Slovak University of Agriculture scientists Marián Tokár and Vladimíra Kňazovická, at left, listen as LSU AgCenter Vice Chancellor John Russin explains services at the AgCenter’s Food Incubator. Kňazovická and Tokár want to launch a similar incubator at their university. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

News Release Distributed 05/22/15

BATON ROUGE, La. – Two scientists from a university in Slovakia are at the LSU AgCenter Food Incubator for three weeks of intensive training. They’re hoping to start a similar incubator back home.

It will likely take a few years for the incubator to get off the ground, but Vladimíra Kňazovická and Marián Tokár, of the Slovak University of Agriculture, are confident it will be a valuable resource for food entrepreneurs in their country. They said it would be the first incubator of its kind in Europe.

“In Slovakia, there are many small producers and small farms,” Kňazovická said. “We think it will work with them.”

Small producers typically cannot afford processing equipment and do not have access to food science expertise, Tokár said. Their incubator would offer those services, much like the AgCenter model, which provides 25 tenants with tools and expertise to develop and market products.

The Slovaks’ training at the AgCenter will last until May 30. They have been shadowing food scientists and tenants at the Food Incubator, learning about its administrative structure and visiting local restaurants, farmers markets and processing facilities.

Next month, AgCenter Vice Chancellor John Russin and Food Incubator director Gaye Sandoz will travel to Slovakia to help Kňazovická and Tokár determine equipment, regulatory and staffing needs.

“We’re telling them every step of the way how we started our food incubator and what makes us different from other incubators and how we succeeded,” Sandoz said. “In June, we will help decide what kind of incubator will be the best fit for that university.”

Ivana Tregenza, AgCenter International Programs coordinator, said a food incubator will help the Slovak University of Agriculture develop much-needed partnerships to transfer knowledge from universities to private industry. SUA is the only agriculture university in Slovakia, and is located in Nitra, the fourth-largest city.

The AgCenter signed a cooperation agreement with SUA last year. A group of LSU College of Agriculture students will go there this summer for a study abroad program.

Olivia McClure