UrbaNMakerspace: an innovative entrepreneurial environment in the centre of Novo Mesto

date: 26. 08. 2024

As part of the UrbaNMakerspace project, the Novo Mesto municipality arranged and equipped business premises with modern technical and robotic equipment on the Novi trg square, in the centre of Novo Mesto, which provide young innovative companies with a supportive environment for the development of creative ideas. The incubator with five offices and a community workshop for robotics and smart cities was designed with the aim of transferring experience between entrepreneurs and creating new knowledge and added value. The business incubator UrbaNMakerspace in the city centre has been established in order to pursue the nature of sustainable urban development, it covers 250 m² and is located on the third floor of an office building at Novi trg 9.

UrbaNMakerspace functions as a development space and educational centre for various fields, and both the facilities and the prepared technology are intended as "test environments" in which individuals or development groups can test theoretical concepts in a safe practical environment with the possibility of feedback from experienced mentors or involved stakeholders.

Equipping rooms for various testing of innovative concepts and technological approaches is a natural building block for strengthening the competences of the wider area. The acquisition of skills and knowledge also takes place through the implementation of trainings, events and networking with related projects in Slovenia and Europe.

Offices for innovative companies and a community workshop with modern technical equipment

The Novo Mesto Development Centre, as the manager of the UrbaNMakerspace facility, performs the activities of the incubator by establishing two types of spaces: individual spaces for new startup companies and a collaborative space for users of technical equipment in a community workshop.

The community workshop UrbaNMakerspace contains modern technical equipment for the teaching and development of robotics and automation (with eight Dobot learning robots) and basic sensory and infrastructure equipment for the development of smart city technologies. It allows developers to use equipment to develop the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, such as various sensors for humidity, air quality and energy systems, and the accompanying technology infrastructure.

The offices are intended for young, start-up and innovative companies in the field of robotics and the development of smart city technologies - the IoT technologies and development projects. They are available 24 hours a day, every day of the week, and tenants can register their business address at Novi trg 9, Novo Mesto.

One of the five offices is home to the Circular Innovation Centre, whose goal is to promote the circular economy through circular public procurement. Two corporate offices measure 17.45 m² and are suitable for two people, one office is 21.95 m² and is also suitable for two people, and the largest office measures 26.5 m2 and is suitable for three people.

Support for new jobs and development in the field of robotics, Internet of Things technologies and smart cities

UrbaNMakerspace represents an important addition and support in the creation of new innovative companies and jobs, and the added value of the project is support in the development of new capacities in the field of robotic technologies, which the economy in Novo Mesto and the Dolenjska Region urgently needs in order to realize the concept of smart factories. On the other hand, with the project, we also want to encourage the development of technologies in the field of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and smart cities. In this way, the project contributes to the implementation of the Slovenian Smart Specialization Strategy – S4 in several areas. The main goal of the trainings and workshops is to attract the younger population of schoolchildren and introduce them to the world of high technology through attractive and high-tech equipped rooms and various programmes.

The UrbaNMakerspace Project, worth just under 740 thousand euros, initially required the purchase of suitable premises worth almost 153 thousand euros, while the remaining 586 thousand euros were intended to transform the premises into a modern business environment. The Project was co-financed with 470 thousand euros by the Republic of Slovenia and the European Union from the European Fund for Regional Development, the rest of the funds were provided by the Municipality of Novo Mesto.