Future Creator Competition for the Rafał Stepnowski Award
We invite students of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Gdańsk to participate in the next edition of the “Future Creator” Competition for the Rafał Stepnowski Award.
The competition was established to recognize students of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Gdańsk who are particularly active in the social sphere. The patron of the “Future Creator” Competition is Rafał Stepnowski, an entrepreneur and innovator who passed away prematurely in 2023, a graduate and member of the Faculty’s Expert Council. The award is granted to students who, like Rafał Stepnowski, are leaders and visionaries, “creators of the future”, emerging from our community and working for the benefit of society.
The “Future Creator” Award is granted for outstanding activity in support of the University of Gdańsk, the Faculty of Economics, and the local community.
The award is monetary and amounts to PLN 6,000.
Application forms along with the candidate’s declaration should be submitted to the Dean’s Office of the Faculty of Economics by May 31, 2026 (room A127 at the Faculty of Economics).
The award is granted to the person with the highest number of points. In exceptional and justified cases, both the main award and an honorable mention may be granted.
The results of the competition will be announced by June 30, 2026.
Profile of Rafał Stepnowski – entrepreneur, innovator, graduate, and member of the Faculty of Economics Expert Council
Rafał Stepnowski graduated from the Faculty of Transport Economics at the University of Gdańsk (now the Faculty of Economics), majoring in Foreign Trade.
He wrote his master’s thesis titled “Methods of Analysis and Evaluation of Joint-Stock Companies in Poland under a Functioning Capital Market” under the supervision of Professor Edmund Pietrzak at the then Department of International Monetary Relations.
In 1989, he also served as the chairman of the independent student government at the faculty. Between 2008 and 2010, he completed an MBA program at the Gdańsk University of Technology (Program and Project Management).
Rafał Stepnowski served as President of Boeing Poland. He began his professional career in IT companies and, in 1993, co-founded, together with his father, a family business producing digital marine maps: C-Map Poland, which later merged with Jeppesen, a company belonging to the Boeing group.
Thanks to his efforts, the city of Gdańsk is now the largest location of the global Boeing corporation in the European Union, employing around 800 people in fields such as aviation navigation, software development, engineering, and more. He also supported the development and safety of civil aviation. Owing to his initiatives, LOT Polish Airlines became the first airline in Europe to operate the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Rafał Stepnowski had a significant impact on Poland’s security and enhanced the country’s defense capabilities by ensuring the delivery of 96 AH-64 Apache helicopters and by fostering earlier cooperation with the Polish Navy. Thanks to his efforts, it was equipped with digital navigation maps, among the first in the world.
From 2011 to 2023, he was a member of the Expert Council of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Gdańsk, actively participating in its work and meetings.
He willingly shared his knowledge and experience. He delivered lectures in MBA programs on strategy and marketing. He also collaborated with the Faculty of Economics as an external practitioner in numerous courses conducted in both Polish and English, including international monetary policy, capital markets, business strategy, and professional skills development. He gave lectures personally and invited industry practitioners to the university. He was also a speaker at international conferences, including the Open Eyes Economy Summit and the Government Relations Forum in Central and Eastern Europe.
He looked to the future - he initiated the establishment of Newton Room educational centers in Poland to engage high school students in STEM subjects. As an active member of the “Grow with us” foundation, he supported the children of soldiers who were victims of peacekeeping missions. He founded and chaired the Jeppesen Foundation, which focuses on helping those most in need and supports education, art, and development activities.
He worked for the economic development of Poland, Pomerania, and Gdańsk. He was a board member and vice-chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce and promoted Polish-American cooperation.
He was always deeply committed to everything he undertook.
Summary of the 1st Edition of the “Future Creator” Competition
KREATOR PRZYSZŁOŚCI | Wydział Ekonomiczny Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego