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Extraordinary regeneration

Ingenious Young

House of the living music

Trendy too large

Game developers

No. 3 (8)/2015

lodzCREATES INNOVATIONNews magazine of the city of Lodz

3LODZ CREATES INNOVATION • NO. 3/2015

EDITORIAL

It would seem that computer games are entertainment for children and youngsters. Meanwhile, they are also used in marketing, advertising, education and, through

simulations of treatments, in medicine. This potential was noted by the City of Lodz Office, which initiated the establishment of Gamedev cluster. It is formed by the companies from the computer games sector and related environment as well as higher education schools, supported actively by the Lodz Regional Development Agency. Innovation, dynamism, efficiency in the operation and creativity – aren’t they indicators of success? These adjectives can be used to specify the Gamedev crew, participants in the debate, whom I had the pleasure to lead in the summer this year. There were numerous subjects discussed, and probably there could even be more such subjects. It can be added that talks are already underway with a related industry in Montreal. Development opportunities are also enormous for the job market associated with computer games. Already now, there is a need for specialists. The cooperation was started with higher education schools to create major-oriented classes tailored to the needs of future employers.

A similar industry is a comics and games market. This year, the International Festival of Comics and Games in Lodz has attracted nearly 20 thousand visitors. Anyone who believes that the recipients are only young comic readers – is wrong. It is a powerful market. In the forefront are Japan and the United States, but Poland pursues them faster and faster. By contrast, design trends in Central and Eastern Europe are set by Łódź Design Festival. This year’s edition has been visited by 400 designers, curators and lecturers. A total of 1100 objects from around the world have been shown during exhibitions. In turn, global trends in science are set by Lodz BioNanoPark, thanks to the new building housing Real Complex Systems Analyzer. The machine contains almost three million cells, and its capabilities are used in many industries, including chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in medicine, materials science or economics.

Finally, we want to recall the most important event in the world of fashion in the country and this part of Europe – the next edition of FashionPhilosophy Fashion Week Poland – which will take place on 12–15 November this year. As usual, we invite you to Lodz!

ANNA KRAWCZYK, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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CONTENTS

4 NO. 3/2015 • LODZ CREATES INNOVATION

PUBLISHERUrząd Miasta ŁodziDepartament Architektury i RozwojuBiuro Obsługi Inwestoraul. Piotrkowska 104a, 90-926 ŁódźT. +48 42 638 59 39E: [email protected]

REALIZATIONINFRAMEDIA Anna Krawczyk

ul. Balonowa 21/3, 02-635 WarszawaT. + 48 22 856 45 00 F + 48 22 270 20 55E. [email protected]

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFAnna [email protected]

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTEwa Popławska

REDACTORJarosław [email protected]

EDITING AND PROOFREADINGAnna Lisiecka

TRANSLATORSMarta KaczyńskaPiotr Szlaużys

PHOTOGRAPHERPaweł Ławreszuk

LAYOUT & DESIGNJoanna Białecka-Rybacka

COVER GRAPHICSLe Polish Bureau/UNIT9

Circulation1,500 copies

This publication may not be transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the prior permission of Inframedia Publishing. While every care has been taken in the publications of this magazine, Inframedia Publishing can not be held responsible for the accuracy of the information herein or for any consequence arising from it.

DEBATE6 Game developers

The prospects for Gamedev Business Cluster and the game industry to become the centrepiece of attention in Lodz, Poland and worldwide

12 Statement of Błażej Moder, director of EC1 – City of Culture

SCIENCE13 Modern centre for students with passion

The Information Technology Centre is over 4500 m2 of specialised laboratories in the field of computer science and related to it

14 Extraordinary regeneration Katarzyna Nawrotek, PhD from Lodz University of Technology, is investigating the potential of the nervous system to regenerate

16 Stretching the limits of imagination Technopark Lodz is going to open new laboratories this year

ECONOMY18 Ingenious young For seven years of functioning of the

program ‘Youth in Lodz – I have an idea for a business’, more than 120 companies have benefited from the support

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23 With experience into the future The most experienced Lodz IT company

– ZETO Computer Centre – will be a part of the new company Asseco Poland: Asseco Data Systems SA

24 Space for business Since May, Lodz Business Link branch has opened for business more than 500 m2

of space for work26 Goods for export

Lodz Airport’s cargo terminal is enjoying an influx of interest

28 Local insignia Kamil Wójcikowski offers comprehensive services to local governments. He designs not only coats of arms but also flags, banners, seals, badges and other insignia

30 Companies appreciate the significance of innovation – The entrepreneur should have a good,

innovative and cost-effective design, embedded in the realities of the market, well thought out and planned – Bożena Lublińska-Kasprzak, the president of Polish Agency for Enterprise, says

COLUMN33 Wake up your creative power

There is also another person inside you, your Internal Artist – the creator and the guardian of your life’s purpose patiently waiting for being allowed to speak

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES34 House of the living music

Between 2013 and 2014, Lodz Philharmonic Orchestra has witnessed an unusual event – the construction of two unique instruments – baroque and symphonic organs

37 Consistent changes Łódź Design Festival is the most important

event related to design in Central and Eastern Europe

38 Comics are where your imagination comes alive The Lodz Comics Centre is the only official institution in Poland devoted entirely to the art of comics

40 Trendy too large Nubee’s philosophy is based on short, limited collections sewn in one size

41 Unique collections The love of fashion, creating and sewing led Małgorzata Kredens to establish her own fashion business

TOURISM42 City within city

44 CALENDAR

34 42

18 38

DEBATE


of Computer Sciences and Skills (WSIiU). Gamedev has been actively involved in the events organised by these institutions since the very beginning. For instance, we participated in an event devoted to IT and ICT organised by WSIiU. Moreover, Lodz University of Technology organised a team competition, in which the cluster’s members were the jury and the sponsors assessing best games.

ŁARR focuses its activities on helping cluster members obtain funding for their projects. People employed in the constituent companies are true visionaries, but they lack time or will to deal with formalities. With years of experience, ŁARR reaches out to them. Leszek Lisowski: When I joined the cluster, I sought opportunities to exchange the know-how and find potential partners for large projects. I wanted to unite the game

What was the motivation behind creating a cluster? Edyta Ratajczyk: With a helping hand from the City of Lodz Office, the Lodz Agency of Regional Development was able to create a High-Tech Business Cluster (a project co-financed by the EU). We didn’t want to be copycats; so in order to create something unique, we set up a cluster confederating companies from the game industry. It all started on 5th November 2014 during Łódź Game Summit. Our intention was to gather under one umbrella academic institutions, institutions linked to the world of business as well as market players. Actually, these players had already known each other beforehand and it was not Gamedev that got them together and inspired to join their efforts. Among academic institutions that are in the cluster are: the Academy of Fine Arts, University of Lodz, Lodz University of Technology (PŁ) and the University

The prospects for Gamedev Business Cluster and the game industry to become the centrepiece of attention in Lodz, Poland and worldwide are discussed by Anna Krawczyk, Arkadiusz Rogoziński (CorreStudio), Maciej Zasada and Jakub Brzózka

(UNIT9), Michał Moroz (Makimo), Leszek Lisowski and Łukasz Dębski (Wastelands Interactive) and Edyta Ratajczyk (Lodz Agency of Regional Development – ŁARR).

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Game developersby Jarosław ZaradkiewicZ


business and to promote gamedev and the gaming culture. I also hoped to lift the profile of this industry in general as it is popularly considered cheap entertainment which offers little more than the possibility to kill myriads of enemies. Nowadays, we experience an influx of interest in game projects which go beyond bare entertainment – projects that can be used by business. This is the direction in which we want to go. When we talk to business partners, we can see that my company’s diverse portfolio of games is our huge asset. I am also aware of the fact that a consolidated environment finds it easier to break through to the media as well as local and global institutions. Arkadiusz Rogoziński: My company does not develop games as such. We deal with the hardware element behind virtual reality and are interested in incorporating it into alternative educating techniques. Our collaboration with 10 companies from the Lodz Region is an opportunity to exchange knowledge and carry out projects together with them. Maciej Zasada: As a branch of an international company in Poland, we have been involved in all manner of projects that promote Lodz around the world. We also actively support initiatives that build the image of Lodz as an artistic and technological hub. Becoming a member of the cluster was a natural consequence of UNIT9’s strategy. We are in our element when we incorporate games into the biggest marketing campaigns in the world. A cluster reputed for its successful and reliable companies based in

the Lodz Region is key for us in an effort to build a strong position of Lodz in the gamedev industry. The cluster’s members do not compete against each other. The support within the group may be essential in addressing Polish customers’ needs. Exchanging the know-how and joining forces are key to achieve just that. We hope that in the future, we will carry out projects together. I believe that our companies (maybe with some exceptions) are not large enough to be able to carry out certain projects all by themselves. Jakub Brzózka: Innovative technological solutions for global marketing campaigns are our speciality. For us, the potential application of gaming solutions in business is crucial. Our projects frequently make use of virtual reality and gamification. Our customers know perfectly well that what matters in a good campaign is a unique idea. They conclude that it would be good to do something innovative that has never been done before, to use mechanisms, such as virtual reality, which haven’t so far been used in business. Michał Moroz: The times we live in are fascinating. Many companies begin to notice how developing computer games may translate into real profits, e.g. into the number of people entering a certain website or using a given application. The rise of gamification opened the door for marketing campaigns and applications to become more attractive and interactive. My company is not dealing with gamedev as such, i.e. developing games to be ultimately sold in stores. We develop games for partners who are

Edyta Ratajczyk: It all started on 5th November 2014 during Łódź Game Summit. Our intention was to gather under one umbrella academic institutions, institutions linked to the world of business as well as market players.

Leszek Lisowski: There are about 2.5 thousand people in the gamedev business in Poland and about a hundred in Lodz. In 3–5 years, I think, we might be able to create 200–300 work places basing either on what we have now or including new market players in Lodz.

DEBATE


interested in introducing elements of gamification to their products or want to make them interactive. Cooperating within our cluster will facilitate the process of exchanging information. We will have the opportunity to learn from game developing companies' mistakes. I believe we can all benefit from it and save money which would have to be otherwise spent on research. Łukasz Dębski: The synergy that evolves between individual members (market players, their partners and academic institutions) is the cluster’s main asset. We must focus on cooperating with academic institutions. I see that companies based in large cities are now facing

Arkadiusz Rogoziński: ’The Witcher’ is based on a book by a Lodz-born author. Many people who were involved in creating the game come from Lodz as well. One of the aims of our cluster should be not to let more treasures like this escape from Lodz.

Maciej Zasada: We are in our element when we incorporate games into the biggest marketing campaigns in the world.

Lodz Gamedev Cluster was started and coordinated by the Lodz Agency of Regional Development under the ‘High-Tech Cluster’ project co-financed by the EU. It is the first and only

such project in the Lodz Region. It gives computer game producers a chance to develop corporate relationships. The aim of the project is to gather under one umbrella institutions cooperating with the business sector, academic institutions and companies interested in cutting edge technologies used in IT and game development. The cluster includes:Companies:Blue Brick ltd.CorreStudioLe Polish Bureau / UNIT9Inwedo ltd.KODA Five ltd.Microsoft PolskaMakimo ltd.Plastic ltd.SUPERHOT ltd.Teyon plc.Wastelands InteractiveAcademic institutions:Academy of Fine ArtsLodz University of TechnologyLodz UniversityUniversity of Computer Sciences and SkillsSupporting institutions:City of Lodz OfficeMarshal's Office of the Lodz Region

troubles with employing qualified personnel. In Lodz, medium-sized companies, like us, have easier access to graduates from such institutions as Lodz University of Technology, Lodz University or WSIiU. If we employ these young people and let them develop, we can carry out more projects and create a win-win situation. As a group, we also find it easier to be noticed by clients and institutions. A good example in question is Microsoft, one of the world’s leading game producers, which we managed to convince to join our cluster. This showcases how the mentioned synergy works. If a large market player enters Lodz in a few years time, it would be great


to say then that it poses no threats for us and it will rather offer new opportunities.

What do you expect from academic institutions that are in your cluster and the world of science in general?Leszek Lisowski: There are 20 people on Wastelands Interactive’s team and nearly all of us graduated from academic institutions in Lodz. We study, live, pay taxes and spend our money here. We want fresh graduates to settle in Lodz and establish their families here. Academic institutions prepare future employees well, but I would like to see the curriculum adjusted to the needs of the market and more emphasis put on team work and projects. It is crucial for academic institutions to be more business oriented when collaborating with us.Łukasz Dębski: We expect academic institutions to be open and willing to share more than their students. Academic institutions want to tailor their curriculum to the needs of the market and this is good news for us because we will take on board well-prepared graduates. We don’t expect the graduates to be familiar with all new technologies and have the knowledge of an employee with five years of work experience. We want them to be open-minded, know the basics and where to search for information. Academic institutions are aware of that and they come to us for support, which is great. Lodz University of Technology has an impressive track record of using high technology. Adam Wojciechowski, PhD and his colleagues became deeply involved in the game development business and show us

huge support. Our collaboration with academic institutions also helps to lower the costs. We don’t have to invest in our own R&D units if we can carry out research at university. We can thus lower manufacturing costs. The effect is a product born from the marriage of business and science. This also allows us to concentrate on the business and social elements of the whole enterprise. Maciej Zasada: In my company, we use offbeat technologies which don’t appear in a standard curriculum at universities. A pivotal element of UNIT9’s strategy is to create a strong image of a company willing to share its unique knowledge. We show to the students technologies they are not familiar with. It is a well considered measure which acquaints young people with issues they would have never heard of otherwise during their studies. Consequently, such a student is better prepared to start a professional career, e.g. in UNIT9. Many come to us to ask for job opportunities. Presently, our office in Lodz employs 30 people, the majority of which live in Lodz. Many of them had started their professional careers when they were still students. Leszek Lisowski: There are about 2.5 thousand people in the gamedev business in Poland and about a hundred in Lodz. In 3–5 years, I think, we might be able to create 200–300 work places basing either on what we have now or including new market players in Lodz. The trouble is that in order to run your business on a larger scale, a company needs to invest in solutions that will sustain it for at least

Jakub Brzózka: UNIT9 VR Challenge took place in June and was the first ever festival of virtual reality in Poland held in Lodz.

