New space for young entrepreneurs in the center of Belgrade - How does Nova Iskra design incubator gather creative people and companies?

Belgrade-based Nova Iskra business and design incubator became a gatheringspot of leading creative professionals and companies open for innovationapproaches to business and product development. They will celebrate two yearsof work in December and they are announcing the space expansion for young entrepreneurs.

- This fall, we are expanding capacities to 39 desks i.e. we are staring newData Lab segment. It will support freelancers, startups and young experts indigital technologies, web solutions development an d online services. We are carryingout the space expansion on 90 square meters with partnersfrom British Arbor. Petokraka architectonic studio which was in charge ofcurrent capacities development, carried out new space development –Neda Sorak, aprogram coordinator in Nova Iskra says for eKapija.

Development of Nova Iskra

After more than two years of preparation, the Nova Iskra design incubator officiallyopened December 6 2012 within multifunctional work area in Belgrade.

As our collocutor explains, majority of the team who worked on projectdevelopment is coming from the cultural and project management spheres.

The first objective was to make this space management self-sustainable. As theysay, they succeeded in it after only a few months since the total number ofmemberships users pay covers monthly costs of this kind of space.

Designers Lab concept

So far, 60 young professionals, from web developers and UIX designers,through graphic designers and architectonic teams, photographs and product andfurniture designers have used the space in Nova Iskra.

Designers Lab continues to provide support to wider creative community andduring November, it will release regular annual competition for membership2015.

Freelancers, who need it for some period of time, find space in Nova Iskra andthey can use it daily or weekly in line with available capacities.

Creative Hub network

Within Nova Iskra, Creative Hub, network gathering 250 young creative peopleand experienced designers from local and foreign market.

Companies included as well

The Industry hub network within Nova iskra gathers micro and SMEs. Incooperation with members, Nova Iskra organizes trainings, study visits fordesigners as well as professional exchanges, pointing out at the same time the importanceof design and creativity in development, production and sale of goods andservices. This way, they want us to help local companies as well to pave theirown way to international markets.

New projects in Nova Iskra

In the next period, the Nova Iskra team, apart from development of , co-workingsegment, u will continue developing project through innovation platform whichcomprises educational programs and local and international projects.

- The project of connecting top craftsmen and designers from Serbia andregion is ongoing as well. They aim at creating new products and developingcommunity which Nova Iskra team initiated and designed in cooperation withpartners from Norway. Late this year, the Nova’s classroom project should startas well – the initiative for redesign of type classroom in Serbian primaryschools through multidisciplinary approach and mutual work of the institutions,managers, designers and schools. The objective is innovation and making up fora halt in quality and standards of the primary school in Serbia throughcooperation of different experts.

This fall, they are implementing the Designer in Residence pilot project in cooperation with partnersfrom Sweden so they will host three of their designers and provide visit forthree Serbian designers in partner innovation centers in Sweden.

S.O.