In Bucharest, fully 16.3% of adults are employed in brain business jobs, making it amongst the top-10 highest shares in all of Europe, according to an index by ECEPR.
The Geography of Europe’s Brain Business Jobs, an index that since 2017 has studied the geography of knowledge-intensive jobs in Europe, shows that in the average European region, 5.8% of adults work in brain business jobs, meaning that the share of knowledge-intensive workers in Bucharest is 181% higher than the average European region. 
Another measure is high-value-creating jobs, which include not only the most knowledge-intensive occupations but also work in manufacturing industries and professional services. Fully 44.1% of adults in Bucharest are employed in these jobs. In the average European region, 31.2% of adults are employed in high-value-creating jobs. 
In total numbers, there are 239,300 brain business jobs in Bucharest. This is slightly lower than 285,400 in Warsaw and 253,300 in Budapest, but higher than 162,400 in Prague. In all of Europe, the highest number is found in Paris, where nearly 1.3 million are employed in brain business jobs. 

IT services is the most common brain business job in Bucharest, with 71,300 employed in companies in this sector. Additionally, 38,100 are employed in engineering & architecture, while 31,200 work in high-tech manufacturing. 
“An important finding of this index is that regions need brain business jobs, or else jobs in manufacturing industries and professional services. Each percentage point higher of the population that is employed in these high-value-creating jobs corresponds with 0.21 percent lower regional unemployment. Essentially, regions need to have jobs high up on the value chain, to generate exports and stimulate job creation”, explains Nima Sanandaji, director of ECEPR. 
In all previous editions of this index, the Slovakian capital region of Bratislava has had the highest concentration of brain business jobs per capita. This year Budapest climbs to the number one spot, followed by Bratislava and Prague in third place.

Full story at Romania Insider.

Established in 2005, Amazon Development Centre Romania is a pioneering R&D facility in Eastern Europe.As we continue to grow our teams in Romania, we invite you to learn more about the ground-breaking work done at Amazon Development Centre Romania (ADCR), as presented by our colleagues during GoTech World, which took place in Bucharest, Romania on 8-9 November. At a two-day conference that brought together 13,800 professionals, including 6,000 from the tech realm, amongst 165 speakers covering topics like Cybersecurity, AI, Java, DevOps, IT Ops, UX/UI, and Digital Marketing, our team gave three tech talks and an opening speech on the conference’s AI Stage, showcasing Amazon’s spirit of innovation. ADCR employs experts in Cloud Computing, Information Security, Machine Learning, and Data Analysis, as well as business teams in Retail, Compliance, Digital Imaging Services, and Amazon Creative Services.

Dinesh Rajasekharan, Amazon’s Principal PMT for Security Products, Identity & Access Management, spoke on November 8th, unravelling the intricacies of enhancing access security for critical resources on the conference’s Business Transformation Stage. With over a decade of experience in developing and launching security products and services, Dinesh shared insights on navigating the evolving threat landscape. His session, titled "Securing Access to Critical Resources in the Age of Generative AI”, delved into the challenges posed by tools like Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI). Attendees discovered how security researchers and organisations are leveraging Gen AI to establish a framework for safeguarding critical resources in this new era.

Full Story at Amazon.

HIPA, the Hugarian Investment and Promotion Agency, in cooperation with AmCham Hungary and ABSL Hungary, hosted 200 guests at its 30 November annual conference. The event featured more than 25 speakers, and distinguished 3 BSCs for their leadership and innovation: TCS, Kostal Group, and ThermoFisher Scientific.

Also, the event unveiled the results of the 2023 Survey that showcases a remarkable growth of the sector: by now 100,000+ people are employed (up from 70,000 in 2021) in 201 centers. ️The very best BSCs were also recognized in three categories:

️KOSTAL Group (Investor of the Year)
️Tata Consultancy Services (Business Excellence and Innovation)
️Thermo Fisher Scientific (Best in Education Cooperation & Talent Development)

Key takeaways:

💡the Education system must be improved to ensure a strong Talent pipeline.
💡one of CEE's ultimate edges is its quality of life.
💡81% of BSCs plan to bring more high added-value functions to Hungary in the next 3 years
💡economic growth will drive further development of the region.

Although not yet officially announced, the City of Krakow will host ABSL Poland's annual conference, with the date set for 3-5 June.
Krakow was also the host for the 2023 event.

Zedge, a prominent US technology company, has experienced substantial growth in recent years and is now poised to expand its footprint in Vilnius. Over the next three years, the company aims to add 20 highly skilled professionals to its workforce in the city, bolstering its existing team of specialists to a total of 50 individuals proficient in technology and mobile applications. In line with this expansion, Zedge has committed to collaborating with local universities exploring synergies, particularly in the realms of AI and data engineering.
Established in 2003 initially as a platform for ringtones, Zedge has evolved into a versatile mobile content platform, boasting over 40 million users and 620 million app downloads. The company’s recent growth trajectory includes strategic acquisitions such as Emojipedia in 2021 and GuruShots in 2022. Notably, in 2023, Zedge embraced AI technology, introducing innovative products like pAInt, an AI wallpaper maker, and AI Art Master, a generative AI game.
The company has offices in the USA, Norway, Lithuania and Israel. Since its inception in 2018, Zedge’s Vilnius office has emerged as a pivotal center for developing new products, driving innovation, and optimizing the platform’s systems. Currently employing 32 highly skilled professionals, constituting approximately one-third of its global workforce, Zedge Lithuania remains integral to the company’s technological advancements.

