The project “Construction of Creative Industries Incubator” has been developed with the aim of creating a stimulating business environment to provide preconditions for facilitating growth, development and job creation, and contributing to strengthen the competitiveness of the local economy.

The project encompasses the construction and equipping of the Incubator of Creative Industries in Koprivnica, in the area of the University campus complex owned by the City of Koprivnica, whose environment is being developed by the University North. Also, in this area soon will begin construction of the Center for Innovation in Food Innotech Ltd. as a central place for research and development in the food industry and related industries.

The project is strongly based on the goals defined by Development Strategy of the City of Koprivnica, which is largely based on encouraging innovation and the use of new technologies that will stimulate the development of business competitiveness and create conditions for new ones.

The City of Koprivnica as project applicant and Koprivnički poduzetnik Ltd. as a partner applied a project to create a common place for the development of new entrepreneurial initiatives in the perspective of creative industries. Associates on the project are: University of North, Regional Energy Agency North - REA, Center for Innovation in Food Innotech Ltd., Entrepreneurial Center Križevci, PORA Development Agency of Podravina and Prigorje, VIDRA - Regional Development Agency of Virovitica - Podravina County, Technological Innovation Center Međimurje ltd. and the City of Đurđevac.

The main problem that the project seeks to solve is the lack of infrastructure resources to stimulate entrepreneurship, as the existing incubation spaces are fully filled up, and in the past period, there has been an increased trend in opening business entities in the field of creative industries that require access to high-tech solutions and services.

The new Incubator will become a central place for promoting entrepreneurship in the field of creative industries and related sectors, and will facilitate the transfer of knowledge, internationalization, innovation development and networking between domestic and international entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial support institutions and research centers, educational institutions and other key stakeholders.

As the City of Koprivnica is known for its food and highly developed food industry, the long-term intent of a newly created incubator is to develop joint programs with complementary associates and to encourage the development of creative solutions with application in the food sector or food-related sectors. This implies the inclusion of companies and potential entrepreneurs from the field of creative industries in programs that include finding innovative solutions for e.g. new food-related applications to new packaging, packaging design, etc.

The aforementioned institutional cooperation is an innovative system that will jointly develop advanced business services in an entrepreneurial business environment that facilitates domestic and foreign growth and the development of existing and future entrepreneurs, as well as the creation of preconditions for new jobs.

The following results are expected to be achieved through the implementation of the Incubator of Creative Industries:

• Capacities have been increased and working environment is provided for companies whose activities are related to the creative industries
• High-quality equipment is ensured to facilitate business for entrepreneurs operating within the Incubator of Creative Industries
• Tools that will be the basis for providing quality customer service to incubated companies, based on advanced knowledge and techniques that accelerate work and encourage business growth, are ensured.

The project implementation plan is implemented through a total of four (4) groups of activities lasting 24 months.

The most important (1) element of the project implementation is the Construction of the Incubator of Creative Industries, and the second (2) element in the project implementation plan is the Equipping of the Incubator of Creative Industries. The third (3) element in the project implementation plan is the Acquisition of knowledge and intellectual property, which implies the creation of a curriculum that will enable structured and clearly defined content for the implementation of IT education and acceleration programs. The curricula will be specially designed for companies in the field of the creative industries and tailored to our local level. It also covers the acquisition of 3D printers that will serve to provide a new advanced 3D printing time share service that represents a competitive advantage for creative industries operating within the Incubator. It will serve entrepreneurs who have ideas for new, more modern products, and entrepreneurs for beginners who are just developing product. The fourth (4) element of the project Promotion and visibility implies ensuring the promotion and visibility of the project.

Project duration: 1.9.2017. – 1.9.2019.