The story of the Koroška Business Incubator Network (Mrežni podjetniški inkubator Koroška, MPIK) dates back to 2007, when the 2007-2013 Regional Development Programme for the Koroška development region was being developed. We realised that the region does not have a suitable support environment which would offer favourable infrastructural conditions to entrepreneurs, and that the region needs a development model which would increase the individuals' interest for entrepreneurship, as well as enable them to develop business ideas in their region of origin.
Therefore, the construction and the establishment of the Koroška Business Incubator Network (as part of the Koroška development region in the Regional Development Programme) was identified as a priority project in the field of promoting the development of entrepreneurship.
On the initiative of RDA Koroška as well as with the unanimous support of all 12 municipalities in the Koroška region, the "Establishment of the Koroška Business Incubator Network" project was outlined in two stages in the Implementation Plan of the 2007-2009 Koroška Regional Development Programme.
The first stage had already been realised in 2010, when the Radlje Ob Dravi Business Incubator (MPIK1 Radlje ob Dravi) and the Ravne na Koroškem Manufacturing Incubator (MPIK1 Ravne na Koroškem) were opened.
The realisation of the first part of the second stage followed in 2013. Together with the establishment of the Dravograd Manufacturing Incubator (MPIK1 Dravograd), it also included the launch of the Slovenj Gradec Business Incubator (MPIK1 Slovenj Gradec).
The project was completed in 2014, when the investments into the manufacturing incubators in Radlje ob Dravi and Ravne na Koroškem (MPIK2 Radlje ob Dravi and MPIK2 Ravne na Koroškem) were concluded by the end of that year.
In 2015 we have already
completed the third phase of the investment into the MPIK2 Slovenj Gradec (the
adaptation of 19 offices on Meškova Street), the MPIK2 Ravne na Koroškem (the
establishment of two additional manufacturing units), and the MPIK2 Dravograd
(the purchase and the adaptation of the incubator premises). This stage also
included support activities, with a common goal to offer support to potential
as well as existing companies through all stages of their development.
The total investment value for all three stages is around 7.6 million EUR. The project was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The rest was financed by municipalities. In total, 6,000 m2 of usable space intended for the incubator activities were created.
The municipalities are the holders of the Koroška Business Incubator Network, granting RDA Koroška to manage the incubator premises regarding content. This means RDA Koroška executes all procedures regarding the incubator as well as any support activities.