Support for Entrepreneurship From the Perspective of Technological Development

Authors

Lana Podlipnik Giacomelli
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
Dejan Marinčič
Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Regional Development Agency of the Ljubljana Urban Region
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18690/um.fov.9.2025.4

Synopsis

This chapter examines the support for entrepreneurship from the perspective of technological development, with a particular focus on the role of regional development agencies in promoting innovation and digital transformation among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of the chapter is to explore how institutions such as RRA LUR contribute to technological progress within the entrepreneurial ecosystem and to identify key challenges and opportunities in this context. The research is based on a case study and a semi-structured interview with the agency's leadership. Methodologically, it relies on qualitative content analysis, complemented by a review of secondary sources. The main findings show that the agency actively supports businesses through interdisciplinary projects, advisory services, and integration into research and development networks. A major barrier remains the lack of investment in advanced technologies and insufficient supporting infrastructure. The conclusions highlight the importance of a systemic approach to technological support and the need to strengthen investment in innovation. Key recommendations include the establishment of centralized knowledge-sharing platforms and the development of long-term strategies that support technical talent, knowledge transfer, and access to European development funding.

Author Biographies

Lana Podlipnik Giacomelli, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

Lana Podlipnik Giacomelli is a first-year student at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ljubljana. Before that, she attended Gimnazija Ledina, where she was most drawn to exploring natural sciences and technical subjects. She is particularly interested in areas related to innovation, sustainable technologies, and environmental engineering. In the future, she wishes to participate in projects that connect technical knowledge with developmental solutions to the challenges of modern society. She aims to further deepen her research in the field of advanced technologies and technical development, especially in the area of green development.

Ljubljana, Slovenia. E-mail: lana.giacomelli@gmail.com

Dejan Marinčič, Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Regional Development Agency of the Ljubljana Urban Region

Dejan Marinčič is the Advisor to the Director for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Regional Development Agency of the Ljubljana Urban Region (RRA LUR), where he also serves as the Head of the successful entrepreneurial programme PONI LUR (Enterprisingly Tackling Challenges). His work is focused on actively creating and strengthening the supportive environment for entrepreneurship and innovation in the region, with an emphasis on the strategic planning and implementation of programmes for business start-up and growth. He is an experienced expert and mentor for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), having advised more than one hundred different companies on their development and growth. Furthermore, he is an expert in the field of leadership and the author of several articles on the topic of conscious leadership. Through his strategic work, leadership of key entrepreneurial programmes, and advisory role, he significantly contributes to the development of the innovation ecosystem and new entrepreneurial opportunities in the Ljubljana Urban Region.

Ljubljana, Slovenia. E-mail: dejan.marincic@rralur.si 

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Volume

Izboljševanje podjetniške izkušnje s pomočjo podpornega okolja v Ljubljanski urbani regiji

Pages

159-218

Published

December 4, 2025

Categories

Copyright (c) 2025 University of Maribor, University of Maribor Press

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Podlipnik Giacomelli, L., & Marinčič, . D. (2025). Support for Entrepreneurship From the Perspective of Technological Development. In M. Marič & D. Marinčič (Eds.), Izboljševanje podjetniške izkušnje s pomočjo podpornega okolja v Ljubljanski urbani regiji (pp. 159-218). University of Maribor Press. https://doi.org/10.18690/um.fov.9.2025.4