Michał Moroz: Many companies begin to notice how developing computer games may translate into real profits, e.g. into the number of people entering a certain website or using a given application.

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Our companies have a strong sense of social responsibility. As we grow business-wise, we invest in education, certificates and ratings. This is our way to demonstrate our growing sense of social responsibility. We don’t just make a product and put it on a shelf letting customers decide whether, e.g. a given game will be appropriate for their child. We go one step further. We invest money and let a certified organisation decide if, e.g. children may be the target audience for this game. Maciej Zasada: During an event called UNIT9 VR Challenge held in OFF Piotrkowska, we focused on virtual reality. People could put on goggles and be transported to a virtual world. There were many different projects and only the best were shown during this event. Among them, the jury chose the final three. The audience could also cast their vote. Projects chosen for presentation had to first pass qualifications. During that process we rejected everything that was violent. We wanted to show the positive side of virtual reality and how absorbing this reality can be. So, for instance, we showed riding a bike in the sky, parachuting and going on a roller coaster. We received a positive feedback therefore we plan another edition of this event. The cluster will, hopefully, help us obtain the funding for that purpose, which is one of its kind in the whole Poland. I would like to involve the audience in the so-called game jams, i.e. creating games ad hoc. Leszek Lisowski: As a cluster member, I hope we will be able to obtain funding from the EU to organize something which, let’s hope, will become a regular event. Since the Challenge will involve the active participation of the audience, I hope that game developers and creators from Eastern Europe will take my invitation and come to the event. Whether the audience’s response will be positive or negative depends solely on the creators themselves. What we want to achieve is to show to the people that computer games are not pure evil, that they can be educational and are more fun than books or films because, apart from making the player emotionally involved, they have the additional boon of being more absorbing. I would like to combine the efforts of UNIT9 and Lodz University of Technology to show that there are noteworthy gaming events in Lodz. What I hope to see in the future is Lodz as the computer gaming hub. Jakub Brzózka: UNIT9 VR Challenge took place in June and was the first ever festival of virtual reality in Poland held in Lodz. The cluster was one of the partners of the project. The idea behind the event was to show how virtual reality could be used in different fields, not just

Łukasz Dębski: Apart from entertainment, computer games can be used in education, business (e.g. gamification) as well as marketing and advertising industries. These are four pillars, which make for a considerable market potential.

Gamedev – a game developing industry, which is currently the most dynamically expanding branch in the entertainment sector. It renders revenue comparable

to that of the film industry. Gamedev is frequently classified as a branch of IT. However, game creators follow different standards since their work requires a great deal of creativity.

1.5 year. Presently, we want to establish various funding mechanisms, which is not easy. We share our plans and are aware what potential there is among us. In 3–5 years I would wish my team to be 50 people strong instead of 20. If we assume a growth of 150 percent, the effect will be 250 new work places.

Computer games are mainly associated with entertainment. Where else can they be used?Łukasz Dębski: Apart from entertainment, computer games can be used in education, business (e.g. gamification) as well as marketing and advertising industries. These are four pillars, which make for a considerable market potential. The army needs simulators, so it might also be added to the list. Another group is medical universities, where students can study with the help of simulators. We must make our customers aware that games are more than after-work entertainment. It may also be a cultural and educational event spreading positive values and not just negative ones, like violence.


gamedev. There were more than 40 applications from all over Poland. We decided to show 10 best. Some of them were created by students from Lodz University of Technology during classes led in part by UNIT9. During the event, we also showed our own commercial projects which Unit9 had recently completed. During the event, we hosted representatives of other companies dealing with virtual reality in games. This event was accompanied by a series of discussions about virtual reality and talks on what developers, designers, other professionals and academics from Lodz University of Technology and Lodz University think about the business. Attracting formidable market players as well as young, creative and talented people to Lodz is something that lies deep in our

UNIT9, Polish branch: Le Polish Bureau – an interactive company dealing with advertising, marketing and innovative solutions. UNIT9

is a production studio responsible for producing technologically advanced elements in marketing campaigns of the world’s leading agencies and their clients. It is one of two companies in the world to win over a hundred prestigious awards granted by FWA. Major projects: more than 500 projects completed for Google, Disney, Nissan, MINI, BMW, Samsung, McDonald’s, Calvin Klein and others.

Wastelands Interactive – an independent game developing company. It’s a place where the world of high technologies meets the

world of creation and entertainment. All this is possible thanks to the team of talented programmers, graphic designers, creators and artists for whom computer games are not only work but also their passion. They develop games for the PC and console markets (XBOX One and PS4). In 2015, they included in their portfolio first VR (virtual reality) solutions and projects available for mobile devices. Major projects: Worlds of Magic was released in 2015. It is a 4X turn- -based strategy game taking the player to the world of fantasy. The player plays a part of a powerful wizard whose aim is to conquer all enemies by developing cities, creating powerful armies and spells.

Makimo ltd. – a company that specializes in creating tailor-made mobile, Internet and desktop applications. The key characteristic of the company is that it creates offbeat solutions customized to suit the needs of the clients. They are experienced in using diverse technological solutions, e.g.: Java/Python/PHP/Android/iOS. Major projects: collaborating with AVON, Nutricia and X Trade Brokers. One of the projects Makimo completed is an educational site where children can gain mathematical and language skills as they make use of virtual counterparts of building blocks produced by their client.

CorreStudio – education and technology. CorreStudio’s activities are strongly linked to the underlying idea which gave the company its name – Correspondance des Arts. CorreStudio constantly seeks to fuse different fields of art, tradition and modernity, the digital with the analogue. Being exposed to situations where a wide range of skills is compulsory has attracted to CorreStudio a team of experienced professionals specializing in electronics, programming, designing and scientific research. The company has been involved in intensive development of virtual and augmented reality systems since 2014. Major projects: developing the world's first engine to fuse 3D 360° videos with the real and virtual worlds in one system and incorporating in educational curricula computer gaming technologies as well as elements of virtual and augmented reality.

Companies present at the debate

hearts. Gamedev cluster is an institution whose task is to help fulfil these hopes.

What will the cluster’s future look like?Leszek Lisowski: Our aim as a cluster is to attract game developing companies and businesses collaborating with them so that they can get to know each other and understand each other’s potential better. We want to encourage team projects and share experience and knowledge. Presently, there are 11 companies in our cluster and we need 50 to create a key national cluster. This is our aim for the next three years. Moreover, we want to establish a mechanism which will allow companies based too far to get involved in the cluster’s life to join the cluster

DEBATE


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and become a value-added. Our first step will be to start a cooperation with graphic rendering engines’ producers, i.e. Unity 3D and Epic. If we manage to get through to them, many of us will have easier job working on a given game solution. We also know that certain companies and organisations outside Poland are seeking an anchor in our cluster.Łukasz Dębski: We have started talks with the game development sector in Montreal. We are bringing in our cluster and innovative ideas and they have a business accelerator, competence and knowledge. They can share their know-how and we can help them build a reputation in Europe. It is very important for them because gamedev is a major part of business in Canada. The first meeting took place in May during Digital Dragons event in Cracow. We also took first measures to collaborate with business representatives in Scandinavia as well as international organisations confederating game developers – IGDA and EGDF.

Arkadiusz Rogoziński: As for our plans for the future, we should try and make business institutions interested in our activities, design a product together and enter the national market. Thanks to the cluster, people who use services of foreign companies will become aware that there is also a Polish sector of gamedev where they can find partners to work with. ‘The Witcher’ is based on a book by a Lodz-born author. Many people who were involved in creating the game come from Lodz as well. One of the aims of our cluster should be not to let more treasures like this escape from Lodz.Jakub Brzózka: Our aim is to build a strong image of Poland worldwide in terms of computer game development. Thanks to such productions as ‘The Witcher’ and ‘Dying Light’, Polish gamedev became famous all over the globe. Even so, there is always room for improvement. We should demonstrate that there are more companies in Poland that can make their impact felt around the world.

Speaking of technologies, audiovisual and computer programs, we must remember that the value of the global gaming market is estimated at 70 billion dollars. In Poland, we have about 12 million active players.

Taking into consideration the demographic studies, not only people aged 16 and 35 express their interest in the games, contrary to stereotypical belief. It is enough to look at the applications installed on a phone to see how pervasive technology is. Anyway, we look at it much wider. The components of the market we are talking about are yet modern audio-visual technologies, graphics and computer animation. These industries cannot be reduced to the level of pure entertainment.

In the EC1 Lodz – City of Culture, we are aware of the potential that lies in the market of the above-mentioned modern technologies. As a result, the decision was taken to start revitalisation of the next part of the EC1 complex intended for the Centre of Games and Comics in Lodz. We have planned there the area where we may become familiar with the operation of the VR simulators or devices, such as the Oculus Rift. We also plan to launch a path that presents the process of creation of sophisticated computer programs, offering insight into new technologies that increasingly affect our daily lives. Besides, we give the opportunity for a comprehensive

Błażej Moderdirector of EC1 – City of Culture

understanding of the process of creation of games. From scriptwriting and storyboarding through animation, rendering, sound etc. We also planned the retro area and exhibition spaces. Therefore, our Centre has to play an important educational role. It also provides inspiration and knowledge or encourages action.

Another aspect that involves revitalisation, NCL and audio-visual technologies is the Business Incubator for mobile applications and new technologies sector. Its main functions are local offer, infrastructure to conduct business, support services, including economic, financial, legal, patent, organisational and technological consultancy, assistance in raising funds, creation of a proper climate for the establishment of business activity and implementation of innovative projects. It also involves the opportunity to establish contacts with academic institutions and business.

Certainly, these emerging facilities cannot and will not function in a vacuum. We will need close cooperation, among others, with Lodz higher education institutions that conduct the courses of study devoted to computer graphics, programing or project management, and with the Lodz Comics Centre. We believe that the unique location – near the main train station, in the heart of downtown – would be an advantage and a magnet, attracting the creators of further computer hits.


SCIENCE

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIESThe Information Technology centre is also to provide students with access to highly specialised tools and devices. Among others, there is a motion capture system, which allows to record the actors’ movements for later modeling, which could be used either in computer games, films or medicine. The centre also has a computing cluster to process data. The students are familirized how to setup, configure and maitain such a device. Moreover, they also learn how to implement special algorithms for clusters. In the IT Centre you might also find other labs like wireless networks lab, computer network design lab, data visualisation lab, multimedia techniques lab, game development lab, artificial intelligence and biometric’s lab. There are over 26 labs which cover 21 fields of ICT technology. The centre also houses the cinema where 3D films can be viewed.

The IT Centre also has many biometric devices such as scanners of hands and iris, voice recognition devices, thermographic cameras and other equipment. There are also 3D helmets and 3D printers. The students can become familiar with the devices of increasingly popular Internet of Things (IoT), such as sets of distributed sensors that monitor various events and activities, e.g., a remote-controlled socket or smart watch.

The students from across the Lodz University of Technology learn cutting-edge information technology at the Information Technology Centre. The IT Centre Director Dr Przemysław Sękalski stresses that, at the centre, the students from all the faculties will be able to learn how to use the pioneering technologies. – The idea was not only to limit to computer science but to turn to – address all students, who are willing to use computer science in their fields. Currently, it is difficult to imagine, for example, biotechnology or mechanics without computer science. It is worth mentioning that the IT engeeners are not qualified enough to design specialised systems for all fields. There is a need to cooperate in multidisciplinary teams. I would like to invite to the IT Centre the people who study different subjects and are open-minded, the people who like challenges and are willing to design a better tomorrow – Director Sękalski believes.

A total usable area of the ITC is 4500 square meters. There are places for more than 450 students and rooms for work in smaller, project-oriented groups and for video conferencing. The centre is also one of

the first educatonal facilities in Poland which has a 3D cinema in which students (especially from the animation course) are able to visualize effects of their work on the big screen.

The IT Centre is so complicated infrastructure that even its management is a challange. There are more than 120 km of cables installed. Moreover, there is a IT network of over 2,800 outlets, which are connected to VoIP phones, smart TV sets, Set Top Boxes and similar devices. Naturally, everyone can use a wireless Internet access thanks to Eduroam network.

EUROPEAN SCALEThe groundbreaking investment cost over PLN 40 million, of which nearly 80 percent was granted by the European Union. The other cost was covered by national goverment and university money. The project was implemented with the support of two faculties – the Faculty of Electrical, Electronic, Computer and Control Engineering and the Faculty of Technical Physics, Information Technology and Applied Mathematics. In total, there are nearly three thousand students studying computer science at both faculties. It means that every year there are more than 500 graduates. – Lodz region must be a modern region as there is no other alternative. The use of various technologies will certainly be helpful. This centre is also the first symptom of integration of certain activities at the university. Both faculties have decided to make a concerted effort in the training of IT students – as was said by the Rector of the Lodz University of Technology Prof. Stanisław Bielecki during the opening of the IT Centre in April 2015. He also added that the centre is the university’s response to the rapidly growing market of ICT sector companies. These companies are seeking for well-skilled university graduates.

The IT Centre is an interfaculty unit. This means that students of various faculties can attend lessons, not only IT specialists. Lodz employers have repeatedly stressed that they need well- -educated professionals, and this newly opened centre is intended to help them prepare for participation in the labour market.

Modern centre for students with passionby Jarosław ZaradkiewicZ

The students of the Lodz University of Technology can make use of the Information Technology Centre. It has over 4500 square meters of specialised laboratories in the field of computer science and related to it. One can find in the centre very sophisticated equipement like computing cluster, drons, robots, 3D cinema either 3D glasses, helmets or even a cave for virtual reality. The value of the installed hardware is over PLN 20 million. A total investment cost over PLN 40 million.

