A little over a year after the laying of the foundation stone, on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, the new Coworking Entrepreneurial Center in Pula was officially opened at Marulićeva Street 5. It encompasses 1,500 square meters of multifunctional space over four floors, which will serve all interested entrepreneurs, freelancers, digital nomads, and anyone who will contribute to making it a central place for strengthening a new type of entrepreneurial scene not only in the urban area of Pula but also much wider.
Unlike the previous infrastructural support for entrepreneurs in the form of business incubators where the Istrian Development Agency supported the start and growth of novice entrepreneurs, the emphasis here is on expanding the spectrum of support for entrepreneurs at all stages of their development.
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The preparation of this EU project initially involved negotiations with national bodies responsible for regional development and management of state property, and in September 2018, the Government of the Republic of Croatia recognized the significance of this project and, based on an idea conceived at the initiative of the Istrian Development Agency as the project holder, donated an abandoned building to the City of Pula, which has now been renovated and repurposed into an entrepreneurial center.
The ground floor and mezzanine of the center are designed as open space, that is, as a shared area for work, networking, and relaxation. On the second floor, there are offices for entrepreneurs and a multimedia meeting room for video conferences, while the third floor houses a large hall with a capacity of 120 seats with access to a terrace and accompanying lounge space. The hall can be partitioned into two separate spaces as needed, allowing multiple events to be held simultaneously.
The official opening of the center began with an attractive light show, gradually illuminating the floors and then on a very interesting facade infused with light effects. The symbolic light show was initiated via digital media by the director of the Istrian Development Agency – IDA d.o.o. Dr. Boris Sabatti, the mayor of Pula Dr. Filip Zoričić, Istrian County Prefect Boris Miletić, the director of the Central Agency for Financing and Contracting Dragan Jelić, and the Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds Šime Erlić.
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This was followed by a tour of the center and appropriate addresses to the gathered guests, partners, collaborators, and entrepreneurs.
The director of the Istrian Development Agency Dr. Boris Sabatti thanked all collaborators who contributed to the successful implementation of this project, emphasizing that despite challenges in the form of various price increases, construction was completed in record time and that all project activities will also be completed by the end of October this year, when the project officially ends. He particularly highlighted the collaboration with the award-winning architect Bruno Juričić, who designed the conceptual project and interior design, as well as with the main contractor, the company Lavčević, and all other collaborators who contributed to the completion of the construction and equipping of the center, as well as the entire IDA team. Sabatti emphasizes that more than a hundred entrepreneurs will find their place here for work and networking, as well as educational programs at multiple levels, and that this urban multifunctional space will become a hub for various business needs.