Looking ahead, Zedge plans to further strengthen its Vilnius team by hiring 20 additional software developers, product owners, monetization specialists, data engineers, and other professionals over the next three years. The recruitment focus will emphasize Senior-level expertise, complemented by a select group of Junior to Mid-level professionals.
Source: Invest in Lithuania

Primient a leading producer of food and industrial ingredients made from plant-based, renewable sources is pleased to announce the opening of its new Łódź-based Global Shared Service Center in the state-of-the-art Hi Piotrkowska Towers.The 620+ square meter office located in the heart of the community will be home to around 100 Primient employees. The office proudly blends the company’s 100+ year heritage with the form and function of modern, collaborative working, including offices, conferencing and collaboration spaces which feature the full spectrum connectivity today’s hybrid working demands.

Like Primient’s newly opened US-headquarters, the design evokes both an agricultural / industrial foundation with the spirit of a bright, plant-based future. Natural textiles, finishes, and photography help infuse the space with light, texture, and elegance.

"We designed and built our new space for all – ensuring we created an office that was accessible, supportive, and welcoming for not only our teams, but also our customers, vendors, and community." - Magdalena Kowalska, Head of Finance Operations

The new office is positioned to support Primient’s ongoing investment and growth strategy.

The team in Łódź plays a critical role for Primient’s strategy according to CEO, Jim Stutelberg.
“Łódź is an important piece of our global footprint. The investment we are making is a clear testament to our commitment.” - Jim Stutelberg, CEO

Primient’s Łódź Office Space At-A-Glance:
Location: Hi Piotrkowska Towers, Łódź, Poland
Footprint: 620+ square meters
Features: Open and collaboration forward space, supporting hybrid working. Full suite of offices and conference rooms. Adjustable workstations and chairs supporting accessibility and diversity in working styles and preferences. Café, wellness, and supportive spaces for networking and connection.

Suvoda's global workforce is on track for double-digit growth

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Suvoda LLC, a global clinical trial technology company that specializes in complex studies in therapeutic areas like oncology, central nervous system (CNS), and rare disease, has expanded its presence in Romania with the opening of its newest office in Iași.
This strategic move further enhances Suvoda's ability to meet increasing global demand following the company's successful launch of its clinical trial technology platform and powerful new eCOA solution earlier this year. Suvoda's Iași office, which officially opened in July, will house teams specializing in product development, software engineering, and professional services, with plans to expand into other areas as the company grows.
"Our new Iași office is important because it is home to an enviable talent pool that will enable us to continue providing our customers the high-quality solutions and support that Suvoda is recognized for across the globe," said Marius Manole, co-founder and vice president of technical solutions, general manager of Suvoda Romania.

The era of artificial intelligence is just beginning, and fully harnessing the benefits of this technology requires time and managing numerous challenges. Activities such as customer support, software testing/development, marketing, and financial-accounting services could represent over 70% of artificial intelligence use cases in the near future.

For this reason, the Business Service Leaders Association (ABSL) Romania organized the 11th edition of the national conference focusing on artificial intelligence and its impact on the business services industry and life in general. At the conference’s opening, ABSL released the annual report of the business services industry, providing an overview of the sector and its trends.

According to the ABSL 2023 report, only 26% of companies in the industry currently use artificial intelligence and machine learning in their services, a percentage that is also reflected globally across different industries, while 74% of outsourcing companies in Romania use basic automation in customer service activities.

It is estimated that artificial intelligence will work best for employees with higher education, potentially automating up to 60% of their current processes. This is expected to substantially increase labor productivity, with estimates suggesting that half of the current work processes could be automated between 2030 and 2045.
“A hundred years ago, in the science fiction novels of Karel Capek (the inventor of the word ‘robot’), it was anticipated that robots would predominantly replace employees with intensive physical activity. Now, we see that in reality, they more often assist those with higher education and intellectual activity. It is somewhat counterintuitive but not necessarily bad news, as there is enormous potential for productivity growth. If we manage to integrate artificial intelligence into the development of products with the highest share in our industry (financial services, IT, and HR offered by over 65% of responding companies according to the latest ABSL study), we can keep Romania in a competitive position in the region, despite the salary increases induced by inflation,” says Cătălin Iorgulescu, Vice-President of ABSL.

By investing EUR 50.1 million, Genesys, a global cloud leader in AI-powered experience orchestration, has opened a new research and development center in Budapest that represents the commitment of the company to the Hungarian market. The project will create 250 new jobs.

Genesys established its footprint in Hungary following the 2021 acquisition of the Bold360 product from LogMeIn. Since then, headcount of the Hungarian subsidiary has more than tripled to nearly 200 employees with additional growth expected in the future. This rapid expansion has led Genesys to move its R&D center to a larger facility of nearly 3,000 square meters in Budapest.

Genesys Hungary is comprised of highly skilled talent qualified in a wide array of IT fields from data engineering to UX design. The work of the Hungarian team is key to enabling how Genesys is revolutionizing the way organizations engage with customers and employees through Genesys Cloud CX, an AI-powered experience orchestration platform.