Entrepreneurial Centre of Krapina-Zagorje County Becomes Newest Certified EU|BIC, Leading in Innovative and Sustainable Ecosystems in Europe
The Entrepreneurial Centre of Krapina-Zagorje County achieves a significant milestone by obtaining the prestigious EU|BIC certification. This accolade highlights the Centre’s dedication to fostering innovation, supporting startups, and driving economic growth within the region. The EU|BIC certification reinforces the Centre’s role as a pivotal player in advancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Krapina-Zagorje County and Northern Croatia.
The EU|BIC certification is a mark of quality, recognising organisations that meet the highest standards of business support services to ensure innovative entrepreneurs thrive. It is a highly selective status, originated from and recognised by the European Commission. To qualify, organisations must document their impact and undergo peer-review verification every five years to maintain their certification. The EU|BIC quality is issued by the European Business and innovation Centre Network (EBN).
Created in 1998 by Krapina-Zagorje County and becoming an independent entity in 2018, the Entrepreneurial Centre of Krapina-Zagorje County Ltd. is a pivotal organization dedicated to fostering a sustainable, innovative, and competitive economy in the region. The Centre supports the entrepreneurial ecosystem by offering tailored support and mentoring to startups and SMEs, aiming to drive positive regional impact. Emphasizing health tech, the Centre collaborates with regional healthcare providers, but also cooperates with institutions such as High School Krapina and the Centre of Robotics.
In 2020, the Centre launched a Business Technology Incubator to enhance its services. Financed by the Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovation and Investments as the part of the Croatian Recovery and Resilience Plan, the Centre leads a consortium of 13 institutions in North Croatia (SPRINT consortium), delivering a comprehensive acceleration program that creates a strong support network for newly founded companies and start-ups. The mentioned program represents a significant step in strengthening the regional innovation ecosystem.
Achievements and future plans include virtual incubation for 50 entrepreneurs by 2027 and establishing test bed infrastructure for the health industry. The Centre supports entrepreneurship, fosters innovation, and attracts foreign direct investment (FDI). The Invest in Zagorje project has been named one of the top 10 Small Regions of the Future by the expert panel of Financial Times, fDI Intelligence, recognizing its strong investment attraction strategy.
Aligning with EU|BIC Missions
The Centre’s mission aligns seamlessly with EU|BIC’s objectives of promoting sustainable economic development, excellence in business support services, and fostering innovation across Europe. By focusing on sectors such as health tech and sustainable development, the Centre plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between research and entrepreneurial practice.
Regional Sustainable Economic Development
From its inception, the Entrepreneurial Centre of Krapina-Zagorje has worked tirelessly to build a well-connected innovation ecosystem that supports the economic development of the region. By fostering entrepreneurial innovations, accelerating new enterprises, promoting entrepreneurial culture, modernizing industries, stimulating job creation, and partnering strategically with corporates, investors, and public authorities, the Centre forms a vast, diverse, collaborative, and connected business innovation ecosystem.
Focused on several key objectives to develop the innovation ecosystem in the Krapina-Zagorje region, the Centre supports networking, sharing, and cooperation among regional stakeholders. It actively participates in European projects, such as the ACCELERO project, aimed at promoting the development of the local innovation ecosystem through co-creation and pilot-testing of high-quality business acceleration services at a European level.
Quality Business Support
The Entrepreneurial Centre of Krapina-Zagorje County conducts its operations to deliver the highest quality innovation support services. Its comprehensive selection, ideation, acceleration, and incubation programs are designed to support startups, scale-ups, SMEs, and innovators of all kinds.
The Business Technology Incubator, situated within newly established infrastructure in the bustling cities of Krapina and Zabok, spans 2,500 square meters and offers modern offices, a spacious congress hall, and essential support amenities. By offering discounted rent to clients of the incubator, the Centre is currently hosting 16 companies within its premises.
