Publication date: January 16, 2026
On January 15, 2026, our colleague, Zofia Kubic, had the opportunity to participate in the LifeScience Kraków Cluster meeting, representing the KG Legal Kiełtyka Gładkowski law firm, a member of the cluster. The meeting was held as a Cluster Breakfast and was concise and strategic in nature, focusing primarily on the organization’s development plans for the coming year and beyond. Additionally, 2026 was considered a special year in the Cluster’s history, marking its 20th anniversary.
During the meeting, it was emphasized at the outset that the Cluster would continue its activities in its existing key areas. These included: bioeconomy, healthcare technology, innovative therapies and medical devices, diagnostics, and preventive healthcare. Emphasizing these areas was intended to confirm the continuity of the Cluster’s strategy and further direct its activities, including through the development of roadmaps and the development of cooperation between partners operating in these sectors.
During the meeting, plans for the coming year were presented, with the Cluster’s role as operator of the “Healthy Society” platform playing a significant role. It was emphasized that this platform serves as a tool for broadening the scale of the Cluster’s activities. In this context, it was stated that 2026 is to be designated the “Year of Health Prevention.”
A significant portion of the meeting was also devoted to projects implemented and planned by the Cluster. These included:
– Cluster4Health-Bridging Ukraine and Europe project, scheduled for January 21, 2026. This project focuses on building relationships with Ukrainian medical clusters and exchanging experiences regarding the functioning of the healthcare system, including in wartime conditions;
-REHEAL project, aimed at creating a system supporting hospitals in the field of medical waste management;
A number of events planned for 2026 were also listed, including the third edition of the ProBio Małopolska project, the Cluster Summit – scheduled for May 26, 2026, the aim of which will be to meet the Cluster partners, summarize the implemented strategy and plan activities for the next year; the Life Science Open Space event scheduled for November 26-27, 2026.
During the meeting, new formats for the Cluster’s activities were also proposed, aimed at strengthening the community’s integration and internationalization. One of these is the Cluster’s international breakfasts, held once a month (in English), with the participation of guests, as they put it, “from around the world.” These meetings will be led by the Cluster’s partners or organizations actively involved in the life science ecosystem, with event hosts having the freedom to shape the program and select invited guests. Additionally, club meetings were announced, held once a month in selected locations in Krakow, which are intended to provide a less formal space for conversation, discussion, and relationship-building.
The frequency of partner presentations will also change. The current “partner month” will be replaced with “partner week.” This change is intended to enable the involvement of a larger number of partners.
To sum up, the meeting provided participants with information on current projects, organizational plans and proposed changes in the functioning of the Life Science Kraków Cluster.
Finally, it’s worth highlighting the activities of the Kraków LifeScience Cluster. The cluster has operated since 2006 as a collaborative network of institutions and companies from the Southern Poland macroregion, united by common goals and a vision to develop an innovation ecosystem in biotechnology and life science. Its activities focus on creating and developing collaborative networks between enterprises, universities, research units, and business support institutions, supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, and effectively commercializing research and development project results. The cluster operates in the areas of products and technologies for health and quality of life, including drug research, medical diagnostics, and therapeutic devices, as well as for sustainable development and the bioeconomy, including healthy food, modern agriculture, and the bioeconomy. Since 2016, it has held the status of a National Key Cluster, and its activities are coordinated by the Kraków LifeScience Cluster Foundation.