SCIENCE


had returned from an internship in the Institut des Sciences du Mouvement in France and he had written his doctoral thesis about biomaterials that could be used as bone tissue implants. Moreover, Tylman’s passion for designing and constructing various mechanical and electrical devices came in useful when the research gained momentum. – We were talking about the nervous system and its potential to regenerate – remembers Katarzyna Nawrotek.

The nervous system is one of the most fascinating mechanisms in our body. The human brain can be shortlisted among the most sophisticated ‘devices’ operating in the modern world. – Investigating the central and the peripheral nervous systems is in the mainstream of contemporary scientific research. There are still a number of enigmas about how the nervous system

Her work was appreciated in Innovators Under 35 competition organised by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This achievement placed her in the company of

such notable winners from earlier editions as Konstantin Novoselov (the winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics) and founders of such success companies as Facebook (Mark Zuckerberg) and Google (Sergey Brin and Larry Page).

FRUITFUL TALKSThe idea that specially designed tubes could aid in the regeneration of nerves in the peripheral nervous system came up to Katarzyna Nawrotek during a conversation with Michał Tylman, PhD. They were discussing the latest discoveries in the field of nervous system regeneration. She

Extraordinary regenerationby Jarosław ZaradkiewicZ

It is common belief that neurons cannot be regenerated. Well, it turns out that this belief is false. Katarzyna Nawrotek, PhD from Lodz University of Technology is

investigating the potential of the nervous system to regenerate.

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you analyse materials for biomedical uses one of the best methods is to do X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Jacek Balcerzak is a specialist on this and so we asked him to help us make our idea come true – says Katarzyna Nawrotek. This is how the perfect team came into being.

The research started in 2013 thanks to a grant from Lodz University of Technology. It allowed the team to create chitosan- and polylactide-based casings from polymer biocomposites facilitating the process of peripheral nerve cells’ regeneration. The team decided to patent their achievements, which they titled: ‘The method of producing polymer tubes, particularly for medical applications and the machine for producing these tubes’.

Katarzyna Nawrotek believes that the main achievement in her professional career so far is the gold medal in Best Woman Inventor category awarded by the World Intellectual Property Organisation. She received the prize in 2014 during the 42nd International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva for the mentioned method of producing polymer tubes.

Katarzyna Nawrotek’s team was also noticed in Poland. They received an honorable mention in a competition called ‘InnoTechAkademia II BioTechScience – droga do własnych marzeń’ and were awarded a prize by the president of Kielce University of Technology in ‘Student – Inventor’ competition for 2013/2014.

works, which currently remain unanswered. One of the conundrums to be solved is the regeneration process of nervous cells after injury – claims Nawrotek.

Research shows that the ability for the nervous cells to regenerate is different for the central and the peripheral nervous systems. – Until recently, the prevailing opinion was that the damage in the spinal cord is irreversible because its tissues are not able to regenerate axons. Yet the latest scientific reports say that these cells are in fact able to rebuild themselves, but they are hampered by the hostile environment created after the damage had taken place – explains Katarzyna Nawrotek.

SAFE TUBESIt is believed that the nervous cells are not likely to regrow because such an attempt could lead to generating improper connections between the neurons. However, unlike in the case of the central nervous system, the peripheral one is able to regrow its cells. But in order to do that, the right environment is a must. – Neurons may regenerate themselves spontaneously and the extent to which they can be repaired depends on the extent of the damage and the environment in surrounding tissues. Currently, scientists are widely discussing biomolecules and the conditions in the environment indispensable for regeneration – explains Nawrotek.

Katarzyna Nawrotek believes that the key to success in regenerating the nervous system is creating an artificial environment enabling the cells to regrow. This is ensured by special tubes encasing damaged nerve bundles.

– By placing bundles of neurons in such a casing, we are creating a space and favourable environment for the regeneration process. The tube’s surface isolates the nerve tissue from the surrounding tissues and by doing so protects it from harmful substances. Moreover, this structure works as a scaffold which is used by the cells to regrow – says Katarzyna Nawrotek.

TALENTED TEAMAlthough Innovators Under 35 prize went only to Katarzyna Nawrotek, she underlines the fact that her achievement would have been impossible if not for the collective effort of the whole team. Apart from her, the team includes Michał Tylman, PhD, Kamil Kamiński, PhD and Jacek Balcerzak, PhD. The group carried out their investigations in the Faculty of Process Engineering and Environmental Protection at Lodz University of Technology.

– We concluded that we should use an electric field to create these structures. That is why we asked Kamil Kamiński, PhD – an experienced researcher in this area – to join our team. We also decided to publish the results of our research in renowned scientific journals. When

SCIENCE


define the task accurately, they will be given an answer immediately.

– ARUZ is not a computer – explains Jarosław Jung, PhD. – What lies at the heart of computer’s and supercomputer’s operations is a microprocessor which performs very simple arithmetic and logical calculations at an enormous speed. A computer programme is responsible for sequencing these calculations. If there are complex calculations to be done, they can frequently be subdivided into smaller chunks. Supercomputers which have networks of microprocessors are capable of simultaneous calculations. Having performed their task, the microprocessors have to exchange their results. Only then can they deal with the next step of the task. And that takes time. ARUZ, on the other hand, is not made of networks of microprocessors but rather is a sort of an enormous processor itself. In practice, it means that

The new building of BioNanoPark (part of Technopark Lodz complex) looks all set to become Lodz’s landmark. This is here that a chemical process simulator called ARUZ

is located. ARUZ is a highly advanced digital circuit, but it

operates on a different basis than the so- -called supercomputers. Although it doesn’t have microprocessors, it is capable of analysing reactions in chemical systems consisting of million or so particles. The resulting data is then used in the process of production of chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

FAST CALCULATIONSWith the use of ARUZ, it will be possible to shorten the time for research and save money. The ultimate performance level of the simulator will depend to a large extent on the research team. If the scientists

Stretching the limits of imaginationby edyta bąk

Experienced scientists, state-of-the-art equipment and a digital simulator, which has no peer elsewhere in the world – this is part and parcel of Technopark Lodz, which is

going to open new laboratories this year.

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verify the products’ place of origin and methods of production. Such research is crucial in minimizing the risk of consuming harmful substances and introducing counterfeited products into the market. The authentication of products is based on the analysis of the ratios of stable isotopes in chemical compounds present in food products and pharmaceuticals. • Laboratory of Biotechnology – Cell Cultivation and Confocal Microscopy Unit

Its aim is to analyse the anticancer and health boosting properties in food ingredients and synthetic compounds in vitro (immortalized and healthy cell lines). The lab also performs advanced investigations of molecular interactions inside cells (confocal microscopy used in 3D imaging using a full fluorescence spectrum – the so-called white laser);

– Genomics and Sequencing Unit This unit isolates the genetic material and analyses genome sequences, whole transcriptome shotgun sequencing (RNAseq) and micro RNA (miRNA) of bacteria, eukaryotic micro-organisms, plants, human and animal cells. The investigation is based on next generation sequencing (NGS) and bioinformatic analyses;

– Cell Engineering Unit It analyses expression systems and the creation of mutant libraries. The unit will also select desired clones and characterize the level of recombinant protein expression (RT-PCR, Western-Blot, early stages of purification).

New laboratories based in BioNanoPark aim their research offer at innovative businesses. Accordingly, in a few years time, Technopark in Lodz will be teeming with innovative technology companies, which will create work places for qualified specialists. In turn, they may secure Lodz a leading position among cities which develop a knowledge-based economy.

the various components in the device can exchange the data much faster and the successive steps in the algorithm are made simultaneously. The functions that ARUZ can do are much more complex than what a computer is capable of. This machine contains nearly three million cells. Its potential can be used in many branches of industry, e.g. the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. However, it can also be used by medicine, material engineering and economy – explains Jung.

THE PARK AND ITS FACILITIESAs you enter the building through the main door, you will be welcomed by the reception. Right above you, there is the place where ARUZ is located. The building is also home to numerous new laboratories: • Laboratory of Structural Analysis of NanomaterialsIt provides a broad scope of analyses connected with the production and characterization of nanomaterials. The laboratory scrutinizes, e.g. chemical methods of production, applicational properties as well as physical and chemical parameters. The researchers working there will also analyse nanomaterials in the form of powder, suspension and aerosol, investigate contrasts in medical imaging based on metallic and magnetic nanoparticles, measure the speed at which products release nanomaterials to the outside environment, analyse nanocatalysts and also measure the speed at which nanomaterials release medicines.• Laboratory of Personalized MedicineThis laboratory bridges the gap between diagnosis and therapy. A research into individual tendencies to develop certain types of diseases on the basis of sequences of specific genomes and mutations makes it possible to come up with a therapy targeted at each patient individually. Using cell lines derived from patients and the analysis of medicines and chemical compounds which may potentially have therapeutic properties enables a more precise anticancer treatment. Such personalised therapy, which takes into account characteristic markers, ensures a quick diagnosis, helps to choose the best treatment, spares healthy cells and allows to determine the chances to cure the patient completely. • Laboratory of Biosensors and Organic Electronics It investigates the optimal structure of organic materials and composites used in electronic devices. The laboratory designs and markers, organic light emitting diodes, photovoltaic cells and field effect transistors. It also analyses the parameters of their work. • Laboratory of Product Authentication The laboratory scrutinizes isotopes in various products. This process can be used as a means to

Visualization

ECONOMY


Technology Transfer Centre of the University of Lodz) and the annual accounting services (sponsored by BDB AGOS), was granted to Master of physical education and also a keen sailor – Dawid Skoczylas, the owner of Moroger company. His business plan concerned sailing, of course.

– My main motive was deficiencies in the equipment that occur in the yachting market. From the moment I started sailing, the eternal problem was a lack of profiled slats. For this purpose, plywood or plastic slats were used. It often happened that ordinary sticks were fastened in sail pockets. The alternative was to import slats from the USA, Australia or New Zealand – the sailor says.

Therefore, he decided to solve that problem and... it turned out to be quite a challenge.

The competition is an initiative aiming to honour and support the implementation of the best future business plans and currently functioning Lodz’s young entrepreneurs.

All the participants who submit their ideas for their own business have the opportunity to participate in free trainings and individual consulting, and the best ones receive, among others, financial rewards, prizes in kind, language courses or free accounting services for their future companies. In this year’s edition of the competition, the winner of each category will be awarded PLN 20 thousand for business development.

THE WIND IN THE SAILSThis award, in the general category and consultancy on commercialization of innovations (sponsored by the

Ingenious youngby Jarosław ZaradkiewicZ

Dawid Skoczylas, Moroger

For seven years of functioning of the program ‘Youth in Lodz – I have an idea for a business’, more than 120 companies have benefited from the support. During seven editions, the young citizens of Lodz have submitted nearly one

thousand business ideas and almost 240 professional business plans.

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and rollers, which are made of hard plastic (boracetal), are mounted on iglidur sliding bearings. The main line is a dyneema in steel colour and a rope of aramid fibers and Kevlar. The sizes of boom vangs are adapted to the size of boats, and therefore production in this regard includes four basic sizes, and each one has two different lengths. Thanks to this, they can be applied on yachts from 5 to 16 metres in length.

– For larger boats, vangs will be made individually – a resourceful sailor explains. He has already had the first completed individual orders. He is also the sponsor of the prize in sailing regattas.

The market, in which the Moroger operates, is developmental. In Poland alone, more than 17 thousand sailing yachts are produced per year. – Although only 5 percent of these boats remains in the country, still, in their sails there are usually simple, not profiled slats breaking and shortening the lifespan of sails. The recipients are also the owners of already constructed boats, who, because of the price and shortage of a given product on the Polish market, are forced to apply alternatives – David says. A great opportunity for the company is that it faces no competition in this regard throughout Europe.

SOCIAL NETWORKING RECRUITMENTShareHire.pl is the flagship project of MGM HR Solutions, a company established in the early period of 2015 by Łukasz Małecki, Marcin Giełzak and Bartosz Filip Malinowski. The ShareHire services have already been used, among others, by mBank, Alior Bank, InPost or Top Secret.

Łukasz Małecki, Marcin Giełzak, Wiktoria Kotlicka, MGM HR Solutions

While working as the foredeck man on a racing yacht Fujimo, in time, he changed the import of slats into his own production. – I produced 2.5 to 4 meters long profiled slats using basic nautical industry materials, i.e. fiberglass fabric and polyester resin. To produce proper slats, i.e. slats with the right deflection point and hardness, I used nearly 20 kilos of resin – the entrepreneur says. Due to properly profiled slats, the sail works in uninterrupted streams of wind, increasing the thrust and simultaneously the speed of the yacht, which results in high rankings in the race.

The young boat builder made the first slats by hand. However he wanted to mechanize the production process and again encountered a problem. – I started consultations with people having own machinery park about useful production device. Everyone claimed that the machine had to be designed from scratch – he recalls. In the end, the Tok Met company from Piotrków Trybunalski undertook the production of a milling machine.

Moroger company provides innovative solutions in yachting and Dawid Skoczylas, himself declares that he wants to create a brand that will dictate the patterns and trends in the nautical sector. The profiled slats of glass or carbon stiffen the sail and protect it from the flapping ravages, extending its life. Target production will cover a total of more than 200 types of slats of different widths, thicknesses and lengths. This wide range will allow to fit the slats into different sizes of sails.

Also, advanced technology in a boom vang offered by the company is innovative. The main difference is the use of amortisation based on the gas spring. Blocks

ECONOMY


ShareHire is a recruitment platform. Social networking platform model is most fully expressed in the toll system commands, and its operation is fast and simple. To recommend a candidate for the job, a unique link that was generated on the page with an offer needs to be transferred. This can be done by e-mail, instant messaging or social media – just like wanting to share a link to an article or photo. To each command, there is a prize assigned and its value is determined by the employer who presented the ad. For example, the PLN 1000 award means that this amount will be given to the person making this command after the employment of an indicated candidate. Command Systems are realized under three different products: open announcements (publicly available, shown on Sharehire.pl), closed announcements (available only to persons designated by the customer – e.g. only to his employees) and within the framework of a dedicated ShareHire Insider application, which is not only a platform of commands used for work, but also a tool involving all employees in the processes relevant to HR departments.

