The guests gathered in building C of Gdansk Science & Technology Park have been welcomed with the anthem of the European Union "Ode to Joy", performed by Gdansk choir Capella Gedanensis and nursery-school children from EduPrzedszkole and Zespół Pieśni i Tańca Don-Don. Subsequently, the people gathered were welcomed i.a. by Teresa Kamińska, the President of Special Economic Zone Ltd. and Izabela Disterheft, the Director of GS&TP.
The grand opening was preceded by "Ekosystem dla innowacji [Ecosystem for innovations]" conference, during which the first presenter was the Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education, Jacek Guliński, with his presentation entitled "Ecosystem for innovations – how to release Europeans' creativity and support intelligent regional develoment". He noticed that the aim of Poland and the European Union should be building efficient pan-European ecosystem for innovations, based on cooperation of science, economy and administration sectors. In this science & technology park, in the Pomeranian Special Economic Zone – there already exists an ecosystem favourable for innovations. Poland provides many other of this kind. These are centres, which emanate their innovativeness on the whole country. And there will be new ones built – as a part of huge European ecosystem for innovations – emphasised Jacek Guliński.
The guests could also listen to the speech of Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, who emphasised the role of Tricity in implementation of "Horizon 2020 – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020)".You are standing on the shoulders of giants like Copernicus and Marie Skłodowska-Curie, and famous scientific sons of Gdansk like Johannes Hevelius and Daniel Fahrenheit. You can also be inspired by the renowned virologist, Dr. Hilary Koprowski.I wish the Gdansk Science and Technology Park every success. And I wish its researchers and entrepreneurs every success in collaborating with partners across Europe – said the Commissioner.
Also Professor Jerzy Buzek, the former Prime Minister of Poland, currently a member of the European Parliament, expressed his opinion. Innovations are solution to crisis. However, it is neither the state nor its institutions that create innovations. The state still can create conditions favourable for partnership between business and science. This is why GS&TP was established – he emphasised.
The conference was recapitulated by Grażyna Henclewska, Deputy Minister of Economy, who noticed that Gdansk Science & Technology Park is an incubator for new firms from technolgy sector and a modern research centre. It is a huge opportunity for intelligent development of Pomerania. The Park's offer is adjusted to the needs of enterprises. It covers the whole cycle of creating innovations – research and development works, test and demonstration stage, pilot projects and commercialization of innovations – said the Deputy Minister of Economy. She also paid attention to more and more significant role of technology parks. It is there that the biggest research potential, human and industrial capital are concentrated – she said.
After the conference, the guests could see a short film about the Park, and then the ribbon was symbolically cut. Afterwards, the people gathered participated in EduPiknik, organised by EduPark in cooperation with i.a. Copernicus Science Centre, Gdańsk, Baltic Sea Culture Centre, Robo Camp and SmartLab.
Gdansk Science & Technology Park was constructed in 2006 and was developed in consecutive years among others out of EU funds. Currently, the investment offers the space of altogether 40 000 m2, and its construction costed about PLN 150 million. About 80 firms from modern technology sector operates in the Park.