The Centre’s commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and innovation begins early, with initiatives designed to nurture interest and skills in young individuals with programs such as Grizbiz, Girls Code Camp and Create Your Future promoting STEM education and healthy living for young children, fostering early interest and skills in technology and entrepreneurship.
The Centre provides further opportunities for development through various lead generation and networking activities. The Centre organizes targeted conferences, like Invest In Zagorje and Women In Entrepeneurship, and it facilitates innovation and idea development through competitive and collaborative events.
The Centre’s growth services encompass a robust accelerator program and comprehensive business development support for startups and SMEs at various stages. In 2023, the Centre has received 285 enquiries from potential entrepreneurs and supported 90 clients, including eight potential entrepreneurs, 14 startups, and 68 SMEs, ensuring a continuum of support from the early stages of entrepreneurial spirit to the growth and scaling phases of businesses.
Access to Finance
The Centre provides a steady pipeline of innovative, investment-ready companies and fosters supportive investment opportunities. Through access to early-stage finance, the Centre enables the development of investment projects, business plans, and investment feasibility studies. Preparing EU projects for SMEs and large companies: EU grants, loans, and equity funds further empower regional businesses.
Scaling European Innovation
Situated in close proximity to Slovenia, Austria, and other Balkan countries, the Centre strategically positions itself to leverage insights gleaned from the expansive EBN network. This positioning enables the Centre to establish vital international connections, facilitating collaborations with both European and non-European markets for its incubator community.
This strategic focus on fostering a pan-European approach significantly enhances the internationalization prospects for startups, scale-ups, and innovative SMEs across Europe. By meticulously understanding the diverse needs of entrepreneurs at various growth stages, the Centre effectively harnesses the extensive support networks offered by EBN and EU|BIC. This commitment ensures consistently high-quality support within the Krapina-Zagorje region, setting the stage for targeted expansion.
Furthermore, through initiatives like the Invest in Zagorje initiative, the Centre actively attracts investments to the area, bolstering economic growth and innovation in the region. Investors exploring opportunities in Krapina-Zagorje County benefit from its strategic location, conducive business environment, and supportive infrastructure aimed at nurturing growth across various sectors aligned with sustainable development goals.
Achieving EU|BIC certification has immediate and long-term impacts on the Centre:
Achieving EU|BIC certification marks a transformative moment for the Entrepreneurial Centre of Krapina-Zagorje County, ushering in both immediate benefits and long-term opportunities. The certification bolsters the Centre’s standing, elevating its credibility and visibility across regional and European innovation landscapes. This newfound recognition not only will attract a greater influx of entrepreneurs and investors but also strengthens existing partnerships while forging new ones across borders.
Moreover, the rigorous evaluation process inherent to EU|BIC certification serves as a catalyst for continuous improvement within the Centre. Insights gathered from this process provide invaluable feedback, guiding ongoing enhancements in service delivery and strategic initiatives. By embracing these refinements, the Centre reaffirms its commitment to remaining at the forefront of innovation support, ensuring it evolves dynamically to meet the evolving needs of its entrepreneurial community. Thus, EU|BIC certification not only validates past achievements but also propels the Centre forward on a trajectory of sustained growth and impact.
The EU|BIC certification represents a significant milestone for our Centre. It validates our commitment to excellence in supporting local entrepreneurs and driving innovation. This achievement opens doors to new opportunities for collaboration and growth, positioning us as a key player in advancing sustainable development and economic prosperity in our region and beyond
Helena Matuša, Director of the Entrepreneurial Centre of Krapina-Zagorje County
In conclusion, the EU|BIC certification underscores the Entrepreneurial Centre of Krapina-Zagorje County’s leadership in promoting innovation and sustainability. With a robust portfolio of programs, strategic partnerships, and a commitment to continuous improvement, the Centre is poised to make a lasting impact on the entrepreneurial landscape of Krapina-Zagorje County and Northern Croatia.
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