Project value: €31 million
Co-financing: Just Transition Fund + national contribution of €28.1 million
Project duration: 2025–2027
The Stara Elektrarna Incubator – Center of the Future will be the SAŠA region’s central development and innovation hub, which—through the renovation of an industrial building more than 100 years old—will create a modern incubation ecosystem for the development of entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable solutions.
With more than 9,200 m² of gross floor area, it will provide companies, researchers, students, and innovators with infrastructure, support programs, laboratories, prototyping facilities, and opportunities to collaborate with research and educational institutions.
The center will make a significant contribution to the region’s restructuring, the development of new technologies, and the creation of a sustainable economy.
More information about the project can be found on the website ⇓
Financial data:
- Eligible costs: 30,590,747.14 EUR
- Co-financing (Just Transition Fund and national contribution): 28,146,546.44 EUR
Support for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- The center will facilitate the development of business ideas from the initial phase through prototyping to market entry.
- It will be aimed at entrepreneurs, startups, students, and individuals with growth potential, who will have access to modern facilities, technology, expert support, and development programs.
- It will promote collaboration among businesses, research institutions, the education sector, and public partners, and create an open innovation ecosystem.
- The center’s vision is to create a new generation of companies that will respond to contemporary social, environmental, and economic challenges with responsible, practical, and long-term solutions.
Facilities and Infrastructure
- The project involves the renovation of the more than 100-year-old industrial building of the Old Power Plant in Velenje, which, following its revitalization, will become a modern incubation and innovation hub with more than 9,200 m² of gross floor area.
- Food Lab will provide a development infrastructure for FoodTech startups, including a fermentation and mycelium laboratory, a development kitchen, and a demonstration kitchen for product testing.
- The Energy Hall will be a multipurpose industrial space for events, conferences, presentations, and public debates, with a capacity of 200–300 people.
- The center will include coworking spaces, development offices, and specialized laboratories for the development, testing, and prototyping of innovations.
- The spaces will be designed to bring together teams, mentors, researchers, and companies, and to support the development of new business ideas.
Research, Education, and Networking
- The Center of the Future will house the Faculty of Energy at the University of Maribor, which will strengthen the ties between the academic community and the business sector.
- The project will facilitate the development of new knowledge and technologies in the fields of energy, renewable energy sources, and sustainable systems.
- The center will bring together companies, research organizations, investors, and public institutions.
Support Programs and Effects
- Incubation, mentoring, training, and investor networking programs will be established.
- The center will provide support to entrepreneurial teams at every stage of development —from the initial idea to market launch.
- It will promote the development of the food, tourism, energy, and circular economy sectors and contribute to the achievement of the S5 smart specialization goals.
