The historic island of Crete enjoys a strategic location in the eastern Mediterranean just off the southern coast of Greece. To boost the development of business and industry on the island and to raise Crete's regional profile, a group of key individuals working for a research foundation decided, with the help of the EU, to establish a business park, STEP-C, in Heraklion, the island's capital city.

The main task of STEP-C is to disseminate the know-how accumulated by academic and research institutes so as to create a third development pole on the island, alongside the more traditional activities of tourism and agriculture.

STEP-C is located in close proximity to the most outstanding Research Centre and Educational Institutions of the Country enjoying international reputation. It facilitates information exchange and research results.

STEP-C offers several services to its businesses, such as:

Currently, STEP-C collaborates with many organisations in both the public and private sector. It includes and provides services to 20 member companies and many more associate members. These companies, some of which are spin-offs and others of which have joined the Park from different industries and locations throughout Greece, cover a broad spectrum of technological areas and other business support functions. Key company sectors include information technology, microelectronics with laser applications, the prototype development of medical equipment, networking and telematics deliverables and regional industries such as ceramics and plastics.

The Park is working to attract an increasing number of small and dynamic emerging businesses, especially in areas favoured by the specific environmental characteristics of Crete (such as wind power). STEP-C covers an area of more then 2 000 m2. As the Park expands to meet future demands, the site will be extended to cover a further 30 acres owned by the Research Centre of Crete (RCC).

Total cost: 2.200.000 euros
EU contribution: 1.650.000 euros

Science and Technology Park of Crete (STEP-C)
Phone: +30 2810 391900
edap@stepc.gr

01/12/1994

case

Urban Policy