A high-stakes technological game. The digital industry assesses Poland’s semiconductor policy
The Digital Poland Association, in its opinion submitted to the Ministry of Digital Affairs, evaluates the direction of the government’s semiconductor policy as broadly correct, while pointing to significant risks that may determine its success. According to the digital industry, key decisions will concern technological interoperability, the role of the state as a contracting authority, and the development of skills. Without these, Poland may fail to seize the opportunity to establish a real presence in the global semiconductor market, the organisation warns.
The draft policy “Poland in the game for the future – semiconductor sector policy 2026+” envisages, among other things, launching a pilot production line by 2028, expanding technological infrastructure, and increasing investment and human resources. Prepared by the digital ministry, the document moves away from the concept of building a full production chain and instead focuses on areas where Poland already has capabilities.
“This is the right direction,” says Michał Kanownik, President of the Digital Poland Association. “The document rightly abandons ambitions to replicate the world’s largest economies and instead proposes building competitive advantages in areas where Poland already has expertise, such as integrated circuit design, photonics, or advanced materials,” he adds.
Details will determine success
Despite the overall positive assessment, the industry stresses that the success of the strategy will depend on details—particularly those related to software and system architecture.
“If publicly supported solutions reinforce dependence on closed interfaces, tools, or software ecosystems, later efforts will not restore real autonomy,” says Michał Kanownik. “We must actively counter vendor lock-in, which can limit competition and technological flexibility for years.”
For this reason, the industry calls for public support to be tied to interoperability requirements—ensuring that different systems can work together and that software can be easily transferred between them.
An important element of the strategy should also be a shift in the role of the state. According to Digital Poland Association experts, the public administration should not limit itself to funding projects, but should actively shape the market through procurement and implementation. “The state should act as a smart buyer and a first user of technology,” the organisation states.
Such a role could help generate demand for domestic solutions and accelerate their commercialisation—crucial in the semiconductor sector, given high entry costs and long investment cycles.
Skills, regulation, and real competitiveness
Another major challenge is talent development. While the strategy assumes an increase in the number of specialists, the industry highlights the importance of competencies in areas such as embedded software, design tools, and computing systems for artificial intelligence.
Experts also emphasise the importance of stable and predictable regulations—particularly environmental and chemical rules—which can directly affect the viability of investments in this sector. “These factors will determine whether the ecosystem being built today is resilient, competitive, and capable of international expansion,” notes Michał Kanownik.
According to the Digital Poland Association, the stakes go beyond the development of the semiconductor sector itself. What is at issue is Poland’s position in the global technological system—where access to chips is increasingly translating into economic and strategic power.