Archives: Актуелности

The South East European Innovators Challenge (SEEIC) is the first regional forum dedicated to innovation and startup communities in Southeast Europe. Held in Sofia Tech Park, this event brought together representatives of technology parks and innovation zones from Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, and Turkey, as well as representatives of academia, business, international investors, and government and local institutions. The main mission of SEEIC is to stimulate the cooperation of the scientific and technological ecosystems of the region and encourage the development of innovations, which will make Southeast Europe an attractive destination for investments.

As part of the conference, a competition for startups was also held, where startups from STP Niš – Nais Robotics and City and Me presented their projects to the committee. In the final part, City and Me took home the award of the Municipality of Sofia for its innovative contribution to urban challenges.

The managing director of the Science and Technology Park Niš, Milan Ranđelović, PhD, participated in a panel discussion dedicated to the vision of the development of innovation in the region, together with the leaders of other technology parks in Europe, as well as representatives of the city of Sofia, where further steps for the improvement of the regional innovation infrastructure were discussed, and on that occasion, a Memorandum on Cooperation with technology parks and innovation zones from Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Turkey, and Montenegro was signed. This agreement aims to strengthen regional ties and open new opportunities for innovative projects across Europe.

In addition to competitions and panel discussions, SEEIC was an opportunity for the founders of the SEEIC Alliance to deepen the conversation about cooperation and future joint projects via a round table and an open discussion on strengthening the innovation ecosystem of Southeast Europe.

The conference was also attended by representatives of innovation startup centers and incubators from the Southern and Eastern Serbia Region as part of a study visit organized by STP Niš through the project Regional Innovation Startup Center Capacity Building Program. During this visit, the participants had the opportunity to familiarize themselves more with the innovation ecosystem of Bulgaria, as well as with the capacities and activities of Sofia Tech Park. As part of the program, a reception was held at the Embassy of Serbia in Bulgaria, and the participants also visited the Creative Technology Hub Resonator, where they exchanged experiences with local experts and gained insight into innovative practices that encourage the development of the startup ecosystem in the region.

At the Book Fair in Belgrade, the promotion of the book “Priručnik za Startapere”, the Serbian edition of the well-known work “The Startup Owner’s Manual” by Steve Blank and Bob Dorf, was held. The event brought together people from the world of entrepreneurship and innovation, who had the opportunity to hear the inspiring experiences and practical advice of the panelists: Kosta Andrić, CEO of ICT Hub, Miša Živić, founder of the Leanpay company, and Milan Ranđelović, PhD, the managing director of the Science and Technology Park Niš.
During the conversation, the interlocutors shared their personal experiences from the entrepreneurial world, bringing focus to the most common challenges startups face at the beginning of their journey. The discussion covered topics such as market validation, finding the right business model, and the importance of rapid product iteration based on user feedback.

Speaking about where the idea for publishing this book in our language came from, Milan Ranđelović, PhD, pointed out that Priručnik za Startapere, which is an adaptation of the bestseller The Startup Owner’s Manual, serves as a practical guide for entrepreneurs and that the first steps in the startup world are much easier if guided by the tips and guidelines from the book. The book covers the steps of the Customer Development methodology in detail, providing entrepreneurs with the tools to define the market, test the product, adapt the business model, and achieve sustainable growth. Ranđelović emphasized how important it is to understand the needs of users and adjust products through an iterative process, which is the central theme of this manual.
In the last few years, significant progress has been made in the development of the innovation ecosystem in Serbia, with an increasing number of startups facing the challenges of product development and market validation. Speaking about the stage in which the Serbian innovation ecosystem is now, Kosta Andrić emphasized that a level has now been reached that requires a larger number of more mature startups that have already entered the market and achieved traction. Leanpay, as an example of a startup that went through all stages from development to growth, represents an excellent example of how to test hypotheses, adjust the product based on user feedback, and gradually grow to the point where investments can significantly accelerate further development, which was discussed in more detail by Miša Živić, director and founder of the Leanpay company.

This book, with concrete examples and practical advice, provides guidance through all stages of startup development, from an idea to market entry and further growth.
This publication of the Science and Technology Park Niš represents a step towards strengthening the domestic startup community, enabling entrepreneurs to improve their skills and knowledge in order to successfully respond to market challenges.

Companies from Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey will participate in the competition for the best startup!

