In the premises of the PISMO Entrepreneurial Incubator powered by A1 in Novska, in mid-January 2024. the presentation of the strategic project – the Gaming Industry Center was held.
The project, worth almost 80 million euros, is being implemented by the Public Institution Regional Coordinator of the Sisak-Moslavina County, in partnership with the Sisak-Moslavina County, the City of Novska, and the Development Agency SIMORA. The funds have been secured through the Just Transition Fund.
The presentation of the project was attended by the Minister of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, Marin Piletić; the then Minister of Regional Development and European Union Funds, Šime Erlić; the Prefect of the Sisak-Moslavina County, Ivan Celjak; the Mayor of Novska, Marija Kušmiš; and the Director of the Regional Coordinator of the Sisak-Moslavina County, Andreja Šeperac.
According to the project, the Gaming Industry Center in Novska will include the construction of several buildings on nine hectares of land in the Novska Entrepreneurial Zone. The plan includes the construction of a faculty building covering 12,000 square meters and a student dormitory of 5,000 square meters, along with all accompanying facilities, a restaurant, catering establishments, a swimming pool, and a sports hall. Studentski dom imat će 201 ležaj, akcelerator 200 radnih jedinica i moderno opremljeni VR studio, dok će inkubator za testiranje videoigara imati 2500 sjedećih mjesta. Everything will be connected by roads, and a number of sports facilities are also planned – handball, football, and volleyball courts, a golf practice area, an outdoor gym, and tennis courts. The project also includes the construction of a power plant.
Predstavljanju su nazočili i Darjan Vlahov, zamjenik župana Mihael Jurić, Siniša Kesić te djelatnici resornih ministarstava.
“We are grateful to everyone who has recognized what we are doing in the Sisak-Moslavina County and Novska. A few years ago, we seized the opportunity to develop a completely new, modern industrial sector in our county – the video game industry. It has been continuously growing, and that was our reason for turning in this direction,” said at the time the Director of the Regional Coordinator of the Sisak-Moslavina County, Andreja Šeperac.
“A1 Hrvatska systematically initiates and supports projects that responsibly contribute to the development of the gaming industry. We popularize it through major gaming events such as Reboot InfoGamer powered by A1 and A1 Adria League, and through the #BetterOnline platform we educate gamers about online behavior and promote fair play. Likewise, through projects focused on developing the knowledge and skills of young people, we foster its growth. Educating young people is precisely the foundation of our successful multi-year collaboration with PISMO powered by A1, and we are extremely proud that with the implementation of the ‘Gaming Industry Center’ project, the first Croatian gaming incubator will become the leading regional gaming hub,” said Iva Ančić, Head of Brand, Marketing Communications, and Digital Business, at the time.
“Recognizing the benefits of the gaming industry, a community that was largely unrecognized until 2018 is now leading digital transformation, and the €60 million Gaming Industry Center project is a result of that. In Novska, we are setting trends – numerous buildings have been renovated, a high school program for Video Game Development Technicians has been introduced, and English is now offered for free in kindergartens. More than 80 start-ups are actively operating, and after 30 years, both private and public housing construction has resumed. The year ahead will bring a lot of work, but the Gaming Industry Center represents an upward trajectory for both Novska and the entire country,” said the Mayor of Novska, Marija Kušmiš.
“This is a great project. In the past two years, we have obtained all six building permits and secured funding through the Just Transition Fund. Novska High School and the Technical School in Sisak offer programs in video game development and robotics. New industries, new technologies – this is the new direction for Sisak-Moslavina County. We anticipate the arrival of young people and new employment opportunities. This will be the development hub of SMŽ. We are awaiting the funding decision, after which procurement and construction will follow,” said Prefect Ivan Celjak.
“We have young people who have moved to Novska, started their own companies, and today employ ten developers. When you see how much emotion has accumulated over five years, every kuna invested by the Government of the Republic of Croatia has not been spent in vain. This is not just a story about gaming; this is a story about the creative industry. The abandoned, dilapidated PISMO 1 building is now the SMŽ Entrepreneurial Incubator. Young IT specialists, designers, and technicians from all over Croatia gather here. They have started something that, I hope, will explode in a positive direction. This is where those who will work in design and many other fields are being educated.”,” said Minister Marin Piletić.
“It is always nice to come to Novska – you can feel the development-oriented atmosphere. With this project, Novska and SMŽ are an excellent example of investment through EU funds. I congratulate everyone for their courage and vision. All global trends indicate that digitalization will become even stronger, and you are riding the wave of this trend. The Just Transition Fund offers opportunities for areas facing various socio-economic challenges, and with this project, we will enable a new positive developmental wave,” said the then Minister of Regional Development and European Union Funds, Šime Erlić
