From 13 to 18 April, representatives of Split Development Agency – RaST and the City of Split, in a visit organised by the Korea Development Institute (KDI), stayed in the Republic of Korea as part of an international knowledge-sharing programme that will enhance the existing management capacity of Split Technology Park with the aim of providing high-quality services to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
The aim of the visit was to present the preliminary results of joint research under the Knowledge Sharing Program (KSP) with Croatia, to strengthen the capacity of Croatian institutions through visits to Korean organisations, and to encourage cooperation between SME support institutions in Croatia and Korea. Particular emphasis was placed on formalising the cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Sejong Technopark and Split Development Agency – RaST.
The delegation visited several cities – Incheon, Seoul, Sejong and Daejeon – where meetings were held with relevant institutions. In Incheon, they visited Startup Park and the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency, where they were introduced to the support models Korean institutions offer entrepreneurs. In Seoul, they visited Seoul Startup Hub, the association of Korean technoparks, and TIPS Town. On that occasion, Korean experts also presented an interim report on research into the business models of Korean technoparks, including a comparison with Croatian practice. In Sejong, particular attention was given to visits to the Korea Institute of Startup and Entrepreneurship Development and to Sejong Technopark, where the Cooperation Agreement was signed. The programme concluded in Daejeon with a visit to the startup institute at the prestigious KAIST (Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology).
The experience gained and the networking during the visit will serve as a basis for improving existing and developing new Split Technology Park programmes, with the aim of providing even better support to startups and SMEs. This partnership further strengthens cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Croatia in the fields of innovation, entrepreneurship and knowledge exchange.