The idea of ShareHire is the result of a collision of very different, but perfectly complementary skills and experience. Łukasz Małecki, HR manager with 15 years of experience in consulting and human resources departments of large companies, demonstrated a full understanding of the needs of business customers and expertise in the field of solutions, which are missing in the Polish labour market. Marcin Giełzak, specialist in social solutions, co-founder of the first think-tank and a blog dealing with this issue and co-author of many campaigns involving the Internet community, knew the needs of young people on the labour market and had the expertise in construction, development and animation of the community. Both founders met during the job interview. Although Marcin Giełzak did not accept the job offer that Łukasz Małecki put forward on behalf of his client, a few weeks later he

accepted the offer of cooperation at something that happened later to be a networking recruiting platform.

ShareHire had a community before the creation of the platform. Marcin Giełzak and Bartosz Filip Malinowski – the third co-founder – created a closed group on Facebook, to which they invited trusted individuals for a great brainstorming session, devoted to the labour market in Poland. They asked how people were looking for a job and how they would like to look for it. The inspiration drawn from these discussion groups and in-depth interviews formed the basis of the model of ShareHire, which is distinguished by: social specifics of command mechanism, personalised relationship on the candidate – recruiter line and a multimedia nature of the announcements.

ShareHire name is supposed to reflect the essence of the entire process – ‘hire’ means to employ, ‘share’ is both ‘to share’ (recommendation link) and ‘to share’ (in the social media language). This word has to awaken associations not only with social media but also with the phenomenon of sharing economy, i.e. a shared economy.

Marcin Giełzak of MGM HR Solutions emphasizes that the greatest achievement of the company was the successful completion of the recruitment process for Alior Bank, covering 114 locations in 16 voivodeships. – We have shown that our model works – Giełzak says proudly and adds that his life motto is to act courageously, but prudently.

VERSATILE SOLUTIONIt all began in 2014. Kasper Bielejec dealing with professional videography spotted a problem in the market of film sliders’ drives. Well, these sliders differ in design – are longer, shorter, wider, narrower, etc. Every drive cooperating with them, replacing the physical operator, matched only to one selected model of rail. – Kasper then came up with the idea of creating a single unit that would work with all types of sliders – Aleksander Grzelka of the Unidrive recalls.

From the beginning, the team member is Adela Walczak, whose invaluable knowledge of 3D prototyping and product design allowed testing various product concepts. The idea of Bielejec was directly transformed into the company’s name. Unidrive is a cluster of English words – i.e. universal drive.

For the first year, the works went quite slowly. In February 2015, there was a breakthrough. The team was expanded by specialists in the field of mechanics and electronics: Tomasz Kubiak and Aleksander Grzelka. The works gained rapid pace. – In our project, we get real support from our families. Among those who support us, there are also companies and institutions that trusted

Tomasz Kubiak, Adela Walczak, Aleksander Grzelka, Unidrive


us in the competition for business plan – ‘Youth in Łodz’, i.e. The Technology Transfer Centre at the University of Lodz, Pixel Technologies, Le Polish Bureau, Business Link and Kancelaria Podatkowa Wiol – Grzelka says.

The creators of the drive emphasize that knowing the specifics of photo and video industry, they put a lot of emphasis on the equipment to have the best look. They make it from anodized aluminum and carbon. – We have studied carefully what is proposed by the competition. We offer even more functionality than 9/10 players on the market. We are guided by the thought that with no universality we put ourselves in a row with the best

producers in the market. But with universality we are one step ahead of them. Our innovation, beyond the change of approach to the market and its re-segmentation, is based on appropriate, universal coupling of the mechanical drive system with a slider. We protect this solution legally – Aleksander Grzelka adds.

Unidrive Technology will specialise in the design, manufacture and distribution of automatic, programmable devices supporting the operator’s film work. The world’s first, fully universal drive for film sliders will have its premiere at the end of 2015. For further development process of the company, it is planned to create a complete motion control system with a head working in all 3D planes. The system will be used to create complex time-lapses and to implement the shots using sophisticated compositional effects.

THE POWER PLANT OF THE FUTUREIn the student category, the main award was also PLN 20 thousand. In addition to this, the winner of this award received a 10-hour consultancy in the field of technology transfer from CTT Lodz University of Technology, and a multifunction device with the ArCADia – INTELLICAD 8+ program.

In this category, the most rated was the idea of Michał Świątek – doctoral student of the construction at the Lodz University of Technology and industrial structures designer – it concerns the establishment of a company that will sell proprietary software to design photovoltaic power plants, services on users training in software usage and services on energy production planning and earnings in the photovoltaic power plants.

Design offices have remained so far without efficient Polish-language tools. An alternative, for use by persons involved in the photovoltaic industry, is PVCAD software. PVCAD is the only software company on the market that performs calculations

Karolina and Michał Świątek, PVCAD

In spring, another VIII edition of the competition of the Mayor for the best business plan ‘Youth in Lodz – I have an idea for a business’ begins. Its aim is to promote entrepreneurial culture among young people, and the Municipal Office wants to encourage them to connect their future with Lodz. The participants have the opportunity to take advantage of training courses, workshops and individual consultations, specially designed for them, in the field of financing of start- -ups, creation and use of business plans with elements of accounting, marketing and company promotion. The implementated best business projects submitted for the competition are awarded with prizes.The competition is open to young people aged 18 to 35, who have their own business idea and want to realize it in Lodz, including students and start-up companies (operating for no longer than 12 months).1st stage (March–April):• announcement of the competition• receiving applications• announcement of the results2nd stage (April–May):• training and consultancy on the preparation

of a professional business plan• deadline for submissions of business plans3rd stage (May–June):• the jury evaluates business plans• announcement of the results and awarding

prizes to the winners.

ECONOMY


based on data of insolation in Poland, which were measured in the 61 weather stations throughout the country. Most of the statistics provide high reliability of results due to the long period of data collection. 43 out of 61 meteorological stations have collected data continuously for 30 years.

– We live in times of intensive mechanization of the industry. The economy is growing thanks to the constant power supply. Poland still obtains more than 92 percent of energy from fossil fuels that contribute to environmental contamination. Caring for climate is the domain of ecological development of a new society. The development of modern renewable energy sources guarantees the balance and purity of our environment. Photovoltaics is the technology of energy conversion of solar radiation into electrical energy that can be introduced into the power grid and utilize – the winner explains.

Michał Świątek says that the idea of creating of innovative software for the design and optimization of photovoltaic systems arose naturally. – In the daily work, the engineers noted the need to accelerate the design activities and calculations. The program, in an intuitive, natural way, takes you through all the necessary stages of implementation until the creation of a virtual model of the photovoltaic power plant. At the design stage, time is very important and every possibility to shorten this process will be noticed and used – the winner says.

Michał Świątek explains that his company gives a chance to the dynamic development of renewable energy sources in Poland.

COLOURFUL FEETMany Mornings was created and operates in

Aleksandrów Łódzki, Polish ‘sockland’, a place where socks have been produced for over a century and where the textile industry has its roots in almost every

family. Maciek Butkowski and Adrian Morawiak, for several months have colourised Polish feet having a great fun at the same time. Adrian is a trained psychologist. He teaches statistics and conducts scientific research. Maciek is a photographer, a student of the Lodz Film School.

Many Mornings produces high-quality colour, designer socks, which, as it turns out, are difficult to find on the Polish market. So they decided to take advantage of this niche.

– Anyone who cares about appearance, is interested in fashion, appreciates originality and quality, is the recipient of our product. We want to specialise in producing one range of socks. We want to introduce to our offer specific product lines, e.g. sports or children’s socks. In this calendar year, we plan to expand into foreign markets – the company’s founders say.

As they explain, the main incentive to start the business was an excellent reception by the immediate environment of produced by Adrian colourful socks for various occasions. He distributed them as gifts or just for fun. – In this way, from one-off actions, the idea of starting their own brand and filling a niche of colourful socks made in Poland was born – Maciej explains and adds that, at the beginning, they received large support from parents, friends and acquaintances.

Many Mornings creators emphasize that their designs are the result of multiday meetings and conversations, many hours of graphic design and tuning of production elements and colours. – Production of a sock may seem simple, and we want to make simple stripes, dots, etc., which flood the market. The case gets complicated when we enter into something more complex, multicolour – Maciej Butkowski says. The novelty, offered by the company, are ‘odd’ socks, i.e. two different ‘odd’ socks that form a pair corresponding to the presented motif.

The new thing on the Polish market is running a business engaged socially from the very beginning and socially responsible – focused not only on profit but also on the ability to help and share the joy. – Inspired by the Toms brand, producing shoes and acting in a 1 for 1 business model, we introduced such a model for our own business. We launched, in parallel to the production of Many Mornings, Share and pair program, owing to which for every purchased pair of socks of Many Mornings, the other one we send to people who cannot afford socks: child care homes’ pupils, homeless and refugees – the co- -owner of the company explains. So far in the context of this action they donated more than 10 thousand pairs of socks to the needy.

Maciej Butkowski, Adrian Morawiak Many Mornings

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infrastructure, including solutions for secure access to data and its protection, software development, custom application development and acquisition of application for development and maintenance as well as outsourcing of software developers.

Each solution is tailored to the client’s needs and depends on the investments already made in the area of computerisation. As the company respects this principle, it is always able to develop and implement the most optimal solutions from the point of view of the customer, his needs and circumstances in which he operates.

IMPORTANT PEOPLECurrently, CK ZETO employs approximately 150 employees. Due to the continuous development and extension of the offer, recruitment in this company is an ongoing process. The centre participates in scholarship programmes ‘Youth in Lodz’ and internships: IAESTE and internship programme of the Faculty of Management at the University of Lodz. – We cooperate with the Lodz university career offices. We are active in social media and online recruitment websites. The visitors can visit our stand at the biggest job fair in Lodz: Academic Job Fair, IT Mobilization, IT CareerCon Days, and capable trainees may find a permanent job – Robert Kobylański says.

The chairman of the management board of the company underlines that CK ZETO represents 50 years of innovative science in Lodz, and the greatest achievement of the company are the people who have decided to tie their future with the company, with which they share their vision over the years. – Thanks to them and their ideas, we are still a leading company in the IT market in Lodz after 50 years – Robert Kobylański adds.

The origins of ZETO Lodz date back to 1964 when it was established as one of the Plants of Electronic Computing Technology, appointed by the resolution of the Council of Ministers.

Economic changes led to the privatisation of the company in 1994, which now operates under the name of Centrum Komputerowe ZETO S.A. Since 2012, the company has belonged to Asseco Poland Group, and it will form a new company of this group since the new year.

In 2016, CK ZETO S.A. will appear on the market under a new brand, but will still continue to pursue its previous activities. However, it will be strengthened by new opportunities arising from such a merge (e.g. greater operational capabilities typical for a large company, a broader portfolio of services and products, teams of professionals from other companies).

SECURE ITFrom the very beginning, the business of the Computational Department was processing information and carrying out scientific and technical calculations. Today, IT solutions offered by CK ZETO encompass a very wide range of services. – Our offer includes developing software for specific needs, massive prints, data backup, etc. The scope of IT solutions also includes expert and advisory solutions and training information. All services are provided with the highest safety standards, as evidenced by ISO certificates and excellent references from our customers – Robert Kobylański, the Chairman of the Management Board of CK ZETO S.A., says.

Among the IT solutions offered by the company are: systems, data security and disaster recovery solutions used to increase the reliability of the server environment, development and implementation or expansion of IT

With experience into the future

by Jacek brylski

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The most experienced Lodz IT company – ZETO Computer Centre – will be a part of the new company Asseco Poland: Asseco Data Systems SA. It will be one of the largest Polish IT companies. The company’s activity, which will begin in early 2016, will be focused on serving enterprises and institutions of local government administration in the local market.

ECONOMY


GLOBALLY AND LOCALLYAlthough Business Link accelerator is an international project, the Lodz branch strongly refers to local traditions. In total, it offers six rooms. The biggest meeting room is designed for 25 people, with screen and multimedia projector. It is professionally prepared space for conferences and various events that can raise the profile of each meeting. It is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, including projector, flipchart, sound system and LED TV. It also allows for different settings for tables according to one’s preferences.

Another room offered is a Creative Laboratory (for 20 people). It is a space arranged in such a way where one could work creatively and unleash their own creativity. It is ideally suited for workshops and meetings, during which the participants instead of sitting at the table, comfortably sit on colorful poufs. The floor is replaced by sown grass, which introduces an atmosphere of peace and relaxation.

Weaving Mill of Ideas (for 8 people) is equipped with a large table, where there are yarns referring to the climate of the city. Factory of Knowledge (for 8 people) is a room whose design and equipment introduce the perfect atmosphere for knowledge exploration and creative work. Its most important element is the original table, entirely made of books. There is also a library equipped with the latest business books. Entrepreneurs Club (for 5 people), owing to the leather

Lodz Business Link is a business accelerator at the Voivodeship Centre for Entrepreneurship. A restored villa and the former weaving mill, located at Narutowicza 34 – near the New Centre of Lodz –

are homes to the Lodz Regional Development Agency, Lodz Chamber of Commerce and Business Centre Club.

IDEAS TO STARTLodz is the tenth city where Business Link has launched its business – the largest network of business accelerators in Europe. Lodz branch brings together young entrepreneurs and supports the development of start-ups. – Business Accelerator is a creative space where entrepreneurs have access to unique knowledge and skills. The members of this ecosystem can benefit from the experience of mentors – as is explained by Cezary Stacewicz, the manager of Lodz Business Link branch.

