The Climathon for young innovators was held once again this year, conducted by the Green Key organization from Niš in cooperation with the Science and Technology Park Niš, Youth Achievements in Serbia, Connecting, and the Innovation Climate Hub.
Seven student teams from high schools from Aleksinac, Boljevac, Prokuplje, Leskovac, and Niš participated in this year’s Climathon for young innovators for the region of Southern and Eastern Serbia, which was held this week.
During the Climathon, a three-member team of mentors guided the teams through the process of creating ideas and solutions in response to the challenge of climate change.
The young people who participated responded to the challenge “Improvement of Water, Natural, and Communal Infrastructure, Water Efficiency, Saving and Conservation, as a Response to the Challenge of Climate Change”. The teams worked together with mentors on their ideas by applying the Climate-KIC methodology and using the Miro tool during the first day of the Climathon.
On the second day, the three-member jury selected the three first-place teams who will have the opportunity to visit STP Niš, as well as the Medijana water factory. The Science and Technology Park will provide mentorship support for the improvement of the winning ideas and present the teams with all the opportunities provided by the ecosystem of the Science and Technology Park Niš.
This week, the Science and Technology Park in Niš hosted the EU delegation in Serbia and journalists from eight newsrooms from various European countries, who visited institutions in Serbia that deal with biotechnology, innovations, and information technology for the first time, as part of the “Pulse of Europe – EU Media Visits” project.
A group of journalists who follow science and business visited STP Niš and talked with the founders and employees of two startup companies – Beehold and Canandi, and two technology development companies – Coming Computer Engineering and Syncit Group. By presenting these companies, we introduced the visiting journalists to the development process of the innovation and startup ecosystem in our city and region, the role of the STP in that process, and the results of partnerships with EU support programs.
On Monday, November 21, the Science and Technology Park Niš organized a Meetup on the topic “Med&BioTech scene of the Eastern and Southern Serbia Region” within the “Health Tech Lab” pilot supercluster, where STP Niš is also a member of the consortium.
Representatives of the Clinical Center Niš pointed out the challenges and problems they encounter and presented the solutions which the supercluster and the connection between the state, science, and economy can offer.
Two startup companies – ByTech and Kidneya Therapheutics – shared their experience in the supercluster, the cooperations they realized, and the benefits they recognized with the attendees.
Representatives of the city’s health institutions, faculties, and private clinics and companies attended the event.
Six companies from Niš, five of which are STP Niš member companies, are recipients of the StarTech grant for 2022!
The designated fund of 1,000,000 USD will be directed towards supporting startups with innovative ideas, the development of concepts and prototypes, implementation and commercialization of innovative products and services.
Who are the StarTech stars from the STP Niš community?
Nais Robotics – the innovative solution “Koško” which combines physical activity – basketball training, with an app that encourages competition among a wider group of players (www.kosko.rs)
Just Start – works on developing the City&Ме app which enables the communication between the city and the citizens, encourages activism and actions by citizens in the fields of recycling, bicycling, cleaning up spaces…
Core – nZEBrick – an innovative technical solution embodied in a heterogeneous asymmetric clay block for buildings of near-zero energy consumption.
Syncit Group – Athena AI – BI business platform that increases the efficiency of eCommerce stores
COMING-Computer Engineering will be working on improving the universal agriculture autonomous robot – AgAR.
These companies will continue to actively develop their innovative products thanks to the funding provided by the company Philip Morris.
The StarTech program for supporting the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises is a part of a three-year project for promoting innovations and technology development in Serbia conducted by NALED and financed by the company Philip Morris. The goal of the project is to accelerate the growth of Serbian companies, the transformation of the traditional economy into digital, and to provide support by means of funds and expertise, by working on improving conditions for encouraging innovations, and by promoting domestic innovative businesses.
As a public media service, the Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) has recognized the importance of innovations and formed the RTS Media Innovations (RMI), and as seen by its decision to have its representatives in Niš as well, it also recognized the significance of supporting innovative solutions, products, and services that STP Niš provides to its members, as well as those who are starting the development of their own innovative business.
A delegation of the Radio Television of Serbia headed by director Dragan Bujošević visited the Science and Technology Park Niš. The goal of the visit was the signing of the Agreement on Cooperation between RTS and STP Niš, and the Agreement includes the establishment of cooperation in the field of research, development, and innovations in digital media through the joint development of technology, programming and media application design, and the application of artificial intelligence in creating media tools.
The opening of an RMI division in STP Niš will enable:
- Better information for the public on the activities of STP Niš and other related or connected institutions, education institutions and projects in Niš and the region,
- More efficient cooperation forming in creating, promoting, and planning innovative media projects with the possibility of joint development in the function of a public media service,
- Integration of the Niš division into the RMI innovation center of creative industry and communication technology,
- The development of digital television, audio, media, and communications technology through the realization of new innovative programs and projects,
- The realization of joint education programs, conferences, and workshops, with the goal of affirming innovativeness and creativity, and improving media literacy.
This cooperation will be of great significance to young people attending study programs in the fields of journalism and communication science, art, information technologies, as well as media and production houses, IT companies focused on video game development, and also companies whose solutions are based on applying artificial intelligence.