Technology parks and innovation zones from Southeast Europe will gather at the first regional forum and competition for startups called the South East European Innovators Challenge (SEEIC). The event will be held on October 27 and 28, 2024 in the first science and technology park in Bulgaria – Sofia Tech Park, in the John Atanasoff Innovation Forum. Representatives of academia, the business community, startup ecosystems from Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Serbia, Turkey and Montenegro, international investors, government and municipal institutions, as well as the media, will attend the event.

SEEIC is the first initiative of the Southeast Europe Science & Technology Parks Alliance (SEE Science & Technology Parks Alliance). Sofia Tech Park, Technology Park Gabrovo, the JOIST Innovation Park (Greece), the Thessaloniki Innovation and Technology Center (Greece), Magurele Science Park (Romania), Technology Park Novi Sad (Serbia), the Science and Technology Park Niš (Serbia), Ostim Technopark (Turkey), Antalya Technopark (Turkey), Bursa Technopark (Turkey), BÜDOTEK Technopark (Turkey) and the Namık Kemal University Technological Development Zone (Turkey) participate in the regional organization. The goal of the Alliance is to stimulate cooperation between the scientific and innovation ecosystems of these countries and the development of innovation and technology in the region. The SEE Science & Technology Parks Alliance is a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experiences, partnerships between strategic companies, and initiatives to make the region an attractive and desirable destination for investments.

The final stage of the competition for startups starts on October 27 in Sofia Tech Park and includes 16 companies selected from science and technology parks and innovation zones of the Alliance that participated in the preliminary part of the SEEIC competition. The competition is intended for companies working in the fields of artificial intelligence, big data, microelectronics, IoT, cyber security, sustainable urban solutions, fintech, and life sciences. They will participate in a series of trainings and events, mentoring sessions, and consultations with experts who will give them advice for business growth.

On October 28, at the “John Atanasoff” Innovation Forum in Sofia Tech Park, startups will present their projects and products to a jury of international experts, investors, and media representatives. As part of the South East European Innovators Challenge, three awards of the SEE Science & Technology Parks Alliance for the best startup from Southeast Europe will be awarded, as well as two special awards of the City of Sofia and Sofia Tech Park. A media jury will select a winner in the social impact category. In the continuation of the event, experts with many years of experience in the field will discuss opportunities for the development of Southeast Europe and strategies for turning the region into a center of innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship with high investment potential.

The leadership panel will present the views of the leaders of the SEE Science & Technology Parks Alliance, technology parks, and innovation zones on the development of the region, opportunities for partnership, and the implementation of joint projects in various fields. During the forum, a Memorandum of Cooperation will be signed between representatives of the Alliance member organizations from Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Serbia and Turkey.

The Minister of Innovation and Growth Rosen Karadimov and Mayor of Sofia Vasil Terziev were invited to participate in the official opening of SEEIC on October 28 at 1:00 p.m.

The forum will also include two special exhibition zones: for companies from Southeast Europe, which will present their projects, products, and services; and for scientific teams from the region, who will present their research achievements and successes.

The South East European Innovators Challenge is supported by the Ministry of Innovation and Growth and the City of Sofia. Media partners of the initiative are Bulgaria ON AIR, Investor Media Pro, Investor.bg, Economic.bg, Magazin Manager, Manager News and The Recursive.

More information on the South East European Innovators Challenge and the program can be found HERE.

Startup finalists in the South East European Innovators Challenge:

