26.05.2026 Polish scientists are creating world-class technologies. The problem is that they are much more often used abroad than on the Polish market. During the LASER-TECHNICA panel discussion, experts spoke plainly: Poland does not lack talent or laboratories. What it lacks is a system capable of turning good ideas into real products and large-scale orders.
The panel “Applications of Lasers in High Technologies in Poland” took place during the LASER-TECHNICA Trade Fair for Laser Technology and Industrial Optics. The discussion featured Maciej J. Nowakowski from the ELI-POLSKA Office at the Military University of Technology, Dr. Hab. Michał Karpiński from the Centre for Hybrid Quantum-Classical Information Technologies (QLAB) at the University of Warsaw, and Dr. Karol Karnowski from the International Centre for Translational Eye Research (ICTER) at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Mihai Suster moderated the conversation.
Polish photonics has nothing to be ashamed of
The discussion quickly moved beyond general slogans and focused on a concrete problem: Poland is capable of developing advanced photonic technologies but performs far worse at implementing and selling them. The panelists did not try to argue that Poland is a global powerhouse in every field. Instead, they pointed to areas where Polish teams genuinely possess strong expertise.
Maciej J. Nowakowski from the ELI-POLSKA Office spoke about infrared technologies and optoelectronics – from thermal imaging cameras to measurement systems used in industry and security. These are technologies that rarely attract broader attention, even though they are based on very concrete solutions.
“We have areas in which we are genuinely very good. The problem is that nobody hears about them – not because they lack value, but because nobody tells their story properly,” said Maciej J. Nowakowski.
Michał Karpiński from QLAB highlighted optical fibers and their applications in modern lasers, sensors, and quantum communication systems – especially in areas requiring extremely high precision or work with single photons. Meanwhile, Karol Karnowski from ICTER presented medical applications of photonics – or, more precisely, light – for retinal imaging. Thanks to these technologies, pathological changes can be detected much earlier than during standard examinations.
“The eye is unique – we can examine it with light in a completely non-invasive way. The retina is the only place in the human body where blood vessels and nerves are literally visible. This creates opportunities not only for ophthalmology, but also for neurology and cardiovascular diagnostics,” added Karol Karnowski.
A demonstrator is still not a product
The strongest point raised during the discussion concerned a problem that has persisted in Poland for years: many technologies stop at the stage of scientific publications or laboratory demonstrators. The panelists emphasized that creating a working prototype is only the beginning of the journey. The real challenge starts later – when the technology must be transformed into a product that operates reliably, includes servicing and documentation, and has customers willing to pay for it. “The hardest moment is not when the technology does not work. The hardest part begins shortly afterward – when it works for the first time, and everyone wants to celebrate. Because that is when the long and tedious road toward a product that somebody will actually buy truly begins,” said Michał Karpiński.
Between the laboratory and the market, Poland still lacks people who simultaneously understand science, technology, and business. There is also a shortage of capital willing to invest in projects that may only become profitable many years later. In countries such as Germany or Israel, this system works far better. There, an entire ecosystem of companies, investors, and institutions exists to help move technologies from laboratories to the market.
Grants and customers look at completely different things
The discussion also returned to the issue of grants and research funding. Without public funding, many technologies would never be created in the first place. The problem is that grants and markets operate according to completely different logics.
“A customer does not want a breakthrough. A customer wants their problem to simply disappear – faster, cheaper, or more accurately than before. If our breakthrough does not guarantee that, then for the customer, it effectively does not exist,” explained Maciej J. Nowakowski.
Grants reward novelty and scientific potential. Companies focus primarily on risk, costs, and practical applications. And it is precisely between these two worlds that Poland still faces its biggest problem. Michał Karpiński spoke openly about the lack of efficient technology transfer centers and people capable of communicating with scientists and investors.
Poland needs its own “Apollo”
One of the strongest statements came when the discussion turned to the role of the state. According to Maciej J. Nowakowski, Polish photonics will not develop without major national strategic projects and ambitious public procurement programs.
“We need something like a Polish Apollo project – not because we want to fly to the Moon, but because such projects create real demand for new technologies. If we do not set ourselves difficult challenges, we will have no reason to develop advanced solutions,” said Maciej J. Nowakowski.
As Karol Karnowski pointed out, a similar problem is visible today in healthcare. Polish laboratories develop advanced diagnostic technologies, but hospitals usually choose ready-made solutions from abroad because they are more easily available and fully certified. The same applies to defense, energy, and infrastructure. Poland often buys finished technologies instead of developing its own competencies around more demanding projects.
Does a physics PhD still make sense?
The panelists also discussed young scientists and a question that returns more and more frequently: is pursuing a PhD in physics still worthwhile today? The answers were cautious, but largely consistent – yes, provided that a person understands what they are getting into.
“A PhD teaches you how to work on a problem that nobody has solved before. You cannot learn that in a short course. It is a very valuable skill – but only in places where difficult solutions are genuinely needed,” explained Karol Karnowski.
The problem is that Polish industry still relatively rarely requires such advanced competencies. As a result, many PhD graduates remain at universities or leave the country.
Quantum technologies – huge promises, huge challenges
The discussion also touched on quantum technologies. However, the panelists approached the subject much more calmly than the technological marketing hype of recent years.
“Quantum has become a bit like graphene or what nanotechnology once was. The word starts appearing everywhere – even in places where there is hardly any real quantum physics involved,” said Karol Karnowski.
The experts emphasized that quantum computers are not science fiction, but that the road toward their practical use will still be long.
“I do not assume that the first useful quantum computer will be built in Poland. But we can become part of the European supply chain – creating components, control systems, or solutions for quantum communication,” explained Michał Karpiński.
What about 15 years from now?
At the end of the discussion, Mihai Suster asked the experts where they would like to see Polish photonics in 10-15 years. The answers were realistic.
Nowakowski spoke about Poland becoming the leading scientific and industrial hub in Central Europe – a place attracting both talent and technological contracts from abroad. Karpiński saw opportunities in the quantum supply chain, with Poland serving as a provider of key components for European computing and communication infrastructure. Karnowski looked at the future through the lens of medicine – imaging tools developed in Poland and implemented in clinics around the world.
Poland already possesses parts of this puzzle: scientists, laboratories, several photonics companies with a presence on international markets, and growing infrastructure. What is missing is the binding element – the mechanisms, decisions, and culture capable of connecting these fragments into something more than a series of isolated successes.
