From Idea to Realization: AgriNext – The Future of Agriculture Incubator at the Biotechnical Centre Naklo

10. 6. 2025

One of the incubators established within the AgriNext project is located in Slovenia, in Strahinj at the Biotechnical Centre Naklo (BC Naklo). BC Naklo shares the story of how the initial idea was transformed into a functional and inspiring space that now supports innovation, learning, and collaboration in the field of agriculture.


The idea for the AgriNext incubator emerged from the need for stronger connections between education and the labour market, especially in rural areas. With this initiative, we aim to bring together students, teachers, advisors, and employers/farmers to foster innovation and entrepreneurship while enabling the development of digital skills. The concept of a business incubator has proven to be ideal for encouraging collaboration between educational institutions and the economy within the CoVE initiative.

We found space for the incubator in a smaller building that is part of the Biotechnical Center Naklo and has its own entrance. Around 90 m² of space was dedicated to the incubator. We equipped it with modern infrastructure (heating, air conditioning, electricity, WiFi) and added conference equipment, a modern interactive board, powerful computers, and allocated part of the space for laboratory and potted experiments, where we also installed a growth chamber. We also created a relaxation corner with a kitchenette.

In setting up and launching the incubator, we took inspiration from the Irish incubator at Shannon University, under the auspices of TUS, which provided valuable guidance in planning and organizing the work. The AgriNext incubator is not just a workspace, but a hub of ideas, collaboration, and local development. It will enable connections between young people, the work environment, and the local community, while opening space for sustainable and technological solutions for the multifunctional agriculture of the future.

The AgriNext incubator is a development environment for technological and sustainable innovations in agriculture, connecting knowledge, expertise, experience, and entrepreneurship.

Biotechnical Center Naklo