Poznań is one of Poland's largest cities and is known as a strong academic, business and trade fair centre. It is home to just under 650,000 people, which ranks it fifth in Poland. The Poznań agglomeration has a population of around 1,000,000.
The capital of Wielkopolska is an important transport hub. It lies halfway between Warsaw and Berlin. Access to both capitals is provided by the A2 motorway, and to other cities by the S11 and S5 expressways. Within the city limits, 15 minutes from the centre, is Poznań-Ławica International Airport.
Poznań is a powerful academic and scientific centre, among the top in Poland. The city has 24 higher education institutions (of which 8 are public), educating over 102,000 students. This means that every fifth resident is a student. The scientific activity of higher education institutions is complemented by dozens of research and development institutions.
Poznań is an important business centre on the map of Poland. More than 127,000 economic entities operate in the city, and the number of companies with foreign capital is one of the largest in Poland. Most foreign capital comes from Germany, France, Japan, the UK and the USA. In contrast, most investment capital has been invested in industrial production, primarily automotive, food and pharmaceuticals, trade and the real estate market (including office, retail, hotel and housing). The capital of Wielkopolska is one of the main centres for the location of foreign investments in the country.
The unemployment rate in Poznań is around 1.1% and has been one of the lowest in Poland for years.
The City of Poznań Development Strategy 2020+ envisages the implementation of five main strategic priorities:
- Strong Metropolis
- Modern entrepreneurship
- Green, mobile city
- Friendly neighbourhoods
- Community and social dialogue.
- Accordingly, the priority economic sectors for Poznań are high-tech manufacturing, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Shared Services Centre (SSC), IT, research and development (R&D), logistics and warehousing.
In 2024, the number of employees in the BSS sector in Poznań has increased to 30,000 (previously it was 27,000). This is the result of both new investments and the development of already operating companies in the city.
The city can boast a wide cultural offer, modern public transport, high-quality hotel and restaurant facilities and the co-organisation of various sporting events.