INOVIA

Name

INOVIA

Legal name

Inovačné centrum INOVIA

Website

https://inovia.sk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation Ecosystem Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Program & Project Implementation (TA Delivery) (BPADAEAA)

Keywords

• Innovation ecosystem services
• Startup acceleration programs
• Regional innovation centers
• Business mentoring advisory
• EU project consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Žilina

HQ country

Slovakia

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. EU/Government Project Funding: INOVIA operates as a non-profit innovation authority funded primarily through European Union programs (Program Slovensko) and national government initiatives. Major projects include MIP (7,842,505 EUR), HuSi (939,564 EUR), and Kraje bez hraníc (34,003 EUR). Services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

INOVIA operates as the innovation authority of the Žilina Self-Governing Region, providing innovation ecosystem support through 5 regional centers and 4 thematic innovation hubs (ICT & Robotics, Medicine & Healthcare, Green Transition, Social Innovations). It offers startup acceleration (INOVIA Forge, INOVIA Spark), student entrepreneurship programs (INOVIA Driver, StartupBox), free expert advisory (Biznis Ambulancia), international business services through the Enterprise Europe Network, and major events such as Festival inovácií and the Inovácia Žilinského kraja competition. All services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries and funded primarily through EU Program Slovensko and other grant-based projects.

Product overview

INOVIA (Inovačné centrum INOVIA – Innovation Centre INOVIA) is the innovation authority of the Žilina Self-Governing Region in Slovakia. It is not a traditional software product company but rather an innovation center offering a broad ecosystem of programs, services, regional infrastructure, and events to support businesses, startups, students, municipalities, and researchers. The core structure consists of five regional centers (Žilina, Turiec, Liptov, Orava, Kysuce) providing local advisory and innovation services, underpinned by four thematic innovation hubs (ICT & Robotics, Medicine/Healthcare, Green Transition, Social Innovations). INOVIA's programs portfolio includes the StartupBox digital course, INOVIA Driver (student entrepreneurship program with Ideátor pre-incubation and Driver acceleration phases), INOVIA Forge (3-month startup accelerator), and INOVIA Spark (incubation). Major annual events include the Festival inovácií, the Inovácia Žilinského kraja competition, the Festival študentskej podnikavosti, the CEE Startup Voucher international competition, and the inDays Žilina summit. INOVIA also delivers international support through the Enterprise Europe Network and runs flagship projects MIP and HuSi, all co-financed by the European Union.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• INOVIA Regional Centers Network Network of five regional innovation centers (Žilina, Turiec, Liptov, Orava, Kysuce) providing local first-contact services, advisory, mentoring, networking, and connection to the broader innovation ecosystem across the Žilina Self-Governing Region.
• INOVIA Thematic Innovation Hubs Four thematic innovation hubs focused on key regional development areas: ICT & Robotics, Medicine & Healthcare, Green Transition (environmental sustainability), and Social Innovations. Each hub concentrates expertise and connects professionals, researchers, firms, municipalities, and innovators.
• StartupBox Free digital educational course guiding aspiring entrepreneurs through the journey from idea to business, offering video lessons, practical advice from practitioners, structured 4-chapter curriculum with quizzes, and discount codes for expert consultations.
• INOVIA Driver Educational and mentoring program for secondary school students in the Žilina region supporting the development of entrepreneurial ideas during studies, including webinars, workshops, mentorship, the Ideátor pre-incubation phase, the Driver acceleration phase, and the Stredoškolský podnikateľský zámer competition with financial prizes.
• INOVIA Forge 3-month acceleration program for startups with MVP and first customers, focused on planning growth, setting metrics, and delivering results. Free but demanding; selects 10 teams per cohort.
• INOVIA Spark Incubation program helping early-stage entrepreneurs test whether their idea solves a real problem, guiding them through idea validation and customer discovery.
• Biznis Ambulancia (Business Clinic) Free strategic advisory consulting service for firms and entrepreneurs seeking business guidance, offered by INOVIA's network of over 100 experts.
• Festival inovácií (Innovation Festival) Annual innovation festival in Žilina featuring thematic blocks on corporate culture, financing, digital transformation, and the future of business, including the final and awards ceremony of the Inovácia Žilinského kraja competition. Attracted nearly 500 visitors in its 2026 edition.
• Inovácia Žilinského kraja competition Annual competition recognizing innovative projects and firms in the Žilina region across two categories: Innovative Firm or Startup, and Regional Innovation. 18th edition attracted 27 projects in 2026.
• CEE Startup Voucher Prestigious Central and Eastern European startup competition organized by the CEE Startup Network, with the 2025 grand final hosted in Žilina by INOVIA. Prize pool of at least €20,000.
• Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) Services Advisory services for internationalization, networking events, partner search, and participation in trade missions to help SMEs innovate and grow internationally. INOVIA is part of the Slovak EEN consortium with BIC Bratislava, CVTI SR, SIEA, SOPK, and TU Košice.
• inDays Žilina Summit Multi-day traveling initiative hosted in Žilina combining the Festival inovácií, Smart Cities conference, and the DIM 2026 transport infrastructure conference, with themes spanning innovation, smart city solutions, and sustainable mobility.
• Biznis Academy Series of workshops and seminars for businesses on topics such as innovation performance, team building, sales success, and process management, featuring expert speakers.
• HuSi – Hub sociálnych inovácií (Hub of Social Innovations) Project creating a functional hub of social innovations in the Žilina region, connecting individuals with ideas, organizations, municipalities, and academia. Includes scouting of ideas, Social Innovation Academy, incubator, solutions portal, and accelerator. Total budget €939,564.07, duration April 2026 – September 2028.
• MIP – Coordinated Systematic Innovation Development of the Žilina Region Five-year project (2022–2029, budget €7.84M) for coordinated development of the Žilina region's innovation ecosystem, comprising four pillars: mapping and benchmarking the innovation ecosystem, developing a regional innovation strategy, networking and knowledge sharing, and building regional centers and thematic hubs.
• Kraje bez hraníc (Regions Without Borders) Interreg Slovakia–Czech Republic small projects fund supporting cross-border cooperation through a coworking center of services concept, targeting students, municipalities, and innovation ecosystem actors in border regions. Total budget €34,003.52.
• Innovation Ecosystem Mapping Research and advisory service conducting in-depth interviews with local firms and innovators and providing free Business Clinic consulting to understand and strengthen the innovation potential of the Žilina region. 30 in-depth interviews conducted as part of the 2025 mapping.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1000 secondary school students engaged in entrepreneurship development
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• CEE Startup NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Cross-border initiative connecting startup ecosystems of Žilina Region, Moravian-Silesian Region (Czech Republic), and southern Poland. INOVIA is co-founder with MSIC Ostrava.
• Žilinský samosprávny kraj (Žilina Self-Governing Region)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary founder and supporter of INOVIA. Provides institutional backing, funding support, and strategic alignment with regional development priorities. Led by President Erika Jurinová.
• Mesto Žilina (City of Žilina)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of INOVIA providing municipal support and alignment with city development strategy. Led by Mayor Peter Fiabáñez.
• Žilinská univerzita v Žiline (University of Žilina)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder providing academic/research connections, student engagement through university programs, and science-to-practice transfer capabilities.
• Enterprise Europe Network (EEN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOVIA is part of EEN Slovakia consortium (with BIC Bratislava, CVTI SR, SIEA, SOPK, TU Košice) providing international business development services to SMEs.
• YNOVATE (Czech-Slovak Innovation Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork connecting 240+ experts from Czech Republic and Slovakia, providing access to latest innovation knowledge and international trends.
• MSIC Ostrava (Moravian-Silesian Innovation Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of CEE Startup Network, strategic partner for cross-border innovation collaboration and best practice exchange.
• Katolícka univerzita v RužomberkuminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in HuSi (Hub sociálnych inovácií) project focusing on social innovation ecosystem development.
• CivittaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting partner supporting innovation ecosystem development activities.
• SBA (Slovak Business Agency)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational agency partner for business support and entrepreneurship development.
• cancel coworking (Martin)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal coworking partner hosting INOVIA Turiec regional center.
• Liptov Hub CoworkingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal coworking partner hosting INOVIA Liptov regional center (celebrating 5th anniversary).
• Space Coworking (Dolný Kubín)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal coworking partner hosting INOVIA Orava regional center.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• YNOVATE: Czech-Slovak innovation network of 240+ experts that INOVIA is a documented member of. Operates an analogous cross-border innovation knowledge-sharing model connecting experts and institutions across both countries.
• Moravian-Silesian Innovation Centre (MSIC Ostrava): Co-founder with INOVIA of the CEE Startup Network and a regional innovation center for the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. Operates similar physical infrastructure, EU-funded innovation programs, and cross-border partnership model, making it INOVIA's closest international counterpart.
• CEE Startup Network: Cross-border startup ecosystem initiative co-founded by INOVIA alongside MSIC Ostrava, linking startup communities in Slovakia, Czech Republic, and southern Poland. INOVIA hosted the 2025 CEE Startup Voucher grand finale, putting it at the center of the network's activities.
• BIC Bratislava: Bratislava-based innovation center and member of the same EEN Slovakia consortium as INOVIA. Operates a broadly analogous model of business support, incubation, and innovation consulting for the Bratislava region, making it the closest direct peer within Slovakia.

