From April 15-19, 2019  the managers and leading staff of Enterprise Incubator Foundation and Armenian Technology centers: Gyumri Technology Center, Vanadzor Technology Center and Engineering City, visited Ljubljana’s Technology Park in Slovenia.

The study visit, which took place in the framework of Support to SME Development in Armenia (EU-SMEDA) project, aimed at learning and knowledge transfer on business support and innovation ecosystem environment in Technology park of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

In the scope of the visit, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Enterprise Incubator Foundation of Armenia and Technology Park Ljubljana for Cooperation in the fields of Information technology and communications, engineering, high-tech and innovation.

The MOU will lead to joint technological skill development projects, joint ventures, research and development (R&D), collaboration between countries to empower the development of Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, engineering and many other technological fields in both countries.

Furthermore, the MoU entails joint projects on startup support, acceleration and grant programmes, joint research, mission of experts and exchange.

The MOU was signed by Amalya Yeghoyan, EIF Project manager on Business Development projects.

“The visit to Ljubljana’s Technology Park was important because both sides learnt about each other’s capabilities, as this visit was aimed at expertise exchange,” she noted.

Ljubljana’s Technology Park was established 2 decades ago and since then has proven to be the biggest and most impactful technology hub in Southeast Europe, serving as a home to 300+ member companies, innovative teams and individuals. It has huge experience in boosting the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems, knowledge commercialization and globalization in the country in close collaboration with the Government of Slovenia. As to date, the techno park is fully self-sustainable with steady contribution into country’s taxation system.

In the course of the short visit the Armenian Delegation had the chance to meet the management and tenants of Ljubljana’s Techno park, learn on its commercial programmes and community, EU and nationally funded initiatives for supporting young entrepreneurs, boosting smart specializations and entrepreneurial pilot projects.

Furthermore, meetings were held with the Government of Slovenia: Ministry for Education, Science and Sports, Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, Slovene Enterprise Fund, the Municipality of Ljubljana to learn on the IT and high-tech support programmes and policies, technology and innovation strategies and cooperation with the local technological centers for implementation of smart specializations and pilot projects.

The participating managers and staff of Armenia-based technology centers had truly appreciated the visit highlighting the most important learning aspects at Ljubljana’s Technology park, such as its membership policy, sales structure, active engagement in EU programmes, newly established partnership and cooperation, etc.