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The event aimed to exchange experiences and provide recommendations for developing entrepreneurial infrastructure in the Ukrainian city of Voznesensk, which plans to establish its own incubator based on successful European practices.

During the joint plenary session, participants were welcomed by Rene Tõnnisson, thematic expert for the Smarter Europe programme, Viktoriia Baltser, Deputy Mayor of Voznesensk, and Igor Medić, Director of BIOS. On behalf of the City of Osijek, Antonio Lozančić attended the event, extending greetings and wishing Voznesensk a swift end to the war and much success in developing further entrepreneurial initiatives.

The first day featured a series of lectures and discussions on the institutional, strategic, and legal frameworks of incubators, as well as the services provided to entrepreneurs. Experiences and best practices were shared by Peter Grant (WSX Enterprise, United Kingdom), Agnese Olsevska (Investment and Development Agency of Latvia), Ignacio Rosales Zábal (Provincial Council of Granada, Spain), and Igor Medić (BIOS Business Incubator).

Following the working sessions, participants visited several companies operating within BIOS – Code Root, Protostar Labs, DownTown Game Studio, Wizia Design, Verdecor, Coworking BIOS, and Big Small Games – and learned about successful Osijek-based entrepreneurs and the support they receive from BIOS.

In the afternoon workshops, participants discussed the development of new financial instruments to support small and medium-sized enterprises, with an emphasis on inclusivity, gender equality, environmental protection, and social responsibility.

On the second day of the Peer Review, concrete recommendations and policy proposals were developed for the City of Voznesensk, which will serve as a foundation for further cooperation and the development of their future incubator.

BIOS Director Igor Medić stated on the occasion:

“It is a great honor that Interreg Europe selected BIOS as an example of good practice. Like Ukraine, Croatia has gone through a period of war and recovery. Today, Osijek is a city that has beautifully rebuilt and developed, and through our work with entrepreneurs, BIOS demonstrates how important innovation, knowledge, and collaboration are in building a successful community.” 

 

Watch HRT’s report about the event on this LINK.

Take a look at how it was HERE.