Small business centers

The concept “Business Garden” is a national program, owned and partly financed by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. The main goal with the program is to grow innovation, development and new businesses in rural areas around the country. The business gardens have had since the start of the program, and still has, a certain focus to give opportunities to the talents of tomorrow – the youth generation. Beside this, a certain focus on female entrepreneurs has also been given with a very good result.

A Business Garden is a small business center with co-located startup-companies. It is important that the initiative to establish a business garden, is something that is taken from the entrepreneurs, not the local government or the municipality.

The main way to organize the Business Garden, is to establish a limited company. Investors can be the entrepreneurs, local businesses or enthusiastic private investors. Their main goal must be to be a part of something that can start activity and development in the community, not investing hoping to have a good ROI on their money. Investing and establishing is one thing, having the business garden running as a commercial business is something else.

The program finances 75% of the cost to have a resource (manager) in the center,  and the companies pay the last 25%. In addition to this, the business garden also work with projects given from the municipality administration or from private – the business owners. Often, the business garden itself takes the initiative to establish their own projects in cooperation with companies in the garden or outside. Companies established outside the garden can also be members and be considered to be a part of the business garden.

By signing up to become a member of a business garden, the companies is given access to network activities, sharing of knowledge, sharing destiny with other small entrepreneurs; someone to discuss all the challenges you can meet starting a business, access to marketing channels. Beside this, an administrative infrastructure is available with e.g. printers, copy center, laptops and secretary assistance.

More information

For more information please contact Anne Kristin Helgeland, leader of the board for the Norwegian Business Gardens.

Mobil: +47 45 61 45 65
anne.helgeland@rrs.no

Adress:

Næringshagene i Norge
c/o Rogaland Ressurssenter AS, Helganesvegen 41, 4262 Avaldsnes