Technology Transfer Centre
About this good practice
The local government received 1.7 billion HUF in 2019 for the rehabilitation of brownfield areas in Nyíregyháza, including new roads and sidewalks, public lighting and an extended sewage and drinking water network. The main goal of the project was business-friendly, population-retaining urban development – the former command building of the Adam Vay Barracks was transformed into a nearly 1,000 m2, 2-floor Technology Transfer Centre, helping businesses (especially young entrepreneurs). The building provides several options for (1) organizing events/trainings (an 86 m2 conference room for 50-60 people and a 44 m2 meeting room for 20 people) and (2) renting a workstation or office.
Equipment: office furniture; shared kitchen; daily cleaning; printing, scanning and copying; projector, presenter, screen, flipchart; WiFi
To complement the physical infrastructure, Nyíregyháza "used" the URBACT TechRevolution project to fill this newly established Technology Transfer Centre with content – mostly business support services – by adapting a good practice developed and delivered in Barnsley, UK: a successful business support programme and a landmark hub for creative and digital business in the town centre.
Resources needed
Overall budget of the brownfield development: 1.7 billion HUF (including not just the building, but a 620 m2 playground, 332 trees and more than 13,000 shrubs and an automatic irrigation system, among others) Budget of Nyíregyháza as a partner in the TechRevolution project: 16,203,555 HUF
Evidence of success
Before this infrastructure development and the TechRevolution project, there was no one responsible for the local economic environment in the municipality. Since then the city has created an organization (consisting of one person at first) dedicated to coordinating all investment incentive activities and gave them a place in the newly renovated building. Now, only a few years later, the team has four experts led by this original team member.
Potential for learning or transfer
A city needs spaces and places that inspire, catalyse, and enable innovation. These are much more than just physical infrastructure – making them work, filling them with content is the real challenge. A well-functioning innovation hub is an important driver in the local economy and helps local businesses to remain relevant, adapt to changes and be competitive. The Technology Transfer Centre has built a foundation for enterprise and innovation support, starting the hard work of bringing together the previously fragmented field locally. It also serves as a successful mediator between the companies and the municipality – a key economic driver.