Construction of second building of Innovation District in Kragujevac begins – Completion of works by end-2026

The construction of the new building of the Innovation District in Kragujevac has officially begun. The building will cover approximately 5,000 square meters, and the value of the project is EUR 13 million.

Prime Minister of Serbia Djuro Macut, who attended the start of the works, pointed out that Kragujevac was a symbol of the new technological and scientific development of the country, recalling that one of the most modern state data centers in Europe had been built in that city.

– The Innovation District in Kragujevac is more than an investment, because it represents a platform for cooperation, a space for innovation, a center for scientific and technological exchange between the state, economy and citizens – he said.

Macut pointed out that the State Data Center in Kragujevac was recognized as the safest place for storing data in the region, adding that it was the only one in eastern and southeastern Europe with an N5 certificate, and that that part of the center also housed a supercomputer, the National Platform for Artificial Intelligence.

He said that by investing an additional EUR 55 million by the end of 2025, Serbia would become the owner of the most powerful supercomputer in the wider region, which would be intended for the improvement of public administration, healthcare, education and economy. Macut pointed out that the plan was to make that platform available to small and medium-sized enterprises as a form of state support, which would significantly increase the competitiveness of Serbia’s economy and raise the standard of living.

Director of the Office for Information Technology and Electronic Governance Mihailo Jovanovic announced that the construction of the first building of the Innovation District would be completed by the end of the year, and the second by the end of 2026.

As previously announced, the district will be built in phases and will cover more than four hectares, with a total of 62,000 square meters and 23,000 square meters of garage space. Over the next three years, as indicated by the state, a total of 35,000 square meters will be built.

The innovation district is designed as a creative and innovative digital center intended for members of the IT community, which will be open to both citizens and visitors, with numerous features. The new facility will also include a “Smart City Center” for the development of smart energy systems and connecting of smart infrastructure, as well as a Center for the Promotion of Digitalization, a section for bioinformatics and bioengineering, as well as a space for student training, Jovanovic said, according to the government’s website. The district will also include business incubators, startups and a section for the application of artificial intelligence, which will house a center for the development of robotics.

A special place within the Innovation District will be occupied by the National Center for Information Security, as well as the fifth Science and Technology Park in Serbia, he pointed out and emphasized that one of the goals of this district would be to gather young talented people from Kragujevac and the surrounding area.

There will also be an educational center for student training - small startup spaces, a hackathon for high school students, workshops for younger and school-age children, a center for the promotion of science and many other areas that are important for the advancement of scientific and technological achievements.

Kancelarija za informacione tehnologije i elektronsku upravu Beograd

Innovation District Kragujevac

State Data Center Kragujevac

Mihailo Jovanović

Đuro Macut

construction of new building of Innovation District