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The Spišská Nová Ves business incubator

A view of the buildings

Context

In 2002 almost 20% of the population of the region of Spiš were unemployed. It was vital for the local economy to support the development of a network of small and medium-sized businesses to fill the employment gap left by the closure of the large industrial groups of the communist era.

Although these small businesses could draw on existing local know-how, they suffered a number of handicaps: difficulty in finding a production site, lack of information on support possibilities, poor cooperation between producers and sometimes a lack of experience in management. The creation of an incubator-type mechanism was able to help new entrepreneurs overcome these obstacles by concentrating support services in one place.

Enterprise and innovation

The project was initiated in 2002 by the Spišská Nová Ves European Centre for Enterprise and Innovation (CEEI/BIC) which solicited PHARE funds from the National Agency for Small and Medium-Sized Business Development (ANDPME). Approved in November 2002, the project rests on a partnership of three structures: the Municipality, the CEEI and the Regional Development Agency.

Construction work consisted largely in doing up the initial building. This lasted 11 months, from December 2002 to the end of October 2003. In January 2004, the incubator was operational. Its official inauguration took place on 19 February 2004.

Accommodation and accompaniment

With a surface area of 1,100 m², Spišská Nová Ves is rather a small incubator. The building is divided into two parts:

- The “administrative” section (477 m²) has on the ground floor a reception, meeting room, mediatheque, canteen and security post. Upstairs are 6 small offices from 11 to 18 m² and a kitchenette. This part of the building houses all the technical equipment used for the accompaniment of the businesses.
- The “production” section (623 m²) comprises 6 independent modules each of 103 m². Laid out on the same model, each module includes a workshop, storage area, boiler room, office and cloakroom with bathroom installations.

The incubator has three functions. It

• “gives birth” to new businesses which helps to reinforce the economic fabric of the
• “accompanies” the small craft businesses it accommodates (low output furniture and machinery production, textile production and diverse services)
• acts as a “conduit” for foreign investors, helping businesses to develop until they can be transferred to a larger site, such as the new industrial park of

Results:

The incubator has already successfully accompanied 7 businesses and all its spaces are occupied. The 5 businesses accommodated have created 43 jobs. Activity sectors are very varied: production of rubber joints, furniture design and production, made-to-measure electronic components, transformation and commercialisation of wood, raising and selling ornamental fish, design and production of aquariums and terrariums.

The lack of space does not allow the incubator to fulfil all demands for new business creation. Its extension to 11 new workshops is eagerly anticipated. Work on this new phase should be completed by the end of August 2006.