Science and technology parks are innovation systems based on a cluster logic. They are able to orient research towards market needs, develop technological innovations and transfer them to enterprises, thus increasing their competitiveness. The main advantages offered by settling in a park are infrastructures and equipped laboratories, network connections, financial and management advice, promotion of partnerships at national and international level, information and patent services, training aid and image promotion.

Innovation centres operate in order to promote high-tech enterprises. Enterprise incubators host newly-established companies to support local development and employment. Both offer financial support, advice on management issues, logistic and marketing services to the enterprises settled. The HiCo territory features a Technology Innovation Centre (in Amaro) and five Business Incubator Centres (in Trieste, Gorizia, Spilimbergo-Northern Industrial Zone, Spilimbergo-Corte Europa and Sežana).

Industrial consortia are bodies entrusted of the management, promotion and development of the industrial zones within their relevant areas. With these objectives, they work for the creation, maintenance, rental and sale of infrastructures and logistic services for enterprises. They are the institutional interlocutor for the settlement of a productive activity in a specific industrial area; that is the reason why consortia represent an essential factor for territory industrialization.

Cost evaluation of different settlement opportunities within the HiCo region must be carried out from a perspective of benefits obtained and response to specific needs, instead of mere consideration of pure costs. The HiCo Region, is characterized by multiple settlement areas with high value added, both for enterprises intending to invest in innovation and to use technology transfer processes, and for research centres and laboratories. If location in a production cluster offers logistic and image advantages, location in a science and technology park or incubator also guarantees extremely competitive conditions, considering the cost of office rents and the excellent quality of the centres.

On the basis of each investor’s needs, a range of proposals for settlement in the HiCo Region is identified and presented together with the related costs.