Jacek Kasz is the director of the Center for Technology Transfer (CTT) at Cracow University of Technology, Poland’s second-oldest TTO. He tells us how the office came to also be responsible for regional SME support and Horizon Europe applications, and how Cracow’s ecosystem has been shaped by IT.

But while Cracow’s ecosystem is full of opportunity, challenges remain and Poland sometimes struggles to retain its brightest minds, who continue to be drawn overseas to Silicon Valley.

Jacek also talks about how sometimes government programmes are actually fantastic and how CTT’s involvement in the EU project IMPACT — which aims to improve the teaching of sustainability-oriented innovation and entrepreneurship — is adding value to his work.

And with the Ukrainian border just 250km away, Jacek also discusses how his university, and CTT itself, are helping refugees.

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“Funky Chunk” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)