The Progress and Business Foundation grew out of the recognition on the part of the industry and academia of the new needs and circumstances of the free market economy after the fall of the Soviet system in Poland. Founded in 1991, it has been registered in the same year in the Central Foundation Register No. 1536 at the Register Court in Warsaw. The Progress and Business Foundation is a registered EU consulting organisation No. POL 129/2002. Its supervising body is the Polish State Committee for Scientific Research, a ministry-equivalent governmental institution.

Founding bodies:

• Jagiellonian University, Cracow
• University of Mining and Metallurgy, Cracow
• Danish Technological Institute, Taastrup
• Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Poland, Warsaw
• Polish Academy of Sciences, Science Trade House, Warsaw
• Industrial Chemistry Research Institute, Warsaw
• Polish Chemical Industry Chamber, Warsaw
• Marold AG, Balzers

Resources at the Foundation´s disposal:

• Extensive working relationships in specific industries, notably the energy, refining, petrochemical, chemical, electronics, packaging, furniture, clothing industries.
• Working relationships with government agencies at national, Voivodeship, and local government levels.
• Recognised position in the international network of development agencies
• Working relationships with various departments of Cracow universities (Jagiellonian University, AGH University of Science and Technology, the University of Agriculture, and the Cracow University of Economics) including involvement of key professionals in the Foundation´s projects on a contract basis.
• Core professional staff with project management expertise and analytical skills relevant to economic restructuring in key industrial sectors.

Areas of expertise:

• Research support for industrial restructuring and privatisation based on application of system analysis and operational research methods
• Studies and analyses in the area of sustainable development of industrial sectors and enterprises including elaboration of business plans and master plans, feasibility and business opportunity studies, market analyses and forecasts
• Economic, technical and legal consulting including environmental issues
• Experience in initiating, designing and managing multidisciplinary projects combining international involvement with local expertise
• Initiating business links, marketing research, and promotion of information exchange between companies and scientific institutions
• Convening conferences, seminars, workshops and other partnership building activities designed to bring key persons and institutions together to identify problems and practical solutions in economic restructuring and sustainable development issues

The motivation of the Founders was to link the research potential of Polish universities with the needs of real-life problem solving in industry, government, and finance. Having started its activity during the economic transition period, the Foundation have sought to integrate research and practical action by providing an institutional mechanism for interaction among the Council of the Foundation's organisations and a diversified spectrum of partners representing industry, business, government, universities, and other organisations. Apart from fulfilling its statutory goals according to the Polish Foundations Bill, the Foundation is eligible to conduct commercial activities, mostly within the areas of services for SME's, commercial scientific research, consulting, management, education, and high-tech industry.

The restructuring of industry and science technology sector in Poland is a key goal of the Foundation since it has been established in 1991. The training of managers, especially from SMEs, the R&D sector and public administration is another point of emphasis of the Foundation. In close cooperation with the Municipality of Cracow, the Cracow Voivodeship and the central government, the Foundation elaborated strongly real-life decision-making oriented innovative programmes of training cycles, short seminars, study tours. A Special emphasis is put on financial management, decision-making, and investment. The Foundation manages a network of over 200 higest quality lecturers and consultants, all of them being experienced in lecturing in English, French, and/or German. The Foundation cooperates with a number of R&D institutions, universities and business schools in the EU countries.

Statutory goals of the Foundation:

• To promote the development of applied science and technology.
• To commit to and to support the activities which serve the development of the economic life in Poland
• To be actively involved in the process of modernisation and development of Polish economy, taking account of restructuring and privatisation processes
• To support and stimulate all forms of national and international economic exchange and co-operation
• To contribute to the introduction and popularisation of new developments and ideas in the fields of science, technology, finance, economy and organisation
• To create, support, and inspire the exchange of scientific information and know how
• To implement the programmes devised to improve managerial skills and to promote Polish managers.

The projects undertaken by the Foundation have accumulated experience in the field of economic transition at both theoretical and practical levels. Project activities have mobilised a core professional staff, developed a support system of knowledgeable individuals and organisations, identified key areas of expertise and developed a network of working relationships.