ŁUKASIEWICZ - ITECH ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2026: Security for Prosperity
Warsaw, 14 October 2026
National security, technological sovereignty and economic stability constitute the pillars of the long-term strategy of Poland and the European Union.
We have the honour of inviting you to attend the Łukasiewicz – ITECH Annual Conference 2026: Security for Prosperity, which will take place on 14 October 2026 in Warsaw.
The debate will focus on European Union mechanisms for technological sovereignty, the translation of increased defence expenditure into economic growth, and strategic lessons drawn from Asian markets. The programme comprises four main panels and a series of expert discussions.
Due to the exclusive format of the event, places are limited. Proceedings will be conducted in English (interpretation will be provided). Applications for attendance can be submitted via the form below.
Conference Programme
08:00 | Registration of participants
09:00 – 10:00 | Conference Opening and Keynote Speech
Keynote speaker:
Prof. Marcin Piątkowski, Lead Economist for South Asia in the Finance, Competitiveness, and Innovation Department of the World Bank, New Delhi, Kozminski University
- 10:00 – 11:15 | Panel I: Technological Sovereignty
- What tools are needed to build technological sovereignty for Poland?
- Where do Europe position itself in the global technology race between the US and China, and how could rising investment in innovation shift that position?
- What are the key dependencies in the European defence industry, and how can we counter them?
- How effective are EU and NATO programmes in stimulating defence innovation in Europe?
- Does Europe have sufficient tools to respond to trade, technological and geopolitical pressures?
11:30 – 12:45 | Panel II: Defence Spending & Economic Growth
- What conditions must be met for higher defence spending to translate into durable economic growth?
- How can we mitigate the macroeconomic effects of large-scale purchases of off-the-shelf equipment from foreign partners, in favour of building high-margin links in the domestic value chain?
- To what extent have programmes such as PESCO and SAFE consolidated the European defence industry and technological unification?
- How can public support for high defence spending be sustained amid a growing budget deficit and pressure on public expenditure?
12:45 – 13:30 | Lunch
- 13:30 – 14:30 | One-on-One Fireside Chat: Radosław Sikorski (Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland) & Piotr Buras (ECFR) (tbc)
14:30 – 15:45 | Panel III: Redrawing the Board: Where we are in the New Geoeconomic Order?
- How can Europe reposition itself at a moment when the rules of the global economy are being rewritten?
- What is Europe’s real room for manoeuvre between the United States and China?
- How are trade, technology and supply chains becoming instruments of strategic competition?
- What would genuine strategic autonomy require of European industry and policy?
16:00 – 17:15 | Panel IV: From Imitation to Specialisation: Innovation, Security and Asian Lessons for Poland’s Development Model
- How can innovation be linked with security so that military R&D seeds high-margin links in the domestic value chain?
- How can we effectively move from an imitation model to distinct economic specialisations, following the example of highly innovative countries?
- What lessons from countries with selective industrial policies (South Korea, Japan, Taiwan) could support Poland’s development model and its defence sector?
- Could Taiwan’s model, combining technological advantages with international positioning, serve as inspiration for Poland’s strategy?
17:15 – 18:00 | Closing remarks and the second keynote speech
Honorary Patronage:
Institutional Partner:
