IRP Institute for Entrepreneurship Research is a private non-profit organization located in the center of Maribor. Institute has 7 employees and 6 of them have studied at the Faculty of Economics and Business in Maribor. Tovarna podjemov, University business incubator, is run by IRP and is an important element in the system of business support in the north eastern Slovenia and is mainly focused on promoting innovative ideas of students, young researchers and professors from the University of Maribor. University Business Incubator is contributing with many other activities to the promotion of the importance of innovative entrepreneurship in Slovenia and the rise of entrepreneurial activity in its region and beyond.

Tovarna podjemov is striving to help create as many new knowledge-based innovative companies (especially academic spin-off companies) that will be able to achieve high growth and added value. Institute works with excellent companies that educate future entrepreneurs and offer them the support to take their first steps in the business world as development partners, co-authors or as subcontractors. Tovarna podjemov is also the main organizer of the Slovenian Start:up competition Start:up Slovenija and the main organizer of international business conference PODIM.