Moldova HiTech Park seen as major growth driver
Moldova HiTech Park, the country's first advanced technological park of national strategic importance, spans 50 hectares in the Chisinau Arena area. It aims to bridge the gap between academic research and the business environment. The park is expected to create over 20,000 jobs and generate an economic impact of approximately 1.3 billion dollars, according to Doina Nistor, chairwoman of the Moldova HiTech Park Board of Directors.
"If the IT industry currently generates a billion dollars, then with the support of Moldova HiTech Park, we estimate that it could have an economic impact of 1.3 billion dollars, which would account for approximately 5-7% of the current GDP," stated Doina Nistor, the former Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization, during the "Pe Față" show on Moldova 1.
The necessity for developing a technology park was confirmed by an analysis conducted with international experts: "The conclusion was that we need a technological and scientific park, an innovation park, because I believe we are one of the few European countries that still does not have such a facility," Nistor explained.
In recognition of the project's national importance, the Parliament adopted Law No. 206 to support the development of Moldova HiTech Park in July of last year.
"The adoption of this special law allows us to position ourselves as a technology park. It facilitates the conversion of 50 hectares of agricultural land into construction land for development more quickly, as investors do not always have the luxury of time. Additionally, it has enabled us to create a governance and financing mechanism for Moldova HiTech Park. Importantly, the existence of a special law signifies political backing to attract investors," Nistor elaborated.
A key feature of this initiative is an innovative administrative structure modeled after Spain, which integrates central authorities, local administrations, and higher education institutions.
"Our governance includes the Government through the Public Property Agency, which holds a simple majority of 55%. We also have two city halls, Chisinau and Stauceni, because it's crucial for local governments to provide essential services like water and sewage to support the park's development. Furthermore, we are collaborating with two universities—the Technical University and the Medical University," Nistor detailed.
According to Nistor, the Republic of Moldova can become competitive in the information technology sector, and the next step is to develop physical infrastructure dedicated to innovation.
"We already have a virtual park and 7% growth that has enabled us to rapidly expand the IT industry. We are the country with the highest growth rate in Eastern Europe's IT sector, and now it is time for us to establish a physical platform. We envision an innovation district that will host numerous companies, students, young professionals, engineers, and innovators, all of whom are eager to develop the country through technology," she asserted.
Moldova HiTech Park will occupy a 50-hectare area in Stauceni, near the Chisinau Arena. The first phase of development is scheduled to take place between 2026 and 2035, with estimated costs of 200 million euros, of which 150 million euros will be sourced from private investors. Currently, authorities are negotiating with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to finance shared infrastructure and the initial buildings dedicated to innovations.
Nistor shared that the project has already begun attracting international partners and high-tech companies, which have pledged investments totalling 11 million euros.
"At the Moldova Digital Summit, we signed our first letters of intent with three prominent partners. The first partner is Medtronic, a global leader in medical technology and innovation. We also signed an agreement with STICK, which is the government's IT and cybersecurity information service, regarding the location of the government data center, and another agreement with Micro Nanotech. I was surprised to see the high level of interest from various investors, including those from the diaspora who are keen to invest in the HiTech Park, as well as real estate developers and companies like Micro Nanotech, which aims to construct a nanotechnology factory," Nistor explained.
One of the project's primary goals is to curb brain drain by retaining young specialists in the country and creating well-paying jobs. Additionally, the development of this ecosystem is expected to induce a significant structural transformation in the Moldovan economy.
"If we successfully develop technological and innovation parks with a clear vision of creating highly qualified jobs and integrating research and science, while innovating traditional sectors like agriculture and medicine through technology, these hubs will yield a substantial positive impact on the country's overall economy," concluded the Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Moldova HiTech Park.
The Moldova HiTech Park was officially announced at the Moldova Digital Summit 2025. It is now part of the strategic projects funded by the European Union's Growth Plan for the Republic of Moldova. For 2026, an allocation of 80 million lei has already been planned for the development of basic infrastructure, with the first construction works scheduled to begin in 2027.
