The Kashubia Green Industrial District (Zielony Okręg Przemysłowy Kaszubia) is expected to bring Poland investments worth 250 billion zlotys. The project is attracting more and more investors involved in the development of industry, energy, and new technologies.

Port in Gdynia

The Kashubia Green Industrial District is not just another special economic zone or a program to support individual investments. Instead, it is intended to become a new model for industrial development, combining national security with the economy, energy, science, and modern technologies. The project, launched by the Ministry of National Defense in May 2025, aims to create an ecosystem in Pomerania that is already attracting domestic and foreign investors, developing domestic industry, and integrating Polish companies into global supply chains.

Pomerania has been chosen for both geographical and economic reasons. The region boasts seaports, a quickly growing offshore wind energy sector, as well as excellent logistics, shipbuilding, and scientific facilities. It is also an area of strategic importance for the security of the country and the entire Baltic Sea region.

From the outset, the project was envisioned as much more than an initiative related exclusively to the defense industry. Its creators aim to leverage the growing defense spending to build Poland’s sustainable economic potential. That is why the project involves not only the establishment of new factories but also the development of R&D centers, production facilities, technical education programs, and new competencies.

“This is a comprehensive system of support for the Polish defense industry, but also a system of supply chains and effective use of the funds we spend each year to strengthen Poland’s economic, military, and political position,” emphasizes Maciej Samsonowicz, advisor to the Minister of National Defense, as well as the project’s initiator and head of the working group for the Kashubia Green Industrial District.

Time for Partnership

One of the main objectives of the Kashubia Green Industrial District is to move away from the model in which Poland primarily purchases foreign weapons. The goal is to increase the participation of domestic companies in the production of components, equipment maintenance, research and development work, and international supply chains.

The project is to be open to both state-owned and private companies. Maciej Samsonowicz points out that smaller companies are increasingly becoming sources of innovation, as they are able to respond quickly to the changing needs of the market and the military. “Take the example of the USA, where the private sector plays a dominant role in the defense industry. We can’t be afraid of private companies or exclusively support state-owned enterprises. It’s not how the market operates,” he adds.

This approach aligns well with the experiences of recent years. The war in Ukraine has shown that modern technologies – from unmanned systems to software – are often developed by small, highly specialized companies. Therefore, the Green Industrial District is to create conditions in which Polish companies will not only be able to sell their solutions to domestic customers, but also establish partnerships with the world’s largest corporations.

First Investments

Both Polish companies and foreign partners have joined the initiative. One of the most significant examples is the collaboration with the Norwegian Kongsberg, which is expanding its investments in Pomerania. The company plans to increase its production capacity related to defense systems and to include Polish entities in its international supply chain.

Companies developing unmanned technologies, electronics, surveillance systems, and dual-use solutions are also getting involved in the project. Partners include Advanced Protection Systems (co-developer of the San anti-drone system), Eycore (satellite technologies and SAR), as well as companies cooperating with PKP Cargo on logistics projects. Meanwhile, negotiations regarding further industrial ventures are also being conducted with investors from the United States, Scandinavia and South Korea.

Another key element of the Green Industrial District is collaboration with universities. Among those participating in the project are the Naval Academy (Akademia Marynarki Wojennej), the AGH University (Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza), Gdańsk University of Technology (Politechnika Gdańska), and institutes within the Łukasiewicz Research Network (Sieć Badawcza Łukasiewicz). In addition to developing technological projects, their task will be to train specialists who meet the requirements of new investors.

Quick Decisions

Currently, one of the biggest challenges facing the people responsible for Kashubia is not attracting investors, but rather adapting the state to the pace at which modern industry is developing. Maciej Samsonowicz has announced the implementation of measures designed to simplify administrative procedures, accelerate the investment process, and create a more attractive incentive system. The Ministry of National Defense is also analyzing the possibility of amending regulations on certification, investments, and cooperation with universities. At the same time, the project aims to address shortages of qualified personnel. Company representatives point out that even the most attractive investments cannot be carried out successfully without well-trained engineers and specialists.

According to the Ministry of National Defense, the Kashubia Green Industrial District project has the potential to become an industrial hub for the entire Baltic Sea region, simultaneously serving several markets in Northern Europe. The growing importance of NATO’s northern flank, the development of energy infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, as well as the changes in global supply chains are making the region increasingly attractive to investors.