The accelerator provides support for micro and small businesses as well as creates the opportunities and tools for global development. It is also a meeting place and animation of the Lodz start-up community. It offers a creative space for employment, based on co-working with access to high- -speed Wi-Fi, printers, unlimited coffee, as well as private offices, kitchen and sanitary facilities. In a special Chillout area, one can relax and talk with people from the community. Additionally, rooms for meetings with clients can be rented.

Space for businessby Jarosław ZaradkiewicZ

Weaving Mill of Ideas Co-working space

Since May, Lodz Business Link branch has opened for business more than 500 m2 of space for work. This co-working space consists of more than 20 stations,

two micro-offices, chillout zone and meeting rooms.

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The quality of services provided by service accelerator supports the opinions of community members of Lodz

Business Link.

Łukasz Kaczmarek, AppReal.net:Our interest in BL in Lodz stems mainly from the fact that it is probably the only place that brings together companies / start-ups from the Lodz region from the so-called new business (as opposed to the old business, i.e. for example, 60-year-old owners of sewing rooms or local shops). It is a place where one can meet the people involved in innovative projects, exchange opinions, ask for advice or start cooperation. It is complemented by interesting recurring events, which add value to that place.

Szymon Kapturkiewicz, InterSynergy:Virtually, we have just joined Business Link – and have already received a huge dose of motivation and shot of very positive energy that we now have to translate into our actions and, hopefully, into the success of our company. While being in BL only a few weeks, we have noticed that our view of business begins to evolve strongly. Probably the causes of this phenomenon can be found in several important meetings organised for us by BL. They are so interesting that they encourage to explore knowledge in various fields related to business conduct, but certainly it is not everything. Many more things happen behind the scenes. We meet people with similar problems, operating in similar industries, but with a different look for solutions. Networking is a keyword!

In such places, a larger community focusing on business should be organised. From our perspective, this is the highest value that gives us the opportunity to be here. As a matter of fact, we have not taken advantage of all the opportunities offered by BL, but we can confidently recommend this place. Lodz is on a good way to contribute to the success of our projects. By the way – we also start to get the impression that the BL team works like a well- -organised spirit. Everything is buttoned up. We do not ask for anything. We know that they are always for us on site, but it is not even about that – they are just ahead of all of our expectations.

Marcin Maroszek, Just Ask:We did not think too long to join Business Link. We were encouraged by professional approach, rich offer and a lot of benefits tailored precisely to the needs of young people and start-ups who want to develop. We expected that we could profit from it, both as a company and individual – by developing skills, new experiences, etc. We did not expect, however, that membership in BL can bring so many benefits. A network of contacts, to which we have received access, networking during countless events and trainings, the opportunity to acquire new skills and exchange experiences with others, often with more experienced start-ups, are from our point of view priceless. And it is all topped with always pleasant smile of the helpful team. We recommend it! BL not only opens a new door and offers the necessary knowledge to go through, but also gives a lot of positive energy and motivates to work even harder.

Customer reviews

armchairs and refined style, will be an ideal place to conduct negotiations and host important business partners. The premises are equipped with high-quality LED TVs, furniture, facilities, professional sound and flipcharts.

The services of Lodz Business Link are available to every person who conducts business. The visitors can choose an acceleration package or rent a room. – Any person who has the Lodz Business Link package, in addition to the available space for working 24 hours a day, has access to: business trainings, team building meetings (so-called ice-breakers), meetings with people who have achieved business success in Poland and worldwide or can arrange a personal meeting with the mentor – Cezary Stacewicz adds. Lodz branch also offers its community discounts from local partners, including, among others, legal, catering, entertainment and hotel services. Entrepreneurs Club

ECONOMY


THE MYSTERIOUS RFSThe RFS (Road Feeder Service) plays an important part in the world of cargo dispatches. Actually, the majority of cargo flights to and from Poland use the RFS. This service was accepted as a basic means of transporting goods to international cargo planes by practically all European airlines. The service is organised as follows: the cargo is loaded on trucks that go between airports and international hubs. Once they reach the airport, the goods are cleared and loaded on air cargo pallets. This done, they are ready to be loaded on board of the plane.

The airport’s cargo terminal targets its offer at RFS truck drivers. They are well catered for here: the drivers can stay and rest on their way, have access to

January 2013 saw less than 165 tonnes of goods dispatched from the cargo terminal, whereas in May 2015, the figure exceeded the impressive 470 tonnes. The statistics for the 2014 show

there were 5.6 thousand tonnes of goods dispatched from the terminal. At its peak in December, the Lodz airport saw 665 tonnes shipped to customers. Such results earned the airport a second place in terms of consignments dispatched.

The cargo terminal relies prevailingly on the Road Feeder Service to send the major part of its goods. But it is also here that regular air-freight planes leave (Lufthansa Cargo, SAS Cargo, Swiss WorldCargo and LOT). To cap it all, the airport offers chartered cargo flights too.

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Goods for exportby Jacek brylski

ECONOMY

In the whole 2014, there were 5.6 thousand tonnes of goods dispatched from the terminal

Lodz Airport’s cargo terminal is enjoying an influx of interest. Yet contrary to what some may think, most of the goods stored in the terminal don’t go by plane but are

sent in trucks to international hubs in Germany.


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Wi-Fi, use a bathroom and, during office hours, have something hot to drink.

Lodz Airport’s cargo terminal operates 24 hours a day, from Monday to Saturday. In the case of Sundays, the service is on demand. If you would like to submit goods for clearance, you can do that on a 24/7 basis. Efficiency and flexibility are the features that distinguish this airport.

The bulk of the services offered by the airport includes shipping goods for export. This is the reason why the airport took care to ensure a smooth customs clearance for its customers. On site, you will have the possibility to use the services of a certified customs agency, whose experience and quality of work you can rely on.

LIMITLESS CARGOThe cargo airport in Lodz prides itself in top service standards, which have earned it many clients. The six carriers that use the terminal’s services most often are: DB Schenker, Omega Cargo Group, DHL, Panalpina, a.hartrodt and DSV. Among the airlines the list includes: Lufthansa Cargo, Cargolux, Air France Cargo, SAS Cargo, Swiss WorldCargo and skyXS.

Airport officials claim that these high-profile brands came to trust the cargo terminal because of the 24/7 system, flexible fees, efficient and professional service, safe transport and the fact that keeping the customs clearance deadline is guaranteed.

Another asset of the airport is that it offers ‘tailor- -made’ products. In order to meet the clients’ needs, the airport may agree to the carriers’ demands and adjust its own internal procedures. It is ready to apply the clients’ standards, operate the internal systems used by their clients and book airline slots for the time which is

specified in the contract. This process is facilitated by two independent cargo scanning systems.

The fact that this offer is ‘tailor-made’ means that the airport can undertake to stock and store goods and containers for specialist deliveries.

The airport officials want to fine-tune their offer. That is why they are bold enough to say: – Since there may be some limitations in dispatching consignments that we are not aware of, we would like to challenge you to identify one serious limitation you see in our airport. Next time you dispatch your goods with us, we will grant you a 50 percent discount – claim the airport’s officials and add that they will take immediate steps to remove the mentioned obstacle.

FLEXIBILITYThe airport’s officials underline that the number of dispatches in Lodz is intensively growing. The ultimate aim they want to achieve is building the largest RFS centre in Poland. That is why Lodz Airport is so attractive in terms of prices. What sets it apart from the rest of the competition in Poland is great value for money as well as predictable and transparent prices which help the carriers count the costs. Such policy helps to reach a consensus as to the price of the freight and enables the airport to apply price discounts. – What you would have to pay for extra if you turned to our competition, with us, is already included in the price. We steer clear from unexpected seasonal price changes and monitor them on a quarterly basis – say Lodz Airport’s representatives.

Interestingly, the Lodz airport also offers its clients courses on collecting, transporting, storing and delivering air-freight. The training follows the EU’s established standards.

The cargo terminal relies prevailingly on the Road Feeder Service to send the major part of its goods

Efficiency and flexibility are the features that distinguish Lodz Airport’s cargo

ECONOMY


is found in western heraldry and has often been given to the lateral branch of the family descending from, for example, a bastard, i.e. a child out of wedlock – Kamil Wójcikowski explains. Commonly, there are also remnants of the previous regime, i.e. different crops or silhouettes of factories. Until recently, the coat of arms of the city of Luboń presented a tractor. Such symbols are also not allowed.

It often happens that all sorts of pictures are entered in the outline resembling a coat of arms. At the level of art classes, once a primary school, another time kindergarten. – A coat of arms should be possible to be briefly described and, on this basis, it should be copied at least at the level of the content. Styling may be different. In many cases, it is simply impossible – Kamil Wójcikowski says.

FINDING A SYMBOLSometimes the design of a coat of arms involves finding historical symbols of a given local government and drawing it again. However, often these symbols must be determined from scratch.

At the beginning of the 21st century, a group of specialists in heraldry gathered. They prepared the general guidance as to what symbols may be found in coats of arms. – There are several themes that can be used. They need to be analysed. We check, for example, whether in a given municipality, there were old parishes or some noble families or whether there were any historical events like battles – Wójcikowski explains. In the course of such painstaking investigations,

He redrew the first two coats of arms several times until he was satisfied with his work. – After some time, I realised that there were more such drawings. I found a geographical

atlas, where there were coats of arms of the then 49 provincial cities. I started to see around more and more of those things – he says. Initially, he was a collector. He drew the found coats of arms in his notebooks. With the development of the Internet, such a hobby lost its sense because everything had become available on the network. Therefore, Kamil Wójcikowski was a Wikipedian describing, among others, coats of arms. He was found on Wikipedia by Robert Fidura – amateur archivist with the verve of a trader – who offered cooperation. For more than three years, they formed a historical and heraldic duo. They work together on acquiring customers and creating insignia.

DAUBS OF THE PASTPolish local government heraldry began to be popular at the turn of the 20th and 21st century. However, many local governments still use the images that have little in common with coats of arms. Fidura and Wójcikowski invent such gems and put forward their proposals to prepare a good coat of arms consistent with the principles. – Various faults can be found in coats of arms. The ones created in the 90s often have thick lines that should not exist. There was never such a thing as a thick contour or fringe in the Polish local government heraldry, which draws inspiration from a noble heraldry. It

Local insignia

by Jarosław ZaradkiewicZ

Kamil Wójcikowski, as a small child, found coats of arms of Duszniki--Zdrój and Wrocław on the desk of his mother. – It looked interesting – he recalls. As he liked drawing, he decided to redraw those symbols. This is how his adventure with heraldry began. It continues until today.

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the key symbols for a given local government are determined and, on their basis, a few or more proposals can be created. Local governments choose from among them those with which they want to identify.

Kamil Wójcikowski offers comprehensive services to local governments. He designs not only coats of arms but also flags, banners, seals, badges and other insignia.

All regalia currently adopted by local governments must be approved by the Heraldic Commission, based at the Ministry of Administration and Digitization. As pointed out by the specialist in heraldry, cooperation with the commission is not always easy. Sometimes, local government members’ expectations make such cooperation difficult.

THE COMMISSION ON GUARDAs pointed out by the specialist in heraldry, cooperation with the commission depends on an individual case. – I try to accept humbly the recommendations of the commission and

Coats of arms: municipality of Baranowo, municipality of Czerwonka, municipality of Rzekuń, municipality of Radoszyce, municipality of Zarszyn, municipality of Gać

by Jarosław ZaradkiewicZ apply the comments. It happened to me several times that I could not agree with such recommendations. Then, during a personal meeting, I tried to convince the members of the commission to accept my vision. I succeeded several times – Wójcikowski says.

The commission often has very detailed comments. The designer says that, for a long time, he worked on the coats of arms of the Slawatycze and Kcynia municipalities. – Both coats of arms present eagle motif, which is the most honoured ‘bird’ emblem. Therefore, the commission closely watched every feather. In both projects, the commission questioned the tails, as not matching the whole project stylistically. Those opinions were vague. Therefore, for months, I created different tails to hit a chord finally. Fortunately, in that case, the local government was humble and adopted without a murmur all my and the commission’s visions – Wójcikowski says.

However, local governments often strongly insist on their visions of coats of arms, which in the opinion of the specialist in heraldry, are immediately doomed to a negative opinion of the commission. – Then, unfortunately, at the expense of my reputation, I sometimes allow the commission to criticize the ideas of municipal authorities. Of course, in such cases, I strongly emphasize that I only just create a vision of the municipality – the designer says.

Difficulties often arise when the figures of saints are presented. – The chairman of the Heraldic Commission is a priest and expert in ecclesiastical heraldry. Therefore, he often objects that a coat of arms with saints placed by the municipality, e.g. on the manhole would dishonor their images – the designer says. However, in the case of the Mazovian Szelków, he managed to force through the coat of arms with three saints: Jude, Jerome and Simon the Zealot.

LODZ CASESSo far, the heraldic duo has completed 21 projects, a significant part of which was completed in the Mazovia region. However, in his portfolio, Kamil Wójcikowski has projects completed in Lower Silesia, Podkarpacie or Pomerania.

He regrets that, in Lodz area, not all municipalities have coats of arms complying with the rules of heraldry, i.e. rural municipality of Belchatow uses its coat of arms as an image realistically depicting a basket of flowers and agricultural products. – This is an example of excessive use of symbols. Often, such coats of arms violate the principles of contrasting colours, or there are realistic, often photographic views – the designer says.

In the Lodz area, Kamil Wójcikowski has designed so far only the coat of arms for the municipality of Sędziejowice in Łask County. He is currently working on a project for the city of Żychlin in Kutno County and is expecting to sign contracts with the town of Błaszki in Sieradz County and Czarnocin municipality in Piotrków Trybunalski County.

ECONOMY


We will continue to fund the start-up market. Under the measure 3.1 of just ending Innovative Economy program, thanks to the engagement of more than PLN 830 million, 77 agreements were signed with seed funds operating throughout Poland. Through these intermediaries, PARP can guarantee a giant financial boost for start-ups intending to conquer the domestic or foreign markets with their innovative products.

In the new perspective, we have instruments such as STARTER, Biz-Nest, The Innovation Fund, 4Stock, partly – Technological Bridges and Startup Platforms in the program for Eastern Poland.

