Is Europe Losing Its Competitive Edge?

Takeaways from Infogain’s Participation at the ABSL Summit 2025

From 23 to 25 June, ICE Kraków Congress Centre served as the focal point for Europe’s business services industry, hosting the ABSL Summit 2025 under the theme: Embrace Technology, Empower People. For the third consecutive year, the summit returned to Kraków, welcoming approximately 1,500 global business leaders, policymakers and economists for two days of high-level discussions and strategic insights.

Organized annually by the Association of Business Service Leaders (ABSL), the summit has become a central meeting point for industry leaders, academics and government stakeholders shaping the trajectory of one of Europe’s most dynamic sectors.

The title of this year’s ABSL Summit encapsulated the core ethos of our industry. People are our most valuable asset and when empowered by technology, they unlock their full potential. Our sector’s future lies in the strength of the ‘3Ts’—Talent, Technology, and Transformation.

Poland’s business services industry has become a global benchmark for success, driven by the continuous upskilling of our workforce, the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, and increasing specialization. These pillars position Infogain as a foundational element of Poland’s global competitiveness.

What Transpired During the Event:

On June 24, I participated in a panel discussion on: “Technology at the Forefront of Competitiveness.” Robert Wichlacz expertly moderated the conversation, and I shared the stage with distinguished panelists: Saumya Bhavsar, Agnieszka Łukaszczyk & Ahmed Aboulezz. Each brought a unique perspective shaped by years of experience in business, technology, policy, and innovation.

A key backdrop to our discussion was *Mario Draghi's report, which presented a sobering assessment: Europe is steadily losing its global competitiveness. The report outlines a widening innovation gap, lower R&D investment compared to the U.S. and Asia, and slower adoption of transformative technologies. Only four of the world’s Top 50 tech companies are European. Our regulatory environment, energy costs, and fragmented innovation system are real challenges.

In response, our panel focused on the challenges and practical solutions including examples like how state-of-the-art Polish companies are contributing to innovation and space technology, cooperation between business & academia, the culture of risk and entrepreneurship, the United States’ market and their venture capital ecosystem, and best practices from close competition like Uzbekistan or India.

I shared my perspective on the challenges raised in the Draghi Report and what they mean for Europe’s competitiveness in technology. I agreed that Europe must wake up to the reality that we are behind the US and China on many critical fronts; from R&D spend to scaling up tech companies. We face high energy costs, complex regulations, and fragmented innovation systems. But at the same time, Europe still has the talent, trust, and values to succeed — if we shift our mindset from risk aversion to growth, scale, and faster execution.

A look at our region – Poland, shows exactly where the opportunity is. We may never match India’s scale in delivery, but that is not our game. Poland’s strength is high-value tech talent, cultural fit, EU integration, and its growing capability to deliver product ownership and innovation work — not just support functions. Our clients increasingly balance their global models: Poland for leadership, quality, and compliance-heavy projects; India for scale, speed, and cost-efficiency. This symbiosis works, and it is what makes us competitive in the global talent market.

Krystian Sperka during one of the panel discussions	The Infogain Poland team at the interactive booth

The Infogain Edge:

At Infogain Poland, we contribute to this transformation by building a strong delivery center that goes far beyond traditional outsourcing, take ownership of complex product development, drive digital engineering, and help global clients accelerate their innovation roadmaps. By combining local expertise with our global network, we show how Poland can lead; delivering trusted, high-value technology solutions that make Europe stronger and more competitive on the world stage.

Closing Thoughts on ABSL Poland 2025:

The panel discussions were engaging, forward-looking, and most importantly—solution-oriented. We shared the same conviction: Europe has the capability, talent, and ambition to lead, and we must choose to act decisively.

The ABSL Summit 2025 reminded me that progress is within reach. We need alignment across policy, business, and education to unlock Europe's complete competitive potential.

Reference:

*https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-competitiveness/draghi-report_en