Poland seeks to seize opportunities in Europe’s semiconductor sector

At the end of September, Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego published a report entitled “Key Technologies: Semiconductors as a Strategic Asset for Poland”. The report examines the state of Poland’s semiconductor market and outlines its development prospects. Let’s take a closer look.

Let us start with the main conclusion: Poland has an opportunity to significantly increase the value of its domestic semiconductor market and strengthen its position on the global semiconductor map.

First, the obvious point: semiconductors are essential to economic and technological security. They are indispensable in the production of electronics, electric vehicles, telecommunications equipment, energy systems, and infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence. Access to these components also affects the development capabilities of the defence industry.

According to BGK’s report, "Key Technologies: Semiconductors as a Strategic Asset for Poland", the global semiconductor market is worth nearly USD 800 billion. Poland is not currently among the world’s leading semiconductor producers and remains at a much earlier stage of development. Forecasts nevertheless point to the potential for rapid growth in the domestic market.

In 2025, Poland’s semiconductor market was expected to reach USD 5.1 billion. According to a forecast cited by BGK, its value could rise to USD 23.7 billion by 2035. This would represent a compound annual growth rate of 16.7% over the 2026–2035 period.

The report draws an important conclusion: growing demand for chips does not mean that Poland should replicate the development model of the world’s largest manufacturers. Building fabrication plants capable of producing the most advanced chips requires enormous financial investment, access to specialised infrastructure, and years of technological experience.

The report’s authors therefore point to other areas in which Poland can develop its own capabilities and strengthen its position in the European supply chain.

One potential growth area is integrated circuit design. This segment relies heavily on engineering expertise, research and development capabilities, and intellectual property.

“Poland is one of the largest electronics manufacturers in the EU, but it does not have mass production of semiconductors themselves. In addition, integrated circuit design is a strength of the Polish semiconductor market, thanks to the presence of R&D centres in this field,” the BGK report states.

Poland has teams of specialists and technology centres operating in cities including Gdańsk, Warsaw, Kraków, and Wrocław. According to BGK, these capabilities provide one of the foundations on which the domestic semiconductor sector can be built.

Another area is power electronics, including technologies based on gallium nitride (GaN). This material enables the development of components used in energy-efficient power supplies, energy conversion systems, telecommunications infrastructure, and data centres. GaN-based solutions may also play a role in electromobility and the energy transition.

"(…)Gallium nitride technology should be developed in Poland exclusively in the context of applications and systems. Its importance stems from its high energy efficiency and potential uses in power electronics and power supply systems, while investment in GaN material production does not match the current scale of the market. GaN material production is beyond the scale of the Polish economy due to high costs, insufficient market size, and strong international competition. By contrast, the application layer of GaN technology — including power electronics, power conversion, and power supply systems — offers significant development potential. For this reason, support should focus on projects involving the use of this semiconductor, such as power supplies, inverters, and high-voltage energy systems, rather than on producing the material itself,” the BGK report’s authors explain.

The report also identifies photonics and semiconductor assembly, testing, and packaging as promising areas. Developing these capabilities would allow Poland to participate in additional stages of the value chain without competing directly with Taiwan or South Korea in the production of the most advanced processors. The success of this strategy, however, will depend on moving beyond laboratory research towards commercial applications.

BGK also highlights the importance of instruments supporting innovative businesses and the development of the venture capital market. One initiative mentioned in the report is Innovate Poland, which aims to mobilise capital for investment in innovative companies.

The sector’s growth prospects are also linked to developments in other markets. The expansion of electromobility, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and telecommunications is increasing demand for electronic systems and components that control the flow of energy.

BGK estimates that the number of electric vehicles in Poland could exceed 700,000 by 2030, while the country could have 100,000 public charging points. Expanding this infrastructure will require, among other things, power electronics and control systems.

“In October 2025, there were approximately 118,000 electric vehicles in Poland. Forecasts indicate that their number will increase by more than 580,000 by 2030, exceeding 700,000 registered electric vehicles. This represents a potential increase of 593.2% over five years,” the BGK report states.

For Polish companies, this creates opportunities to develop products that meet the needs of industry, the energy sector, and transport. To capitalise on this potential, however, businesses will need not only qualified employees but also access to capital and production infrastructure.

BGK’s report therefore advocates a development model based on specialisation rather than direct competition with the world’s largest manufacturers. Poland can increase its share of the European market by combining design and research capabilities with the production of specialised components and the development of proprietary technologies.

The future of the electronics industry, its supply chains, and the role of component manufacturers will be among the topics discussed at Evertiq Expo in Warsaw, taking place on 22 October at PGE Narodowy Stadium.

The event will conclude with the presentation of the TOP 10 ranking by Ewelina Bednarz, Content Manager at Evertiq. The ranking will feature the 20 largest companies in the semiconductor sector, assessed according to their growth rates.

The ranking will offer a perspective on the industry through the performance of individual companies and the changes taking place across the global market. Against the backdrop of BGK’s forecasts and the growing importance of semiconductors to European industry, it will also provide an opportunity to examine the companies expanding their operations in this strategic sector.