We are supporting the internationalization processes of companies also the mature ones, which usually think about starting their export activities, and those with ambitions of growth characterized by high growth / born-global and national key clusters.

Our task is also to build infrastructure for development through support for projects of urban transport and road infrastructure in Eastern Poland.

What is the role of PARP in the implementation of EU funds?A new perspective 2014–2020 (money, which will be managed by PARP, is approx. 3.7 billion euros) promises to be ambitious and interesting for entrepreneurs, and the proposed instruments are varied and quite comprehensive in nature. PARP will have a very important role in the whole system because our instruments will respond to the needs of entrepreneurs at various stages of development. We shall be active in providing support programs: PO IR – 1937.94 million euros, PO PW – 1635.85 million euros and PO WER – 90 million euros.

Our main goal is to accelerate innovation processes in companies aimed at introducing new products and services to market and support for enterprises in the real use of research and development results. We have high hopes for a horizontal project for the development of the innovation ecosystem in Poland under the name inno_LAB – Laboratory of tests and pilot projects of new support instruments. I hope that this project will identify new development opportunities and support ideas of Polish companies on a daily basis.

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Companies appreciate the significance of innovation

Interview with Bożena Lublińska-Kasprzak, the president of Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP), about the new EU perspective, key cooperation with science and business, innovation of microenterprises and prospects of Lodz companies in the competition called ‘Polish Product of the Future’ by Jarosław Zaradkiewicz.


How do you assess the Polish innovation?Nowadays more and more attention is paid to innovation from the point of view of social needs – perceiving this as an opportunity to develop innovative initiatives – needed and carried out with the collaboration of many partners.

Statistical data from recent years show that discussions about the problems with innovation and attempts to find new ways of development, although they seem to be boring and not too creative, they are unfortunately very topical and we must still talk about it and look for new solutions.

The Polish case is striking because, in recent years, our companies have increased investment in innovative activity by 28 percent and spend a little less than the EU average. We are ahead of, for example, Great Britain, Croatia or Spain and we occupy the 12th position in this regard. The same applies to spending on research and development. In 2010, a Polish company engaged in R&D spent for this purpose 322 thousand euros and in 2012 – 710 thousand euros! The recent data of GUS (Central Statistical Office), for 2013, is a slight reflection of the industrial enterprises (increase in the share of innovators from 7.7 to 8.4 percent).

However, we have to remember that the GUS or Eurostat statistical figures do not include the situation in a huge number of micro-entities. According to the latest available data, there are 1.69 million micro-companies in Poland. Of course, there are plenty of single initiatives and temporary activities, but there also arise innovative start-ups whose contribution to the diffusion of innovation due to the nature of industries where they raise and aspirations of growth, and even demographic characteristics of the owner (person under 30 years of age), is invaluable.

PARP’s recent study indicates that in the past three years, innovations have been introduced by nearly 60 percent of micro-enterprises. Innovations are dominant at the company level – 38 percent, a smaller percentage are those at the national level – 16.6 percent, and on a global scale – 8 percent. Therefore, we get over 135 thousand of micro-enterprises, which compete in innovative products on a global scale.

The structure of micro-enterprises that have implemented innovations in their companies, as well as those that are planning to implement them within the next 12 months, is similar: one-third of them are sub-suppliers (30.7 percent and 31.8 percent), and one-fourth are both sub-suppliers and manufacturers of finished products (25.7 percent and 26.9 percent). The largest percentage is among those who are both sub-suppliers and manufacturers of final products – 63.4 percent, in case

of producers – 51.8 percent and the least percentage is among the sub-suppliers – 46.5 percent.

Lodz universities attach great importance to the transfer of science to business. Is this the right direction?In current economic reality, cooperation and new ideas are presented as the main way to achieve economic growth and competitiveness. Rapid technological development and increasing competition make that the interaction between science and business gets strategic importance, and governments and companies are looking for opportunities to support economic recovery. In order to strengthen the cooperation between science and business, the Polish government has been offering support programs for several years. PARP implements several such programs.

However, not everything goes perfectly. Sometimes expectations are not met. Companies expect that cooperation with science will bring them first and foremost business results in the form of new products and technologies that can generate earnings. Therefore, they put emphasis on the duration of the project and the financial expenditure in relation to the risk of technology and business. Meanwhile, expectations of science are a bit different – they relate primarily to research funding, which are not necessarily possible for practical use. They expect to have a share in the profits from the sale of test results, access to orders of services and expert opinions.

What would your advice be to the companies that want to benefit financially from a new EU perspective?First of all, the entrepreneur should have a good, innovative and cost-effective design, embedded in the realities of the market, well thought out and planned. This is a crucial issue. Of course, the entrepreneur must also go through all the formal and substantive criteria to check whether an activity is for him or her, and assumes support for projects, which he or she has planned. In-depth market research is necessary as well as the scale of interest in the product offered that will come as a result of the implemented project, preparation of project assumptions and application documentation appropriate to the assumptions of the competition, in particular in accordance with the project selection criteria (e.g.: it is necessary to pay attention whether the object of the proposed project does not apply to the activities excluded from receiving support). It is also important

to provide own contribution, measures enabling smooth implementation of the project, professional staff that will be able to carry out the project in terms of content as well as billing and reporting.

In recent years, our companies have increased investment in innovative activity by 28 percent

and spend a little less than the EU average

The entrepreneur should have a good, innovative and cost-effective design, embedded in the

realities of the market, well thought out and planned

ECONOMY


We must also ensure our own time for reliable preparation of an application and think about the key assumptions of the project. Postponing the process of creation of an application to the last minute usually results in a negative impact on its quality.

You are the president of the jury of ‘Polish Product of the Future’ competition. Have Lodz projects already appeared in this competition? What applications are likely to be noticed?In the 18-year history of the competition, many applications coming from the region of Lodz have been noted. The Institute of Security Technologies ‘Moratex’ and the Lodz University of Technology have taken the lead here. Also, Lodz companies such as BT and Poland PHU ‘Dytrych’ have submitted their projects. The projects have also been submitted by the consortiums composed of scientific units and enterprises e.g. by the Lodz University of Technology and the Woltan company or by the Lodz University of Technology and the company called Greenpoint LTD.

It should be emphasized that the ‘Lodz projects’ have been recognized by the jury of the competition several times. For example, in 2007, the Institute of Security Technologies Ph

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‘Moratex’ received the award for the project entitled ‘Personal bulletproof set’, while in 2012, the consortium consisting of Institute of Electronics at the Lodz University of Technology and Greenpoint LTD received the award

for the project called ‘A hardware interface of visual-acoustic system supporting the blind in moving independently’.

We allow the projects at the conceptual stage and the ones that are already in the process of market implementation to participate in the ‘Polish Product of the Future’ competition. The applications are assessed by the jury with the support of experts in compliance with basic criterion: whether the proposed product is innovative in the country, Europe or the world. Other elements of assessment of the projects are impacts on the environment, saving materials and energy and meeting the EU standards. The comparability of technical parameters of submitted solution with global counterparts, export and employment growth, price competitiveness and issues relating to the protection of industrial property, are also verified.

The degree of fulfillment of the above conditions shall decide on the selection of projects to win the title ‘Polish Product of the Future’.

Thank you for the interview.

We allow the projects at the conceptual stage and the ones that are already in the process

of market implementation to participate in the ‘Polish Product of the Future’ competition

COLUMN


Wake up your creative power

Every one of us is creative. But we are also lazy (or perhaps ‘fearful’ will be more accurate). Do you know that an average person uses only 10 percent of his/her natural abilities? And it is not just with regard to the intellect. Mastering another

foreign language, solving hundreds of crosswords or studying for a second degree will only expand your knowledge, horizons and your CV. Sounds great, but actually it is something external. They will make you neither stronger nor more confident in your own worth and will do nothing to help you discover your life’s mission.

The fear of failure successfully inhibits our creativity, which is the result of innate human curiosity and appetite for life. This is our internal wealth. It is also an engine of development and key to success. So why don’t we use these resources? The reasons are many. First of all, we aren’t aware of what we have. The naysayer inside us is sumptuously fed by things we have heard since childhood: ‘You are worthless’, ‘Why can’t you be like your brother?’, ‘What’s got into you?’. As years go by, the naysayer’s best mate, Mr Personal Diminisher, keeps on whispering: ‘You can’t do this’, ‘It’s not for you’, ‘It’s all bound to go wrong’. And he is successful too. Diminisher’s words become our own convictions.

However, there is also another person inside you. Your Internal Artist is perhaps more withdrawn at first, more timid and not so blatant. He is the creator and the guardian of your life's purpose patiently waiting for being allowed to speak. Perhaps the time is ripe to let him do that.

But how?First of all, you must believe that you too have your own Internal

Artist and that he has always been inside you. Visualise him, write a description, draw him. Simply, ask this Artist to come out of the hiding and make his presence felt. It might turn out that the naysayer will effectively silence the Artist. OK, let the other guy talk too. Write down on a piece of paper all the ‘nays’: your predicted failures and limitations. And now consider: is it really you who believes that? I’m sure not. Who used to tell you there’s no future for you, you won't cope with something and will be the laughing stock of the neighbourhood? Parents? Elder brother? A primary school teacher? Now, say it aloud: ‘This is not me’, ‘I don’t believe it’.

Choose one day in the week to be your day of creativity. Let the things you have always dreamt of but were too shy to do come into being. Remember that even the simplest activity can be turned into an Ph

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act of creativity. You can be creative in the way you drive a car, brush your teeth, make pancakes and chair a meeting with employees. You are creative whenever you act as your heart and intuition tell you and in a different way than usual. Bear in mind that the naysayer lives in your mind and the Artist in your heart. If you want to wake your creativity up – give a day off to your mind and focus on your heart.

If you get successfully in touch with your Internal Artist, your life will inevitably change. You will start to attract people towards yourself as well as business partners – and all this out of a small fragment of the potential you use. A natural appetite for life will return and replace the routine.

ExerciseWrite your name in a column, e.g.:ADAMNow, write a feature of your character next to each letter. The more features you write down, the more creative you are.

by ewa klepacka-GryZ

There is also another person inside you. Your Internal Artist is the creator and the guardian

of your life’s purpose patiently waiting for being allowed to speak

If you feel that your life is full of routine, your work and friends are boring, you want a change but cannot specify what change precisely – this means that the little naysayer inside you has the upper hand. Don’t squabble over it but release

your creative power instead.

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES


with our audience and treat them as people who share with us the emotional language of music rather than as customers queuing for tickets at the box office. We want the Philharmonic to become a meaningful place in our audience’s lives and system of values – adds the director.

The Philharmonic also offers chamber concerts, piano recitals and recently also organ concerts. Lodz Philharmonic Orchestra is the first place in the world where the baroque organ played side by side with the symphonic organ.

EXCEPTIONAL PIPE ORGANSBetween 2013 and 2014, Lodz Philharmonic Orchestra witnessed an unusual event – the construction of two unique instruments – baroque and symphonic organs. There hasn’t been a larger project than this in Poland and Europe for many years. The concert hall of the Philharmonic is the only place in the world housing two independent pipe organs. Moreover, it is the only non-religious concert venue in Europe to boast a barque instrument adjusted to the needs of early music ensembles. This project was financed by the EU from the Regional Development Fund under the Regional Operational

The façade was designed by Romuald Loegler, an architect from Cracow. The building is made of concrete, granite, glass and metal and is styled to resemble the look of Ignacy Vogl’s Concert

House from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, which was situated in the very same place. It was one of the first venues where the hundred year old Symphony Orchestra performed.

The pillars of the Philharmonic’s repertoire are symphony concerts and oratorios performed by the Symphony Orchestra and Lodz Philharmonic’s Choir, guest soloists and conductors. They acquaint the audience with music genres of different historical periods and world’s music masterpieces. – In Lodz Philharmonic, the music lives and inspires. Our role is not only to reinterpret musical works but also to provoke. That’s why 20/22 Narutowicza Street is an address where new types of music can feel at home whether they were commissioned especially for a given purpose or performed first time ever – says the director of the Philharmonic Tomasz Bęben. – The philharmonic can be a breeding ground for people’s imagination. We want to create new quality, delineate new aesthetic boundaries, stimulate creativity, communicate

When walking down Narutowicza street, an average passer-by will look up to take in the view of the modern façade of Arthur Rubinstein Philharmonic Orchestra of Lodz. This cultural institution is known to some also from the inside: they participate in meetings, concerts and educational events there.

The façade of the Lodz Philharmonic

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

House of the living music

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Programme for Lodz Province for the years 2007–2013, the Marshall’s Office and by the Philharmonic itself.

The organ was made according to an innovative project by Prof. Ludger Lohmann, a prominent organist and lecturer at Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Stuttgart. These two instruments belong to two distinct historical music styles and enable the organists to faithfully and expressively recreate the music of a given period. The two organs have different registers (tone colours), mechanisms, wind systems and tunes.

The Baroque organ was crafted in Kristian Wegscheider’s workshop in Dresden and symphonic organs were made by Rieger – organ producing company from Schwarzach, Austria. Although tuned to different scales, these extraordinary instruments played together in 2015 a piece called ‘Musica Festiva’ during the centenary of the Symphony Orchestra of Lodz Philharmonic. The Philharmonic asked a well-known composer Krzysztof Meyer to write it especially for that purpose.

– Both instruments are not just an aesthetic attraction in the concert hall of Arthur Rubinstein Philharmonic Orchestra. They also crown the end of the concert hall’s construction process. However, first and foremost, they

will enliven the repertoire of the Philharmonic, bring in new quality to the music performed there and attract new audiences to this institution – says Krzysztof Urbaniak in a magazine published for the Philharmonic’s centenary.

ORGANBUILDER WANTEDThe assembly of the baroque organ and fronts to the symphonic organ was accepted by a committee including, among others, Andrzej Sutowicz – an organbuilder apprenticed in master Jacek Szczerbaniak’s workshop. Prior to that, he had graduated from a music school in Zduńska Wola and a vocational school for piano builders in Kalisz.

