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Poland is a very dynamically developing country on the map of European software houses. It’s a common opinion that in this country the quality of specialist IT work (coding) is very high. What’s more, prices are relatively low compared to other countries in Europe and in the world. These are two of the most important factors that lead companies to Poland when looking for IT services.
During one of the last conferences we attended, we heard that startups from Silicon Valley are more and more often looking for software houses in Europe, because it is the most effective way for them to develop products. No wonder that many IT companies are emerging and thriving in this region. Among the European regions involved in this trend, Poland is considered by many to be one of the most attractive destinations. Why is that? I will try to explain this trend analyzing some of the most important factors.
According to current data, there are around 250,000 programmers in Poland. This is the best result in the entire CEE. Ukraine is coming second followed by Romania in the third place. The average experience of the polish developer is as much as 7.6 years. Moreover, in terms of skills, developers in Poland are ranked third in the world. The first place is still taken by China and the second by Russia. This is the result of a report published by HackerRank.
It’s clear to see that in Poland there is a trend among young people and students to choose the programmer career. This choice is justified by attractive earnings and the prospect of dynamic development of the industry.
If we compare developers’ earnings in Poland and other countries, we notice a big difference. Namely, the earnings of a developer in Poland are up to five times lower than a developer in the US. These statistics look slightly better in the context of Europe. Take a look at France for example. It is estimated that specialists there earn twice as much as in Poland.
All this translates into the costs of implemented projects. If we look at the comparison between Poland and the US, we will easily understand why startups from Silicon Valley are looking for software houses in Europe -and especially in Poland. Price + quality = profitability.
In previous articles on the blog, we have repeatedly mentioned the importance of proper communication in software development projects. It’s not only about english language skills, but also about the project management system.
In most polish software houses the use of English is the norm. This is why more and more international clients are seeking IT services here. What’s more, developing products following the Agile method is a common practice in Poland. Using the Scrum methodology allows an effective development of projects. Thanks to this approach, the work is fully transparent for the client, who knows exactly which functionalities the developers are currently working on.
I mentioned that the IT industry in Poland is creating more and more interest. Yes, it’s true. Researches showed that one every fourth programmer in CEE lives in Poland. Currently, the IT services** market is valued in Poland at USD 6.8 million by 2020, with a growth rate of 5.9% CAGR. The software sector is expected to grow at 7.4% per year.** This market is being supported by foreign investments in software development.
An important fact is that Poland is perceived as a stable and credible country in the European Union. Poland is, in geographic terms, the “heart” of Europe. It is easy to reach by plane from most of the main cities in the world, and this facilitates cooperation with foreign clients.
One of the factors that might concern the US market when cooperating with European companies is the time difference. Most software houses in Poland work with flexible hours, so, in terms of communication, the time zones normally don’t create any barriers.
Many universities in Poland are famous for their reputation and can offer high level IT courses. This fact ensures a constant influx of new programmers. In cities such as Poznan, Krakow, Katowice, Gdansk and Warsaw, every year hundreds of new programmers are being trained.
Successful projects are the best showcase of Polish software houses. Clutch is a good place to verify companies and the quality of their work. Parameters as quality, timeliness, and costs are sent at the highest level.
It’s interesting to notice an additional detail. Polish software houses cooperate with the world’s largest brands. Their portfolio doesn’t include only small companies, but global brands with a huge reach. This affects their reputation on the market. Poland is known in the business environment and recommended to companies that are looking for technological support.
As you can see, there are plenty of factors that attract international companies to Poland when looking for product software development. Obviously, also other countries in Europe have a lot to offer to the IT services market, and they effectively compete with Poland. However, there is no denying this country is very attractive for foreign companies looking for IT services. We can expect this trend to keep growing in the foreseeable future.
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