Today we opened the exhibition ‘Rijeka Development Agency Porin – 30 years of entrepreneurship development’ on the premises of Korzo in Rijeka, marking 30 years of activity and development of entrepreneurial support in Rijeka.
The exhibition brings the public closer to the path that Porin has gone through since 1996, when it was founded as one of the first entrepreneurial incubators in Croatia, to the present role of a development agency that connects entrepreneurs, development projects, European funds, education, technological infrastructure and new models of business support.
The opening of the exhibition was attended by the Mayor of Rijeka Iva Rinčić, Director of Porin Nenad Antolović and the conceptual initiator and first director of Porina Doris Sošić. This gave the opening a strong symbolic link between the beginnings of Porin and its present role, since Doris Sošić participated in the creation of the foundation of the entrepreneurial incubator from which the present system of support to entrepreneurs has developed over three decades.
“This exhibition marks three decades of work, change, challenges and, above all, support for entrepreneurs. It is not just an overview of important years, projects and numbers, but a story about how entrepreneurship in Rijeka and Croatia has developed from the beginning of the 1990s to the present day. Porin originated from a very specific need for space, advice, infrastructure and an environment in which business ideas can get a chance to become real business", said Porin Director Nenad Antolović.
Through twenty exhibition posters we showcased the key development phases of Porin, but also the changes that have marked entrepreneurship in Rijeka and Croatia over the last three decades. From the first incubation spaces and basic support to entrepreneurs, Porin gradually developed a system that today includes counselling, education, mentoring, incubation and post-incubation programs, preparation and implementation of EU projects, coworking, TEH LAB and support for the development of new products, services and business models.
‘Over the years, Porin has become a place of support, knowledge, mentoring and opportunity for numerous entrepreneurs, craftsmen, innovators and creatives. It is especially important that this exhibition reminds us of the path from the first incubation spaces to new development steps, such as the future incubator Sinergan, which will further strengthen Rijeka's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Rijeka remains a city of knowledge, work and innovation, and Porin remains an important part of this story.", said Rijeka Mayor Iva Rinčić.
In the past 30 years, we have gathered more than 200 users of the entrepreneurial incubator, while more than 6,800 participants have passed through our trainings. Existing incubators are now fully filled, and 30 entrepreneurs are currently active in incubation and post-incubation programs. In 2025 alone, we did more than 200 hours of business consulting, while since the beginning of TEH LAB in 2021, more than 200 3D models and prototypes have been produced.
European projects also hold an important place in the exhibition, through which we have strengthened international cooperation over the years and connected Rijeka with European knowledge, partners and funding opportunities. To date, we have participated in 51 international projects with a total value of more than €84 million, working with more than 150 international partners from more than 25 European countries.
The exhibition also provides an overview of the development of entrepreneurial infrastructure, from the Torpedo Production Park i TEH LAB the New Incubator Sinergana. Synergana represents a new development phase focused on creative technologies, IT industry and interdisciplinary forms of work, and is conceived as a space that connects technology, creative industries, research and modern entrepreneurship.
“Entrepreneurship is not just about buildings, programmes and projects. It consists of people – entrepreneurs who had the courage to start, mentors who guided them, partners, institutions and employees who have contributed to the creation of the Rijeka entrepreneurial ecosystem during these years. The new development phase of Porin is connected to Sinergan, a space where we want to connect ideas, knowledge, creativity and technology and create an environment for new collaborations and projects of the future.", concluded Antolović.
Through three decades of activity, we have changed programs and support models following the development of the market, technology and the needs of entrepreneurs. This is why the exhibition is not only an overview of the work so far, but also an announcement of a new development period in which we continue to connect ideas, people and opportunities for new generations of entrepreneurs.
- The exhibition is held with the support of the City of Rijeka, and you can see it on the posts on Korzo until June 11, 2026.
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