– You learn how to build organs from a master. First, I had to be apprenticed and only later could I try to become a master myself. Currently, I have three apprentices and, I believe, one of them could already take my place – says Sutowicz.

Sutowicz explains that, on average, organs should be tuned once a year and thoroughly dusted once in ten years. Before each concert, the organ builder checks on the reed pipes of the organs in the Philharmonic. He also pays frequent visits, once a month on average, to the Music Academy and the Metropolitan Cathedral in Lodz because the instruments located there are in his care.

Andrzej Sutowicz points out that the symphonic organ in Arthur Rubinstein Philharmonic Orchestra of Lodz produces a powerful sound and it boasts a uniqe tracker action. – It is great fun to be at a concert here. This instrument was born to play with the orchestra. The Baroque organ, on the other hand, is unique because it is equipped with three bellows with russet hinges. Nowadays, when we make organ replicas, we tend to avoid such bellows since the device is troublesome for the organist – explains Sutowicz and compliments the organ for its transparent sound and perfect audibility.

Anniversary concert, 17th February 2015. Krzysztof Urbaniak playing the organ

Andrzej Sutowicz, the organbuilder

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES


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The Lodz Philharmonic also rebroadcasts operas shown in the New York Metropolitan Opera. Thus, music lovers are privileged to listen to the most acclaimed operatic performances without the need to cover long distances and at a price incomparably lower. Such opportunity is available to viewers in more than 60 countries across the world. The 2015/2016 season is the tenth anniversary season of ‘Met: live in HD’ transmissions. The HD picture quality makes a perfect illusion of being right in the centre of events. The latest technological developments lift the barriers of time and space.

During holidays we reach out to the music audience with the Touring Festival of Arthur Rubinstein Philharmonic Orchestra called ‘The Colours of Poland’. The festival attracts those of the music lovers who would like to combine a music event with visiting historical sights in the Lodz Region. Each of the concerts takes place at a different venue: a church, palace, old manor parks or a forest clearing. The music performed at these sights is more informal and diverse than what is normally on the agenda in autumn, winter and spring. The repertoire is dominated by folklore themes and early art, unconventional interpretation of classical and pop music, rare instruments, folk artists singing alongside professionals, bold improvisations – this is what the festival has in store for those who are not afraid to stray off the beaten track of musical appreciation.

– When summer comes, we put aside our tuxedos and become nomads – we take to the road to reach various places in the region, cherish music and rest – Tomasz Bęben says. This year, our audience had a broad spectrum to choose from: Wasowski and Przybora’s songs, Sephardic music mingled with jazz, saxophone quartet, passionate flamenco, folk lullabies, the music of Bach illustrated by dance improvisations, a concert for trumpet and organ accompanied by computer visualisations, morality play by St. Hildegard of Bingen and Akathist hymn to the Holy Mother of God.

Joanna Więckowska, the Department of Development and Marketing in Arthur Rubinstein

Philharmonic Orchestra

MUSIC FANS OF THE FUTUREThe Lodz Philharmonic is also involved in educating the youngest audience by teaching them how to listen to and understand music. Baby Boom Bum cultivates the love and understanding of music among children up to 3 years old. The classes are modelled on an innovative method by an American musician and researcher Edwin E. Gordon. In a friendly atmosphere, accompanied by parents and instructed by educators even the youngest child will feel encouraged to try his/her hand at musical tasks. It is also a perfect chance for the youngest audience to socialize with their peers. During the games, the children will exercise their speaking skills, develop a good ear for music, exercise their respiratory system, proprioception (the sense of the position of parts of body), memory, concentration and agility.

The children aged 4–8 can participate in workshops called ‘Music Explorers’. The classes are led by educators from the Society of Carl Orff in Poland. Carl Orff was a composer and educator himself. His idea was to fuse in the teaching process such elements as speaking, singing, dancing and playing simple instruments. Children demonstrate what they have learnt at a special concert attended by professional musicians.

This season will see the start of a new educational cycle targeted at families in which the orchestra will also play a part.

BROAD CHOICEArthur Rubinstein Philharmonic Orchestra has a real treat for amateurs who love singing. A Choir for the (Non)reluctant is an ensemble led by a professional conductor. The meetings are held once a week and the singers learn new musical pieces, voice production and also have great fun. Sometimes they even perform side by side with professionals. In 2014, the choir performed for the first time in Lodz Philharmonic together with Adam Strug’s vocal ensemble Monodia Polska. In March 2016, the (Non)reluctant will sing a 13th century chorale for the Holy Week liturgy with Schola Gregoriana Silesiensis.

Touring Festival of the Lodz Philharmonic called ‘The Colours of Poland’ – a treat for those who are not afraid to stray off the beaten track of musical appreciation Musicians after the anniversary concert on 20th February 2015


entitled ‘Consequences’, constituting a collection of selected objects designed as a response to the major problems faced by contemporary society.

JUBILEE CHALLENGE– We want this festival to grow dynamically. Every year, we face new challenges. We are expanding the scope of our activities with other elements of the programme. Currently, we firmly engage in conducting year-round and long-term measures addressed to designers and our greatest audience – children – director Piernikowski explains. This year's novelty was the accompanying events dedicated to Lodz. One of them was the project called ‘Reprogramming the City’, as part of which the hidden potential of the city was sought.

In one year’s time, Lodz will celebrate the jubilee tenth edition of the event. – We have been working on it for several months. For sure, as every year, we will introduce some novelties, e.g. introduction of the three areas around which the programme of the festival will be developed. We have borrowed the inspiration quite freely from Tadeusz Peiper, Polish avant-garde classic. We want to talk about the city, mass and machine. Reflections on urban themes were present at the festival before. However, for the first time this year, we have started long-term activities with such projects as ‘Reprogramming the City’ with Scott Burnham or ‘Mapping the City’ and exhibitions, e.g. ‘Defense Architecture’ as part of the project called ‘Consequences’or ‘D.O.M.’, presented by us through the Gdynia Design Centre and PPNT Gdynia. Two other topics concern the development of the issues always present during the festival. In the section devoted to the machine, we will focus on objects. We want to critically and reflectively think about how the role of the object changes. How does the designer – user – object relation shape in the world today? On the other hand, mass notion serves as an excuse to focus on social innovations and on what the design brings to the broader social or economic context – Michał Piernikowski reveals.

The festival was founded in 2007. Previous editions attracted more than 300 thousand visitors. This year's festival was visited by 400 designers, curators and lecturers. 1100 objects

were shown during exhibitions from around the world. In the two festival centres – with a total area of 10 thousand square meters – and also in the city, 70 exhibitions were organised. The event was accompanied by 250 hours of various events: workshops, lectures, meetings, walks and debates. These data demonstrate the enormity of the project, i.e. Lodz Design Festival.

TRADITION OF CHANGES– We are very satisfied with the first signals that come to us from visitors and exhibitors. The festival has continued to develop. We adapt to new conditions and needs – Michał Piernikowski, director of Lodz Design Festival, says. He adds that the formula for opening to change and novelty works perfectly: – This formula is favoured by visitors, and it gives a chance to designers, i.e. our main partners to represent themselves in an interesting way during the festival.

As part of the LDF 2015, the project called ‘Hidden Heroes. The Genius of Everyday Things’, prepared by the Vitra Design Museum, was shown for the first time in Poland. This presentation includes 36 timeless items that often invisibly change our lives. Especially for festival purposes, the organizers have also prepared an exhibition

Lodz Design Festival is the most important event related to design in Central and Eastern Europe. It brings together people who, thanks to open- -mindedness and commitment, engage in various challenges, have the courage to design and change the environment.

Consistent changes

Opening, QOGA. Your bag Your style

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CREATIVE INDUSTRIES


second-hand bookshop. The building also houses the International Festival of Comics and Games’ office.

The Centre is a welcoming space for everyone. It is located right in Piotrkowska street, so you cannot miss it. But are comics really for everyone?People who visit us are able to read them, want to do it and, moreover, remember what they have read about. This is a very elitist group constituting only 5 percent of society. It is very hard to read comics. When somebody says that it is like reading a fairy tale and that it must be simple, he or she is completely wrong. People learn this kind of language for years. Adults who would like to start reading comics and enjoy them, find it really difficult if they hadn’t read comics as children.

What is this difficulty about?You must first bridge the gap between the images and the text and then sequence everything in a chronological order. The gist of the fun is the action in-between the pictures – where all you see is a thin white line. You have to add for yourself what is not said and imagine what is not shown. This is where the comics hide. The reader uses his/her imagination to the same extent as when reading a regular book. The difference is that in the case of comics it is more difficult.

Do you still draw yourself?I do, but now it is mainly illustrations and posters. I cannot afford time to do more. I work in the Centre and organize the festival, which requires attention all year round.

What distinguishes comics created in different parts of the world?As all art forms, comics too differ depending on the region. It is like in the case of folk music. The Americans,

When it was founded in 2013, the Lodz Comics Centre was a branch of the House of Literature. It came into being as a result of the collaboration of cartoonists with Lodz community centre. How did you decide that this was the way to go?We have played with this idea for a long time, but there was always something hindering us. We worked on a joint project with the City of Lodz Office and the Artists Association called ‘Contur’. The building which became the Centre’s home was paid for by the city and furnishings were provided by the Association. In June 2015, we were celebrating our second birthday. The Centre is developing vigorously. Among the things we organize are: workshops, exhibitions and meetings with children. We also provide for our guests a reading room, gallery, bookshop and

The Lodz Comics Centre is an exceptional place. It is the only official institution in Poland devoted entirely to the art of comics. Anna Krawczyk is discussing the

Centre’s work, the comics market in Poland and the International Festival of Comics and Games with Adam Radoń, the creator and director of the event.

Comics are where your imagination comes alive


for instance, invented the superhero type of comic and this kind is the most popular in the US and constitutes an important part of their culture. Besides, it is also the Americans that are behind inventing the underground comic. Japan, on the other hand, is a world apart. In order to understand manga, you have to go back in time to Middle Ages and analyse Japanese wood engravings. Manga fosters this tradition of communication. Japan is the largest comics market in the world. Of 140 million inhabitants that live there, nearly everyone reads manga. It can be in fact counted as the nation’s wealth. Actually, it is even available on the subway.

And how can Polish comics be characterized?They are extremely diverse. The most noteworthy works are by a single author who is the writer and illustrator at the same time. Duos and teams can also be successful but are an exception. The Poles raise all possible issues and this is what makes our comics world-class. We too have our underground publications. Compared to Western countries, the comics market in Poland is neither fully- -fledged nor profitable yet. We must still wait to see that. With the growing wealth and sense of security, people will eventually spend money on culture and entertainment, including comics.

Do you think comics will be popularly read on mobile devices? They are already available in mobile versions. However, mainstream comic book readers prefer paper editions. They like to hold the book in their hands, feel the smell of ink, take their comic to a festival where they will meet the author who could personally draw a picture on their book. You want to own such comics for life.

Are there many young cartoonists in the Centre who later take part in the festival? The highlight of the festival is the award for short comics story aimed at emerging artists. We sometimes receive as much as 200 works, from Poland and abroad too. Nearly all young Polish cartoonists made their debut at this festival. There are more and more people in Poland who would like to start their career as comic book cartoonists.

Trade fairs which accompany the festival are the perfect chance to establish new business relations. Does the Association help in this? In the 25 years from its founding, every event in the world of Polish comics happened on the festival. When I started organizing the event, comics were non-existent in Poland. The old political system, which fought with Western culture, was nearing the end and the new system was in its hatching stages. No one had ever done that before. Now,

after 25 years, we boast by far the biggest comics market in Eastern Europe and the most recognizable festival in this part of the world. It is only natural that the festival is a place where the creators and publishers get to know each other.

Yet another edition of the festival is over. Could you sum it up? Let’s start at the beginning. The first event was organized in Kielce, but without much resonance. Later, it moved to Lodz because we decided to take a professional approach to the matter. In its early stages, the festival saw a few hundred visitors. This year that figure was nearly 20 thousand and 60–70 percent of the guests came from outside of Lodz. Nearly 100 publishing houses exhibit their offer, which goes to show that the Polish comics market is being invested in. Up till now, it was only the market for the chosen few. Comics are expensive, especially the best ones, because their production is costly. But the tide is changing. About two years ago, the Poles started to read comics greedily. They buy on the Internet English or other language versions of comics that are not available in Polish. The number of devoted comic book readers in Poland is rapidly rising.

Finally, I would like to mention that Atlas, our main sponsor, is hugely involved in the event. Without it, it would be impossible to organize the event on such a scale.

Thank you.

Lodz Comics Centre

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International Festival of Comics and Games in Lodzwww.komiksfestiwal.comwww.facebook.com/FestiwalKomiksu

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES


The brand’s philosophy is based on short, limited collections sewn in one size. – We sew our models of different materials in the amount from one to maximum a dozen pieces. Every day in the online shop and the stationary showroom, a novelty appears. The whole is based on proven models that enjoy having the greatest popularity – the founder of the brand says. The company also offers a basic collection, which is available in continuous seasonal sales.

Universal, oversize models and variety of materials make the Nubee target group very broad. – These garments are suited for girls from 36 to 42 size, both short and tall people. In addition to this, brief, dedicated collections make that our clients are teenagers as well as mature women, and even those sized 60 plus – Natalia Miziołek boasts and stresses that she enjoys seeing her projects on music stages and TV series.

HELPFUL SUPPORTIn recent months, the Nubee’s development has been gaining momentum. Thanks to the programme entitled ‘Creative premises’, the company has opened a showroom at Piotrkowska Street. The premises are large enough to accommodate the atelier. Projects are created more smoothly and faster, and the team has been expanded by new employees. The brand also has its own photo studio and is continuously expanding its machine park, which improves the work.

