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Publico24 has created a model for the digital distribution of the press, based on subscriptions, resembling Netflix. Thanks to small transmitters installed in public places, readers with an app installed on their mobile phones can have unlimited access to their favourite papers or individual articles The service is free for readers, and the subscription cost is covered by businesspeople or owners of venues, for whom this is an opportunity to expand their range of services. The company is already working on providing access to the digital press for individual users based on monthly subscriptions.

This year, Warsaw is planning to spend more than PLN 3.2 bn on investment. A portion of these funds will be allocated to patch up Warsaw’s shortcomings in transport. The efforts will focus on the extension of the municipal transport system, including Line 2 of the Metro. A substantial amount of funds will be allocated for the extension of the educational and social infrastructure, as well as culture – including in particular Sinfonia Varsovia’s concert hall, the Museum of Modern Art and the Teatr Rozmaitości theatre. Warsaw’s authorities will also prioritise the fight against high emissions, including by getting rid of “dirty” stoves.

The record-low unemployment results in the consistently growing demand for human resources from behind our eastern border. The new regulations, in force since January of this year, and the new category of simplified seasonal work permit were supposed to assist employers. However, it turned out that employment agencies are not yet ready to embrace the changes. The number of declarations processed every day can sometimes be ten times lower than before.

The ferrofluid flywheel will be used for controlling satellites. The invention by Polish scientists will facilitate research measurements on the near-Earth orbit. The scientists from the AGH are working on the design of a satellite orientation control system which will make it possible, for instance, to take more precise satellite images. The new system will be tested on the KRAKsat satellite, which will be launched into the near-Earth orbit in November 2018. The space industry is considered one of the most promising sectors in the world. In 30 years its private section will reach almost 3 trillion dollars.

The Chopin Airport is on the rise. About five million people passed through the airport by the end of April alone, with one in four passengers being transfer passengers. The year 2018 might bring a record number of more than 16 million passengers. To handle this growing traffic, the facility has to undergo a number of alterations. Once these alterations and extensions are completed, Chopin Airport might be able to handle a total of more than 50 aircraft operations an hour, a considerable increase from the current capacity of 42. Alterations will also include the terminals and the underground infrastructure.

A company from Poland might just know how to improve air quality in cities. Green stops are to clean the air we breathe in while waiting for a tram or bus to arrive. The first stops are to be constructed within three months after an investor is found. Each year, air pollution brings death to several million people.

Medicine lags behind the evolution of super-bacteria resistant to many types of drugs. As reported by the WHO, every year these bacteria kill 700,000 people – by 2050, this might be 10 million. Polish scientists want to prevent that by introducing a high-precision diagnostic system to develop complete bacterial resistance profiles.

High energy costs, heating and air conditioning charges are tangible problems for both enterprises and local governments. They often lack funds for investments to increase the energy efficiency of the buildings they use. An alternative solution is investments based on the ESCO formula, where the whole cost and risk are incurred by the company implementing the project. In Poland the value of the market is estimated at EUR 27 m and is constantly growing, as increasingly more emphasis is placed on the significance of energy efficiency for the development of the economy and the competitiveness of enterprises.

Globally, there are nearly 5 billion tonnes of plastic waste left unused. A partial solution to the problem could come in the form of a plastic-to-fuel technology. Plastic waste can become a source of fuel as effective as petrol and diesel fuel. A unique technology for its conversion has been developed by a Polish company. As required by a draft EU Directive, large-scale recipients will now have to use biofuels as well, which includes fuels made from plastic.

The earnings of women working in the same positions as men are lower, they are less willing to start their own companies and less often perform managerial roles. This is a global problem faced by the largest world economies. In Poland, despite the fact that managerial positions are in 40% occupied by women, their earnings are much lower than those of men. Together with the spreading popularity and significance of start-ups, it is easier for women to enter the labour market and find their way to sectors which previously were considered to be typically male. This is facilitated by the numerous competitions organised for women’s start-ups and a growing number of women performing the roles of business angels.

The number of vacancies is growing, having reached nearly 120,000 jobs by late 2017. Employees from the East are no longer able to make up for this shortage. That’s why more and more businesses are recruiting employees from such Asian countries as Nepal, India or Bangladesh. But experts suggest we need changes in employment procedures for foreign nationals, e.g. harmonised requirements across government agencies, streamlined visa-application procedures, and the shortened processing of work permits.

Polish poultry industry is thriving. Total production in 2017 is assessed at record-breaking 3 m tonnes. The consumption of poultry is also growing to more than 30 kg per person a year. As much as 45 percent of poultry production is being exported. In 2017, we exported nearly 1,2 m tonnes with a value of PLN 8.3 bn. Polish poultry is exported mainly to European markets. In order to keep it on a relatively high level, Polish producers have to seek customers outside Europe.

Work on the PCR/ONE system is to be completed by 2020 to ensure the fastest detection of bacteria and viruses in the world. The system will be able to carry out an automatic analysis of the genetic material obtained from bacterial and viral pathogens. It will aim in particular at detecting Staphylococcus aureus, which causes, among other things, pneumonia, myocarditis, meningitis and phlebitis.

Personal hygiene products’ market has been steadily growing by some 3-4% per annum. Faster growth is experienced by its relatively new segment, namely home care products. In both cases the dominant trends to govern this market over the next years are innovation and environmental-friendliness. You might think that innovation in the production of cotton pads or swabs is limited. Quite the opposite, you can be very innovative in the production of even such rudimentary personal care products, says Rafał Szczepkowski, CEO at Harper Hygienics.

Modular construction is no longer associated with temporary buildings. This method can be used to build homes as well as hotels, public housing, and educational establishments. And, what is important, it is much cheaper and faster than traditional construction technologies. This growth in the popularity of modular construction in Poland can be driven by the recent increase in the prices of building materials and labour shortages, both of which have translated into generally higher prices in the construction industry.