Banská Štiavnica (source: SME)
The first Slovak business incubator focused on supporting the craftspeople started in Banská Štiavnica in April 2016.
Organised by Luft Coworking in Banská Štiavnica, the project titled “Crafts pay dividends” targets local crafts people and artists who plan to or have already placed their product on the market. They are professionals in their craft, but often lack business skills.
The main objective of the project is thus to strengthen business models and business stability of these craftspeople and artists, the TASR newswire reported.
The incubator offers several workshops at which the participants learn some basic business skills and principles or online shopping.
“We have seen many skilled people who do not have as many possibilities for voluntary education and various workshops as in Bratislava,” said Andrej Minárik, one of the co-founders of Luft Coworking, as quoted by TASR.
The project is based on the concept of business incubators for technological startups that offer business education to young companies in big cities, like Bratislava, Košice or Prague.
The content of the education is adjusted to the needs of small entrepreneurs, i.e. craftspeople and artists living in smaller towns and in the countryside.
One of the partners is a creator of the SAShE.sk website which collaborates with Slovak craftspeople.
“The marketing, legal and economic support is extremely important for craftspeople,” said Saša Miklášová, founder of SAShE.sk, as quoted by TASR. “They are people who first of all create and do not have a business spirit, but they have a place in the Slovak market, similarly to commercial brands.”
