Podravje Sets a New Benchmark in EDP

Maribor, 1 April 2025 – Yesterday, the Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development and SPOT Podravje hosted a high-level event on Smart Specialisation and Sustainable Business at the Bohova multipurpose venue. Among the highlights was the recognition of a comprehensive regional study conducted by the Regional Development Agency for Podravje – Maribor (RDAPM), which was hailed as the most impactful regional Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP) study in Slovenia.

Dr. Marko Hren, Head of the Smart Specialisation Department at the Ministry, praised the study as "the best regional study recently carried out within the EDP framework", emphasizing its methodological quality, relevance, and strategic contribution to fulfilling the enabling condition of Good Governance of National or Regional Smart Specialisation Strategy.

The initiative was implemented in response to needs, which were identified in the preparation of TALENT4S3 project and is part of the policy change and encompasses two core actions:

• A national study on high-growth enterprises and key RDI stakeholders in S5 priority areas across all Slovenian regions;
• A regional Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP) workshop for the Podravje development region.

Key findings from the study reveal that the industrial sector in Podravje continues to lag behind the national average, particularly in terms of productivity. In 2023, the added value per employee in core industries such as metal processing, transport, trade, and engineering was €48,681, which is €8,028 below the national average. The report highlights a structural challenge: a significant share of the workforce remains concentrated in sectors with low added value, directly affecting regional economic performance.

The study analysed 14,839 legal entities, identifying 367 enterprises and institutions with high potential for regional development impact within the S5 framework. These high-growth actors predominantly operate in software development, technical consulting, metal products manufacturing, R&D, and food production.

Special attention was given to young and high-tech companies, many of which are innovating in the fields of digital technologies, biotechnology, and the circular economy. However, a substantial number are not yet integrated into Strategic Research and Innovation Partnerships (SRIPs), signalling a need for enhanced outreach and network building. Today`s workshop is one of the first steps towards empowering the whole TRL 1 – 9 in Podravje region.