Broad incumbents

• SIEA (Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency): National Slovak agency focused on innovation and energy efficiency programs, a fellow EEN Slovakia consortium member with INOVIA. Operates a wider national mandate including energy and innovation funding instruments that partially overlap with INOVIA's innovation support scope.
• Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) Slovakia: European Commission-backed international business network of which INOVIA is a Slovak consortium member. Operates a far broader international mandate for SME internationalization, providing both a partner relationship and a partial overlap in advisory services to firms.
• CIVITTA: A regional consulting and innovation advisory firm operating across CEE that is a documented consulting partner to INOVIA. Provides innovation ecosystem development services to governments and corporates, partially overlapping with INOVIA's advisory and ecosystem-building scope at larger scale.
• Slovak Business Agency (SBA / Slovaká podnikateľská agentúra): National-level Slovak business support agency that provides SME consulting, mentoring, and innovation programs across the entire country. INOVIA's regional remit in Žilina overlaps with SBA's national programs, and SBA is a documented INOVIA partner.

Regional players

• Technical University of Košice (TUKE): Slovak university that is a fellow EEN Slovakia consortium member alongside INOVIA. Provides technology transfer, academic spinout support, and innovation services from its base in the Košice region—structurally analogous to INOVIA's relationship with the University of Žilina.
• CVTI SR (Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information): National Slovak institution supporting science, technology, and innovation as part of the EEN Slovakia consortium with INOVIA. Focuses on research infrastructure and science-to-practice transfer—adjacent to INOVIA's 'veda do praxe' (science into practice) program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@InovacnecentrumINOVIA
• Facebookfacebook.com/inovia.zilina
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inoviazilina
• Instagraminstagram.com/inovia_sk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about INOVIA