentrated here.
Katarzyna Turkiewicz, Managing Director of HPE Global Business Center in Wroclaw, notes: “The presence of such a large number of business, IT, and R&D centers in Wroclaw is no coincidence. It is the result of competencies developed over years in areas such as business processes, cloud, data, and automation. It is in Lower Silesia that we set standards attracting further investors seeking not only scale, but above all deep business and technological expertise and customer insight. Wroclaw-based centers are increasingly taking on the role of global competence hubs, which directly influences the perception of Poland as a location where business knowledge and experience, combined with technology, co-create real business value.”
ABSL Summit is a key platform for knowledge exchange, relationship building, and setting development directions for the business services sector. With Wroclaw and Lower Silesia as hosts, the event further strengthens the position of the city and the region as one of Europe’s most important business and technology hubs.