At present, four people work here on a permanent basis: the designer and founder of the company, the person responsible for online orders handling, a showroom worker and a photographer. Thanks to him, every day, the novelties are smoothly introduced to the company’s offer. Nubee cooperates with a tiny sewing room, which performs just their projects. As a result, they have created three more vacancies.

Natalia Miziołek emphasizes that the Nubee is a young company that is just catching the wind in its sails. That’s why she does not want to exchange her greatest achievement so far. She thinks that all is still ahead of her, a lot of hard work, education and new challenges.

Before she started thinking about getting involved in the world of fashion, she finished the Faculty of Film and Photography, then she began studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz. The accident made her evolve

the brand of Nubee. The idea came a few years ago and resulted in taking a postgraduate course at the Academy.

– Initially, it was the idea without details and any implementation plan. It was not until my accident, which ended with a knee injury and immobilization for two months, that brought the whole concept of the brand of Nubee. Long hours spent in bed resulted in first drafts. There is a general concept of philosophy of oversized collection – the founder of the company explains.

UNIVERSAL COLLECTIONSThe brand’s offer grows from year to year. – At the beginning, we offered knitted coats and sweatshirts characteristic of us – with huge tube necks that can be tied up with a ‘catcher’, genuine leather holder. This model has become very identifiable and associated with Nubee. It lived to see even numerous copies. The idea already appeared during studies. Genuine leather belts with the company logo were to be unique labels of the first projects. This sweatshirt appears in each new collection in the new version – Natalia Miziołek explains.

By coincidence, actually an accident that immobilized her for a few months, Natalia Miziołek has developed her own fashion brand, an idea she had for many years. This way, her passion became a job.

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ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE LIMELIGHTMałgorzata Kredens believes that one of the greatest recognitions for her brand was when Anna Popek (Polish TV presenter) appeared on the cover of ‘Estilo’ in M.Unique’s blouse and, inside this magazine, wearing a dress designed in the same boutique. This is indeed something to be proud of. Among her other successes worth mentioning is that Margaret, a well-known Polish singer, appears in M.Unique clothes and a vlogger from Wrocław called Radzka publicly admits she is passionate about them. Another recognition came when an actress Maria Niklińska appeared in the designs by M.Unique. Although M.Unique sells its designs to boutiques in Prague and Berlin, the achievement which is nearest Kredens’s heart is something more ordinary. – Personally, I think that my greatest success is that I have regular customers. They like my designs and the neat aesthetics of the finishes – says Małgorzata Kredens.

M.Unique is present at numerous fashion events and fairs, e.g. Mustache Yard Sale and Slow Fashion. The brand’s clothes are available to buy on www.showroom.pl and www.munique.pl.

Kredens says that her work celebrates the femininity and aesthetics. M.Unique is a boutique famous for its original and truly unique designs. And rightly so since uniqueness is encoded in the very name of the brand.

Born in 1981 in Hrubieszów, Małgorzata Kredens attended a textile vocational school where her adventure with sewing started. Her final project was entered into a competition among other works from all

over Poland and won her a place at the Faculty of Textile Design at Lodz University of Technology. Eventually, she decided to stay in Lodz for good. She remembers that the beginnings were tough. – I studied and worked in a boutique at the same time. My job was to design shop windows – she says.

READY AND CUSTOM-MADEM.Unique was established in 2012 thanks to the support given to start-up businesses. – It is not just a boutique where you can buy ready-made clothes. It is also a sewing workshop where people can order the clothes of their dreams and thus own something truly exceptional. M.Unique uses fabrics and knitwear as well as materials that are custom-made. We take care that the end product is pleasing to the eye not only from the outside but from the inside too. Hence feminine finishes and lace trimmings. It would be vain to search for visible seams or any threads that might be sticking out – reveals Małgorzata Kredens.

From the beginning to the very end, all the clothes are made in the boutique located in 33 Piotrkowska Street. The owner’s idea is to follow the trends and to design products different from those available in chain stores. M.Unique offers its customers unique solutions that will make the wearer shine both in the crowd on the street and at an elegant reception.

The love of fashion, creating and sewing led Małgorzata Kredens to establish her own fashion business. The brand’s first name was Margaret’s Unique and it can still be seen on some of the clothes’ labels. Presently, the name is M.Unique.

Unique collections

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Premisses for Creative PeopleThe ‘Premisses for Creative People’ programme was started by the City of Lodz Office in 2013. The idea behind it is to organise a competition which will invite creative businesses to settle in the downtown by offering them properties for rent. The two factors that determine the winners are: what kind of creative business they want the premise for and what rent they are ready to pay. The premises may be used by designer and art enterprises offering either products for sale or services. It is dedicated to businesses which offer unique and limited-edition products as well as to art galleries, bookshops and second-hand bookshops. To date, about 100 premises in the city centre have been rented in the 15 editions of the competition. For more information see: https://www.facebook.com/LokaleKreatywne

TOURISM


elementary school, hospital and pharmacy. However, what was critically important for Księży Młyn in those days was the fact that it had its own fire station. Księży Młyn was a self-sufficient and independent organism able to satisfy the needs of its inhabitants on its own. ‘There were some who had lived their whole lives in Księży Młyn and hadn’t visited Lodz at all’ – old inhabitants of Księży Młyn used to say.

The house of the Herbst family was an integral part of this complex. Nestled amidst a garden, the estate is an enclave visibly juxtaposed with the neighbouring factory buildings and residential houses. The villa was built for Matylda Scheibler and Edward Herbst and it is likely that its construction started around 1875 because this was the year when the couple got married. The images dating back to the 80s of the 19th century already show the complete list of buildings in the complex.

MUSEUM INSIDE THE PALACEThe house of the Herbst family is a one-storey villa designed in the Renaissance Revival style. Next to the villa stands

The history of the Palace goes hand in hand with the vicissitudes of life of the Herbst and the Scheibler families as well as the history of Księży Młyn itself. The banks of the Jasień River became the setting for

the development of the textile empire of the Scheiblers, which played a crucial role in the growth of the textile industry in Lodz.

THE STORY OF FACTORY OWNERSKarol Wilhelm Scheibler, a Belgian citizen, came to Lodz in mid 19th century. He leased a plot of land situated by Wodny Rynek. By 1869, his business had become a modern and complex enterprise. In 1870, he bought neighbouring properties in Księży Młyn and Młyn Wójtowski. It did not take him long to start the construction of a four-storey building housing the spinning mill. Soon after, he built a weaving mill too. It is assumed that these were the hatching stages of a housing development for factory workers. The first houses were built along the main avenue which ran perpendicularly to factory buildings and was lined with four rows of trees. With the birth of residential houses came ancillary buildings, such as: a shop,

City within city

Księży Młyn is a complex of 19th century factory buildings and residential houses dating back to the heyday of industrial Lodz. It is situated between Tymienieckiego,

Przędzalniana, Fabryczna and Kilińskiego Streets. The gem in the crown of this place is Herbst Palace, an exceptional place in its own right.

by iZabela łukasiewicZ

Mirror room in Herbst Palace


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THE BREATH OF LIFEHerbst Palace should not be seen only as a historical heritage site. The Museum, which is based in this building, reaches out to people by sharing with the public its collection of old paintings, drawings, sculptures and handicraft. It also highlights the complexity of human approaches to the 19th century cultural heritage. This effect is more easily achieved by the fact that the place where you can admire this heritage, i.e. Galeria Sztuki Dawnej (Old Masters’ Gallery), is located within the historical building itself and thus provides an authentic backdrop to the collection.

The Museum’s collection includes a number of highly prized works by prominent Polish painters, prevailingly from the 19th and 20th centuries. Some of them are listed among the masterpieces of Polish painting, e.g. ‘Portrait of the Artist's Mother’ by Henryk Rodakowski, ‘Napoleon on Horseback’ by Piotr Michałowski, ‘Sleeping Mietek’ by Stanisław Wyspiański and also one of the earliest history paintings by Jan Matejko ‘Sobieski in Częstochowa’. Apart from the Polish masters, the Museum also holds a collection of paintings by European painters.

The mission statement of the Museum is to spread the knowledge and understanding of the cultural heritage and historical processes of the 19th and early 20th centuries by promoting a direct contact of the visitors with works of art. To achieve just that, the Museum organises theme-based exhibitions presenting various forms of creativity and their manifestations in everyday life.

One of the Museum’s statutory aims is to encourage the discussion about the multifaceted character of problems facing the art and culture of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The institution is also devoted to the idea of reinterpreting the works of art from the perspective of the modern man. Its allies on the road to achieving this aim are research projects, educational programmes and events which this institution organises. Whether you are a newcomer to the Museum or an art connoisseur, the visit to Herbst Palace will be an eye-opening experience for you.

a building (commonly called ‘the big hall’) which was joined with the orangery via a glazed passage. There is also a one- -storey ancillary building in the vicinity of the villa. On the ground floor, you could find a kitchen and a pantry as well as garages. The first floor was occupied by the housekeeper and the maids.

There is also another outbuilding on the grounds. The brick structure was designed by Adolf Seligson who decorated it with stucco details. It served as a coach house and a stable. The tower of this building housed rooms for the servants.

The estate was in the hands of the Herbst family until 1942. Matylda and Edward were the first to inhabit the place and then their son Leon with his wife Aleksandra took over. After Leon's death, Aleksandra decided to leave Lodz.

When the building was nationalised after World War II, it was used for many different purposes. E.g.: it was a training centre for social welfare workers, a day care centre for people suffering from neurotic disorders, it housed the Polish reserve police and even a disabled workers’ co-operative. Because the building was changing hands so often, it got severely damaged.

At the time the Museum of Art took it over in 1976, all the buildings were in dire need of a major renovation. Herbst Palace was opened to the public for the first time in 1990. The Museum was rewarded for its effort to preserve this cultural heritage site by winning the Europa Nostra Award for ‘a stunning renovation of the Herbst estate and conserving the original beauty of the villa’. The interiors of the Palace were restored to their former glory due to profound conservation works that took place between 2011 and 2013. The works were accompanied by detailed analysis of the material and made it possible to recreate more accurately the original look of the interiors as the Herbst family had known them. Thanks to the photographs, which the museum managed to obtain, it was possible to restore many details and furnishings, which gave a unique appeal to the rooms. The interiors now proudly display the furniture, paintings and decorative art masterpieces characteristic for the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Księży Młyn housing development Garden adjacent to Herbst Palace

CALENDAR


38TH LODZ THEATRE MEETINGS ‘COMMUNICATION ON THE MOVE’17 september – 6 DECEMBERWWW.LODZKIESPOTKANIATEATRALNE.PL

FASHIONPHILOSOPHY FASHION WEEK POLAND12–15 NOVEMBERWYTWÓRNIA CLUB, HOTEL DOUBLETREE BY HILTON, UL. ŁĄKOWA 29WWW.FASHIONWEEK.PL

3TH AŻ FESTIVAL14–28 NOVEMBERAKADEMIA MUZYCZNA IM. GRAŻYNY I KIEJSTUTA BACEWICZÓW, UL. GDAŃSKA 32WWW.AMUZ.LODZ.PL

17TH EXPLORERS FESTIVAL18–22 NOVEMBERLODZ UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, AL. POLITECHNIKI 3AWWW.EXPLORERSFESTIVAL.PL

KAYAH ‘KAMIEŃ’ CONCERT20 NOVEMBER, TIME 8.00 PMWYTWÓRNIA CLUB, UL. ŁĄKOWA 29WWW.WYTWORNIA.PL

17TH SAILING AND WATER SPORTS TRADE SHOW BOATSHOW20–22 NOVEMBERHALA EXPO, AL. POLITECHNIKI 4WWW.EXPO-LODZ.PL, WWW.BOATSHOW.PL

PREMIERE ‘DON GIOVANNI’21 NOVEMBER, TIME 7.00 PMTHE GRAND THEATRE, PL. DĄBROWSKIEGO 1WWW.OPERALODZ.COM

2ND INTERNATIONAL FAIR FABRICS AND ACCESSORIES ‘FAST TEXTILE’25–27 NOVEMBERPTAK OUTLET, UL. ŻEROMSKIEGO 6, RZGÓWWWW.PTAKEXPO.COM

25TH MEDIA FESTIVAL IN LODZ ‘MAN IN DANGER’25–28 NOVEMBERMUZEUM KINEMATOGRAFII, PL. ZWYCIĘSTWA 1WWW.FESTIWALMEDIOW.ART.PL

JUBILEE CONCERT 25 YEARS EDYTA GÓRNIAK ‘LOVE 2 LOVE’29 NOVEMBER, TIME 6.00 PMATLAS ARENA, AL. BANDURSKIEGO 7WWW.ATLASARENA.PL

URBAN CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL & COFFEE FESTIVAL5–6 DECEMBERART_INKUBATOR, FABRYKA SZTUKI, UL. TYMIENIECKIEGO 3WWW.MILOSNICYKAWY.PL

MOSCOW CITY BALLET ‘SWAN LAKE’6 DECEMBER, TIME 6.00 PMTHE GRAND THEATRE, PL. DĄBROWSKIEGO 1WWW.OPERALODZ.COM

FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE CONCERT12 DECEMBER, TIME 8.00 PMATLAS ARENA, AL. BANDURSKIEGO 7WWW.ATLASARENA.PL

NEW YEAR’S EVE CONCERT31 DECEMBER, TIME 10.00 PMTHE GRAND THEATRE, PL. DĄBROWSKIEGO 1WWW.OPERALODZ.COM

ZAKOPOWER CONCERT30 JANUARY, TIME 8.00 PMWYTWÓRNIA CLUB, UL. ŁĄKOWA 29WWW.WYTWORNIA.PL

IMAGINE DRAGONS CONCERT2 FEBRUARY, TIME 6.00 PMATLAS ARENA, AL. BANDURSKIEGO 7WWW.ATLASARENA.PL

THE NATIONAL BALLET OF GEORGIA ‘SUKHISHVILI’15 FEBRUARY, TIME 7.00 PMTHE GRAND THEATRE, PL. DĄBROWSKIEGO 1WWW.OPERALODZ.COM

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