Economic Awards of the RIG in Katowice granted

The first day of the 14th European Congress of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises was concluded with the annual Community Gala of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice. During the event integrating the community of Silesian entrepreneurs, the Economic Awards of the Congress were granted.

Booksy, a revolution in the beauty industry

One of the award winners of this year's Economic Award of the European Congress of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises is Booksy, a Polish start-up founded in 2014 by Konrad Howard and Stefan Batory as a platform for booking beauty salon appointments. The idea behind Booksy is based on connecting traditional beauty providers with the digital world, and today it serves not only to book appointments online. It also helps salons manage their business and acquire new clients. Booksy is one of the fastest growing startups internationally. The app operates in more than 25 countries, including: USA, France, Spain, England and Poland, as well as Brazil and South Africa. It is used by more than 40 million users.

 - I wanted to emphasize that in addition to projects like Booksy, we have technology companies operating on a global scale in Poland. Brainly, which equalizes access to education for more than 300 million children and students around the world. ElevenLabs, which enables communication in any language, facilitating access to technology. Synerise, a leader among Polish AI companies, providing behavioral analytics infrastructure in more than 150 countries. We have technologies and companies that are succeeding internationally, but most importantly, they are changing the world, making it more accessible and fairer - Konrad Howard, founder of Booksy, said at the gala.

Businesswoman with a heart on her sleeve

Another award went to Beata Drzazga - entrepreneur, creator, owner and president of many companies in Poland and abroad. Founder and member of the Supervisory Board of BetaMed S.A. - Poland's largest medical company in the field of long-term care in the patient's home, with more than 3,000 employees. A philanthropist involved in charitable activities, supporting numerous foundations over the years and founder of the Beata Drzazga Foundation focusing activities on people in difficult life situations. An expert in management, she is a respected speaker at congresses and business and medical conferences. She is a co-author of scientific papers in the field of health care, as well as the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Wojciech Korfanty Upper Silesian Academy in Katowice. She is a pioneer and promoter of high ethical standards in medicine and empathy in medicine and patient care. Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice and Member of the Presidium of the Council of Polish Entrepreneurs.

- I started my path in Katowice, and although my steps have led me to other continents, I will always support Polish entrepreneurs. I promise that I will always act for those who need support, inspiration and new opportunities - declared Beata Drzazga, founder and member of the Supervisory Board of BetaMed S.A..

Refugees and the Polish labor market

The award at the gala was also received by Kevin J. Allen - Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Poland, and Astrid Castelein - Director of the UNHCR Office in Krakow. The Representative Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Poland has been operating since 1992. UNHCR monitors the Polish government's compliance with international standards of refugee law, statelessness law and human rights. The Representation has initiated numerous projects and partnership activities aimed at facilitating the professional integration of refugees into the Polish labor market. An example of one such activity is the Cooperation Agreement for Local Employment Partnership involving the Katowice District Labor Office, the Katowice Regional Chamber of Commerce, Caritas Archdiocese of Katowice and UNHCR. The document was endorsed today during a congress panel on the impact of refugees and migrants on the shape of the future labor market.

- This award really belongs to you, the Poles, for having surrounded refugees from Ukraine who fled the Russian aggressor with care and concern. You have opened your schools and workplaces for them, which has translated into an additional 1% of Polish PKP - said Kevin J. Allen, Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Poland.

Technology for safety

Also among the awardees was the Katowice-based co-founder and CEO of the Polish-Finnish startup ICEYE, Rafal Modrzewski. After entering the market in 2015, the company made a breakthrough in Earth observation from space, building the world's first SAR satellite - a synthetic aperture radar weighing less than 100 kg. ICEYE provides data for clients in defense, maritime, agriculture, natural resources, emergency management, insurance, finance, among others. ICEYE microsatellites take images of the Earth's surface with unprecedented frequency, both day and night, regardless of weather conditions. ICEYE is a world leader in observing our planet, monitoring changes or analyzing natural disasters using imagery acquired by more than 30 satellites. It enables government institutions and private companies to make better strategic and business decisions based on access to up-to-date, reliable and accurate satellite imagery.

This is IT

The winner of the RIG award was also Dr. Maciej Kawecki. He is a popularizer of Polish science and innovation, technology enthusiast and science journalist appointed by the European Commission as EU Digital Ambassador. He serves as President of the Stanislaw Lem Institute for the Poland of the Future and Vice-Rector for Innovation at WSB Merito Warsaw University. From 2017 to 2019, Director of the Data Management Department at the Ministry of Digitization responsible for the innovation sector and implementation of RODO into the Polish legal order. Creator of the technology channel “This is IT” on YouTube, where, as he writes, you will find conversations with the biggest scientists, technology developers and public figures influencing the innovation sector in Poland. Author of the technology series on the Good Morning TVN program and the podcast of the editors of Onet and Komputer Świat “Technicznie Rzecz Biorąc”..

At the gala, Dr. Maciej Kawecki said: “I dedicate this award to young Poles who are winning gold medals at international Olympiads - computer science, economics, chemistry, mathematics or artificial intelligence. These are talents that place Poland at the forefront of world science. our future lies in creating conditions that will make young scientists see Poland as their place. We must take action to make Poland a home they want to return to, because today science is our greatest treasure."

The gala performed in concert style

In addition to honoring the recipients of this year's ECSME Economic Award, the event was accompanied by a concert entitled “GENESIS Classic.” The greatest hits of the cult music group in new arrangements were performed by the band's last vocalist, Ray Wilson. The artist was recognized by “Classic Rock Magazine” as one of the most outstanding British vocalists, composer and lyricist, especially appreciated for his stage charisma and high concert form.

About Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice

The Katowice RIG is one of the largest Chambers of Commerce in Poland, with more than 500 member companies. The Katowice Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice (RIG) was established by 103 founders in 1990. It continues the traditions of the Chamber of Commerce established in Katowice in 1922 and the Silesian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, which operated from 1927 to 1950. Today, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice is a modern organization that sets key development directions for the SME sector. It supports companies in digital and energy transformation, implements innovations and helps Polish entrepreneurs face legislative and economic challenges. Through advanced projects and initiatives, RIG Katowice contributes to building the competitiveness of Polish SMEs, preparing them for the dynamically changing realities of the market.