BUSINESS and TECHNOLOGY INCUBATORS CONFERENCE – Instruments of Regional Development November 23 – 24 th, 2010 Belgrade, Serbia BUSINESS and TECHNOLOGY INCUBATORS CONFERENCE – Instruments of Regional Development November 23 – 24 th, 2010 Belgrade, Serbia

A An independent Dutch not-for-profit foundation; supporting Partners in the Western Balkans region since 1994; Develops education and entrepreneurship so that young and ambitious people are empowered to lead their post-conflict society into prosperity; WHO ARE WE ? Regional Business Start-up Centres and Incubator Project in South East Europe, years

Supports Business Start-up Centers and Business Incubators ▪ MFS I Program (2007 – 2010): in Bar, Bitola, Kragujevac, Zenica (10 million euro NLMFA financed project); “Job’s Creation Tender”: (sub-MFS project) BSCs/Incubators in Bosnia- Herzegovina (Tuzla, Modrica, Zepce, Mostar), Macedonia (Skopje & Tetovo), Serbia (Vranje/Belgrade & Prokuplje), Kosovo (Pristina & Prizren) and Montenegro (Podgorica); ▪ MFS II Program (2011 – 2015): Palestine, Liberia, Rwanda, Kosovo and Colombia Business Start-up Centers (22 million euro NLMFA project). WHERE ARE WE ? Regional Business Start-up Centres and Incubator Project in South East Europe, years

1. Enabling environment 1. Enabling environment for entrepreneurship development and establishment of durable SMEs 2. Reducing of obstacles 2. Reducing of obstacles for doing business 3.employment opportunities 3. Improvement of employment opportunities 4. Reform of higher education system 4. Reform of higher education system to better meet the needs of the labor market 5.regional cooperation 5. Enhancement of regional cooperation GENERAL OBJECTIVES THROUGH... Vocational Business training Vocational Business training year olds Business Plan Competitions consultancy servicesfavorable micro-credit lines Providing consultancy services and favorable micro-credit lines space in Business Incubators Securing space in Business Incubators Capacity building Capacity building of Partner institutions Curriculum development Curriculum development at Partner Universities/Faculties Introduction of ISO/HACCP standards in SMEs Private sector development conferences and SME fairs Regional Business Start-up Centres and Incubator Project in South East Europe

1. Improving knowledgeskills of trainees 1. Improving knowledge and skills of trainees in various topics: finances, marketing, business plan development, market research, PR, management, entrepreneurship and start-up of business, etc. To date: 125 modules designed, 240 trainers trained and 11,000+ persons attended modules. Activities Main Partners of the BSCs: Main Partners of the BSCs: Municipalities, Local/Regional Economic Development Agencies, Universities, Chamber of Commerce, Business Associations. 2. Best Business Plan Competition - awards for the best (are): 140 micro-credits placed for a total of 1 million euro 1,000 business plans achieved – 9,000 hours of consulting provided 550 companies started-up/strengthened, 1,300 jobs created Regional Business Start-up Centres and Incubator Project in South East Europe

5. Introduction of quality standards 5. Introduction of quality standards ( ISO & HACCP ) in micro and SMEs (50-50% cost sharing), 110 businesses completed certification. 3. Business Incubators 3. Business Incubators 13 business incubators established or supported in the course of the project. Infrastructure provided by local Partners, hard/soft components by the project. MFS BSC Incubator capacity: 40 tenants. 4. Capacity Building 4. Capacity Building Introduction of 11 new IT hardware/software solutions in Partner institutions, study tours, trainings. 6. Curriculum development in Partner Universities 6. Curriculum development in Partner Universities 16 workshops held at Partner faculties adjusting curricula which correlating to better meeting demands of the (local) labor market and instilling entrepreneurship. 7. Removing obstacles for doing business  Business Barriers Reports. 12 local/regional reports on business barriers/obstacles conducted over previous 4 years providing information to ease doing business;  Annual Regional Conferences & SME Fairs. 10 annual fairs and conferences held, 2, 000 attending. Regional Business Start-up Centres and Incubator Project in South East Europe

Lessons Learned: Regional Business Start-up Centres and Incubator Project in South East Europe  Concentrate on Core Activities  Concentrate on Core Activities – don’t shoot at everything!  Need for supporting younger population interested in starting SMEs  Identify core partners at the early phase  Identify core partners at the early phase - who will still be there after donor funds are gone?  Don’t rush Development of Business Incubators – but don’t delay!  Management team -  Management team - strong enough for this role, good mix project implementation/commercial skills, start their training from day one.

Lessons Learned: Regional Business Start-up Centres and Incubator Project in South East Europe  Networking  Networking – among incubators business start-up institutions, but also with local communities; locally and regionally - no one is an island!  Public-private partnership development model -  Public-private partnership development model - universities, municipalities, business associations, business communities, etc. all play critical role in business development  Have a business plan & exit strategy developed very early and stick to that plan!

BSC Bar Director: Ivana Tomasevic Poslovni centar Kula A Zgrada JP "Komunalne djelatnosti" 85000, Bar, Montenegro T: BSC Bitola Director: Rozita Talevska Hristovska Faculty of Technical Sciences Str. Ivo Lola Ribar No. bb 7000, Bitola, Macedonia T: BSC Zenica Director: Nino Serdarevic Faculty of Metallurgy and Materials Science Travnicka Cesta Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina T: SPARK Belgrade Program Manager: Philip Hostert Dobracina 22, Belgrade Republic of Serbia T: BSC Kragujevac Director: Nebojsa Simic Kralja Petra I N.17, Kragujevac Republic of Serbia T: