The Knjaževac Business Incubator Centre (BIC Knjaževac) was established in May 19, 2005 as the first Business Incubator in Serbia with initial funding coming via the ENTRANSE project and OSCE. The Incubator assists the creation and development of the SME sector in the municipality of Knjaževac. It is a non-profit initiative launched by the Knjaževac, based at NGO Timok Klub.

The objectives of the BIC Knjaževac are to:

•         create new jobs and promote coalitions among business organisations, local governments and civil society;

•         educate and support existing SMEs, create enterprise orientated environment and reduce business failure;

•         support in general the development of the municipality and diversify the local economy;

•         generate individual and local wealth and develop local business communities;

•         support reforms and democratization of Serbia;

•         assure the sustainable development and advance financial stability;

•         create infrastructure for supporting self-employment;

•         assure the competitiveness of the region;

•         facilitate introduction of new technology and retraining of workers in entrepreneurial skills; and

•         offer ongoing adult learning in business management.

The BIC Knjaževac is self-sustainable and all activities are financed from own incomes. The organisational structure consists of the Advisory board (9 representatives of stakeholders and founders); the director and the Mentorship Team (9 volunteers, managers of big companies and successful entrepreneurs who assist to BIC members in their operations).

The services offered by the Centre covers the following:

•          Assigned mentor to each new start-up for a period of 12 months;

•          Pre-incubation and development advice for business planning;

•          Providing the business space with all the necessary conditions for work, under favourable conditions on market;

•          Possibility of using space for meetings and presentations with all the equipment;

•          Possibility of using computers and other office materials;

•          Seminars on business management skills, business functions, procuring raw materials and exporting finished goods and seminars on setting up and managing an office plus internet access & training;

•          Assistance with bookkeeping (3 months free), personnel selection, training and development;

•          Assistance with engineering, modernization of technical equipment and marketing;

•          Consultant services for making a business plan;

•          Office leading, internet use, keeping and modernization of IT equipment seminars; and

•          Help in conducting marketing and public relations.

During the realization of the project, good relations with Knjaževac municipality, Belgrade’s municipalities Palilula, New Belgrade and City of Niš were established. Good cooperation with Regional Chamber of Commerce was built and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Entrepreneur’s Association from Knjaževac was signed. The Incubator is assisted in establishment of several business incubators in Serbia (Valjevo, Vranje, Medvedja, Bor, Prokuplje) and is now wide recognized as a model, not only for support to entrepreneurs, but also as a national model for business incubation.

Contact Person:

Snežana Pavković, Director

E-mail:snezana.pavkovic@timok.org