About the project
On August 28, 2017, the Lika-Senj County, as the project leader of the "Lika-Senj County Development Center", concluded with the Ministry of Economy and the Central Finance and Contracting Agency for European Union Programs and Projects the Grant Agreement for the project Lika-Senj County Development Center – K.K.03.1.2.01.0017.
The total value of the project is 22,260,723.25 HRK, and grants in the amount of 18,608,890.41 HRK are financed from the European Regional Development Fund.
The partners in this project are the City of Gospić and the Lika-Senj County Development Agency - LIRA, and the associates are the Entrepreneurial Incubator BIOS d.o.o. Osijek, Plitvička Jezera Municipality, Perušić Municipality, Udbina Municipality, Brinje Municipality, Nikola Tesla Polytechnic in Gospić, and Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb.
The main objective of the Lika-Senj County Development Center project is to create a central location for providing professional business services to entrepreneurs and investors in the Lika-Senj County area, and to develop entrepreneurship through incubator/accelerator services, and fruit and honey processing facilities, with an emphasis on facilitating and stimulating new and existing entrepreneurs.
The project entails reconstruction of the former barracks on Pazariška Street in Gospić. Within this building, on a net area of 1,701.85 m2, production facilities for fruit and honey processing (for processing fruit and vegetables by drying), for processing fruit into jellied products (jams, spreads), for filling and processing honey, and a laboratory for physical analysis with accompanying storage areas and cooling chambers are incorporated.
Other premises include offices and coworking spaces for entrepreneurs, attributed through a public tender, as well as offices for the head of the entrepreneurial incubator, the head of the facility and the entrepreneurial support institution. A total of 30 functional units are available for entrepreneurs.
This goal was achieved through three results:
- Renovation of the building to accommodate the Development Center,
- Equipping of the Development Center,
- Establishing the GIS platform for informing investors (entrepreneurs who want to start a business in Lika-Senj County, and those who want to invest in the Lika-Senj County area).
Services provided by the Development Center:
- Use of semi-industrial facilities
- Use of laboratories for physical analysis and contracting laboratory services
- Use and rental of storage space
- Use and rental of cold storage rooms
- Use and rental of rooms for sample preparation and sensory evaluation
- Rent of offices in the incubator/accelerator with accompanying services for tenant companies
- Rent of a multifunctional hall to external entrepreneurs
Support services of the entrepreneurial incubator/accelerator to tenant entrepreneurs and external entrepreneurs:
- Networking and finding business partners and external investors,
- Expert assistance in leading and managing a business venture in the first years of business (for new companies), creating a strategic plan for business growth and development (for existing companies), and finding sources of financing
- Web space for promotion of tenants on the Development Center website,
- Education and workshops for incubator users and external users,
- Organization of a network of external services for users (marketing, accounting, etc.),
- Mentoring,
- Other services in accordance with the Program of the incubator/accelerator work,
- „One-stop shop“ service Center to support investors through GIS tools
Expected impact of the project on development:
- Increase in turnover for companies in the incubator/accelerator programs, as well as those that are occasional users of the Development Center services due to the professional support received at the Development Center
- Increase in the number of newly opened small businesses in the County,
- Increase in the number of agricultural entrepreneurs,
- Increased survival rate of companies due to the support services of the Center,
- Attracting investors to the Lika-Senj County more effectively,
- General increase in employment due to more successful business operations of companies that are permanent and external users of the Center's services.
- As part of the Project implementation, an awareness campaign about the Project was carried out through Project presentations in all cities and municipalities of the Lika-Senj County.
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