It’s the next key milestone to accelerate innovation and digital transformation in the Polish Digital Valley.
Today, Microsoft announced the opening of its newest trusted cloud region, the first in Central and Eastern Europe, located in Poland. Microsoft’s Polish cloud region consists of three independent physical locations around Warsaw, each consisting of one or more datacenters. It guarantees the highest standards of security, privacy and regulatory-compliant data storage in the country. The launch of the Microsoft region is a continuation of the company’s more than 30-year engagement with Poland and a commitment to continue to support the country’s technological development of society, business and the economy.
“Microsoft’s investment in Poland will accelerate our country’s transformation into a technology hub for the Central and Eastern European region,” said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. “Thanks to the development of the Polish Digital Valley, hundreds of engineers and developers will be able to play a key role in the global economy without leaving the country. This is responsible development,” Morawiecki explained. He added that in times of economic and geopolitical uncertainty, it is also very important to maintain the highest standards of data storage security. “Building resilience in this regard is crucial for the Polish economy and society,” said Morawiecki.
Digitization: transforming Poland’s organizations
The opening of the Polish cloud region is in response to growing demand for high-performance computing (HPC) and fast and reliable access to Microsoft Cloud services. The cloud is a crucial contributor to accelerating the digitization and developing digital competence of Polish businesses and the overall economy, as well as strengthening their resilience in times of economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
“The essentials to a successful transformation are trust, security and innovation, which are the foundations for the successful development of the economy. I am glad that Microsoft has been investing in Poland’s development for several decades,” said Mark Brzezinski, US Ambassador to Poland.
According to the 2023 PwC CEO survey, 54 percent of CEOs in Poland believe that their companies will not be profitable within 10 years if they do not transform. Investing in automation, upskilling, cloud, AI and other advanced digital technologies are key priorities for this year. The Microsoft Cloud can support these digital transformations with access to technologies, such as Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform services, available in the Polish cloud region.
“Connecting Poland to the largest trusted global cloud infrastructure is significant support for the resilience of the country, society and organizations, and the development of the Polish Digital Valley. One of the main elements of strengthening this resilience is raising digital competence in the country. Microsoft has skilled more than 430,000 IT professionals, business representatives, partners and students since this investment was announced in 2020. Everyone will need digital skills to pursue in-demand roles and build livelihoods in the changing economy so it’s an area where we can help more people get better jobs,” said Ralph Haupter, President, EMEA, Microsoft
Security: a cloud shield for Poland
Digital security is a key area for building the resilience of Poland and its local organizations, and Microsoft’s approach to digital security is unmatched. The opening of the local cloud computing region integrates Poland into Microsoft’s global cloud ecosystem with the highest security standards. We provide end-to-end solutions including security, compliance, identity and management. Our customers benefit from industry-leading threat intelligence, machine learning and deep defense capabilities to protect their devices, secure identities, detect threats, collaborate safely and address compliance across their various clouds, platforms and apps.
“Poland is a pioneer in the Central and Eastern European region when it comes to the level of digitization of public services. The finance sector is no exception with services, such as e-PIT or e-Tax, showing that the Polish public administration can effectively build digital solutions that gain widespread popularity and user sympathy in a short period of time. At the same time, making such services available requires ensuring the highest standards when it comes to the security of processed data, which in the current geopolitical situation is gaining additional importance,” said Magdalena Rzeczkowska, Finance Minister.
The highest service availability and resilience is guaranteed by three Azure availability zones in Poland. These zones are unique physical locations, each consisting of one or more datacenters equipped with independent power, cooling and networks.
Microsoft’s cloud region in Poland will enable companies to comply with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and store their most valuable digital assets in Poland, ensuring compliance with data storage and processing regulations.
Innovation: cloud-powered to adapt and advance
The Microsoft Cloud is designed to help customers bring new solutions to life – meeting today’s challenges and preparing for the future. Digitization is a key enabler of societal and economic progress, yet only 1 in 10 Polish businesses are satisfied with their digital maturity.
Microsoft’s Digital Futures Index (DFI) indicates that the more digitally advanced a country is, the more economic progress and societal benefits it experiences. In other words, it is greener, wealthier, more innovative and competitive.
Technological innovation is a critical success factor, especially for companies operating in rapidly changing market environments, such as retail, banking or streaming platforms. It requires maximum operational speed and reducing overload and latency to an absolute minimum. The Azure Poland Central cloud region will provide significant competitive advantage in this area. Customers will receive tools and capabilities for better business scalability and global expansion, which will allow them to grow and compete in the global market.
According to IDC Research, over the next four years the new datacenter region will help eliminate some of the barriers to cloud adoption within the region and account for approximately 16.5 percent of the new revenue total ($45.7 billion USD) through 2026.
Thousands of customers and partners in Poland have already trusted Microsoft technologies. They include schools, universities, organizations and companies from all industries. Already, a number of Poland’s most innovative organizations, such as Żabka Group, the Ministry of Finance, mBank, Tauron Group and Polpharma, are using the Microsoft Cloud.
“Building business resilience based on trusted technologies and innovative solutions provides tangible benefits and advantages, so critical in uncertain, unpredictable times. Digital transformation, which we are pursuing in partnership with Microsoft, among others, is one of the pillars of the Żabka Group’s strategy. For years, we have been investing in the development of cutting-edge digital tools, and more than 15 percent of the people employed in our organization are involved in projects in the area of innovation,” said Tomasz Blicharski, Vice President of the Management Board of the Żabka Group and Managing Director of Żabka Future.
