Rzeczpospolita and PwC Launch Banking Innovation Competition

Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita, in collaboration with PwC, has launched the "Banking Innovation Leaders 2026" competition to spotlight advancements within the nation's financial sector. This initiative seeks to identify and reward projects that significantly contribute to the development of financial services, support economic modernization, and establish new standards for customer relations.

The competition was conceived in response to the rapid transformations occurring in the financial industry. It aims to serve as a platform for banks, businesses, and technology firms to exchange experiences and showcase best practices. Przemysław Paprotny, partner and leader of financial services at PwC CEE, emphasized that the contest looks beyond mere technological novelties like mobile applications. It prioritizes projects with strategic value for the broader economy, customers, and the banking sector as a whole, recognizing banks' crucial role in financing new development models.

An impressive number of entries, totaling dozens, were submitted for the inaugural competition. These projects span a wide range of innovations, including the application of artificial intelligence, process automation, and digitalization in customer service. Several initiatives also focus on developing novel financing models and fostering collaboration between the financial sector and businesses to support strategic investments. The submissions also highlight efforts to improve digital service accessibility and offer more personalized customer experiences.

An independent jury of experts, comprising academics, financial market professionals, and economic media representatives, evaluated the submitted projects. They assessed each entry based on its level of innovation, customer utility, implementation scale, and contribution to sustainable development. The jury included figures such as Dr. Katarzyna Niewińska from the University of Warsaw, Maciej Szczęsny, president of the Bank Guarantee Fund, and Cezary Szymanek, deputy editor-in-chief of "Parkiet."

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For the first time in the market, together with 'Rzeczpospolita,' we are attempting to define the level of innovation of Polish banks through our 'Banking Innovations' competition. We want to combine many threads in this joint, subjective assessment, and we are convinced that it will succeed, because innovation is not just a new mobile application.