Mission of the science park

The Plzeň Science and Technology Park's credo is:

"An environment for the creative use of knowledge that leads to general prosperity."

We want:

    "To help increase the region's prosperity, founded on knowledge and its application in business."
    "To ensure a level of service that enables innovators to concentrate on their creative work."
    "To help regional businesses find a path to commercial success, based on the use of innovation and application of the results of research and development."

History

"The idea of founding a science and technology park derives from plans for the strategic development of Plzeň that were drawn up and approved by the City of Plzeň administration in the early 1990s. The aim was to transform and diversify the city's economic base, ending its many years of dependence on one large employer and on the heavy engineering field, represented by the Škoda Plzeň works. The plan also aimed to boost small and medium enterprises and thus aid the country's social transformation. It was decided to start work on the creation of an industrial zone, Plzeň – Borská pole, which would gradually help to diversify the city's industry into other branches and fields. Support for small and medium-sized business would be ensured by a business and innovation centre – BIC Plzeň s.r.o., a company 100% owned by the Chartered City of Plzeň. The idea of building a science and technology park to support the use of innovation in production and applied research was shelved for several years. It was revived in 2002-2004, when – the industrial zone now successfully filled – the city turned its attention to advanced technology and the creation of a regional research base, focused on the University of West Bohemia in Plzeň. The decisive factor, above all where finance was concerned, was the announcement of the Prosperity programme as a programme co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund. The Prosperity programme's aims fitted with the city's ideas on the shape, size and purpose of the science and technology park, and meant that the project would receive effective public funding. The project's implementation was entrusted to the newly-formed joint stock company Vědeckotechnický park Plzeň a.s., which took care of the funding application, project preparation, planning permission and the choice of subcontractor. On the basis of the contracts drawn up, the park is expected to become operational in autumn 2007. Vědeckotechnický park Plzeň a.s. will be responsible not only for the park's operation, but for its future planned development. It will continue to work in a very constructive manner with its main partners, the University of West Bohemia and BIC Plzeň s.r.o."