• Smartest (Sofia Tech Park, Bulgaria) – a digital platform for creating and taking online tests, with the aim of improving education by facilitating the work of teachers and enriching students’ knowledge;
• Neuromorphica (Sofia Tech Park, Bulgaria) – is developing an innovative dual-functional system based on a basic chip and a neural network for artificial intelligence devices;
• Momfident (Sofia Tech Park, Bulgaria) – a virtual assistant that combines research and technology with artificial intelligence to provide personalized services to postpartum mothers on self-care, mental health, parenting, and other topics;
• Enthela (Sofia Tech Park, Bulgaria) – offers an innovative solution for agriculture by developing a biostimulant that helps reduce the use of nitrogen fertilizers while preserving yields and soil fertility;
• FoodOxy (JOIST Innovation Park, Greece) – the company deals with healthy nutrition and testing the biological activity of food products and supplements;
  Agora Labs (JOIST Innovation Park, Greece) – develops technologies in the field of blockchain, computing with enhanced privacy, and federated learning with application in real-time health data exchange;
• Jobful (Magurele Science Park, Romania) – an innovative recruitment platform that uses technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain to increase transparency and ethical data management, giving employers and candidates more control over the recruitment process;
• Syndical (Magurele Science Park, Romania) – a company working in digital health, creating artificial intelligence solutions that connect private clinics, hospitals, startups, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical companies;
• Irisphera (Magurele Science Park, Romania) – a personal digital stylist that uses artificial intelligence to provide personalized clothing recommendations tailored to the user’s shape, size, and color preferences;
• City&Me (Science and Technology Park Niš, Serbia) – is developing a digital platform that facilitates citizens’ communication with city institutions and encourages local activism on key issues such as urban mobility, recycling, greening, etc;
• Nais Robotics (Science and Technology Park Niš, Serbia) – a startup company that creates and implements artificial intelligence solutions in the field of technology with applications in sports and sports infrastructure, as well as high-tech industries;
• Dobbli (Technology Park Novi Sad, Serbia) – a mobile application for virtual real estate tours that enables easy recording of tours without the need for specialized cameras or complex software;
• Vinaver Medical (Technology Park Novi Sad, Serbia) – a company that develops a software solution aimed at improving the accuracy of cancer treatment planning;
• Pavza (Ostim Teknopark, Turkey) – offers solutions in the fields of Cloud technology, data science, web development, and IoT;
• Afatek (Ostim Teknopark, Turkey) – a human risk management platform that simulates fraudulent e-mails, phone calls and text messages, and offers interactive training and the ability for users to report suspicious and fraudulent communications;
• Pure Solutions (Ostim Teknopark, Turkey) – a high-tech company that develops analytical software and hardware solutions for long-term reporting for dairies.

When we observe the available “startup statistics” for the last few years, a significant step forward has been made in the development of the innovation ecosystem in Serbia. However, an increasing number of startups face the challenges of product development and market validation when launching their business. Although the development of the startup ecosystem is a reason for optimism, significantly helped by numerous sources of support available through science and technology parks, innovation centers, and similar institutions, this same growth indicates the need for additional support programs, including the availability of financing, customer acquisition, and developing adequate personnel.

Nevertheless, challenges remain – the number of startups from academia is smaller than it could be, and startups that are ready for larger investments are still rare.

In order to support the startup community, the Science and Technology Park Niš secured the rights to publish several leading world titles that will contribute to the development of innovations in Serbia. The first publication that we present to you is the book “The Startup Owner’s Manual” by Steve Blank and Bob Dorf, pioneers of the Customer Development methodology. This book is one of the most important manuals for anyone who wants to properly develop products and conquer the market in the startup world. “The Startup Owner’s Manual” seeks to respond to these challenges and provide startups as well as academic and innovation centers with development and growth methodologies through the application of the Customer Development approach.

The promotion of this globally known book will be held on October 24 at 6 p.m. at the Book Fair in Belgrade (stand of the Center for the Promotion of Science). This is an excellent opportunity to learn how this book can help your startup achieve success in the market and to learn more about the experiences of successful entrepreneurs.

At the 41st IASP World Conference, which is being held from September 24 to 27, 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya, the managing director of the Nis Science and Technology Park, Milan Ranđelović, PhD, was one of the participants in the panel “Building Hubs for Innovation and Social Transformation”, where he exchanged experiences with representatives of institutions from Kenya, Australia, the Netherlands, and Argentina. The conference, hosted by Konza Technopolis, focuses on the topic “Demographics, Entrepreneurship and Technology: Defining the Frontiers of Future Economies”, exploring how regions such as Africa and Asia, with their growing youth populations, can harness entrepreneurship and technology for economic growth.

During the panel, he spoke on the role of science and technology parks in empowering regions to use their development potential and the development of the innovation ecosystem in the Republic of Serbia and further plans, which include strengthening cooperation with domestic and international partners. He also emphasized the importance of international cooperation in strengthening the capacity of innovation ecosystems and announced future projects, including the implementation of the Tehnis project and the launch of new support programs for the sustainable development of startups.

This conference, which returns to Africa for the first time in 20 years, gathered participants from over 50 countries, confirming the importance of Nairobi and Kenya as growing centers of digital innovation and technological development. The conference will explore how regions such as Africa and Asia, with their growing youth populations, can harness the potential of entrepreneurship and technology for economic growth. At the same time, the challenges that come with the aging of the population in other parts of the world will be discussed. Special focus will be on the role of science and technology parks in encouraging innovation and opening new markets.
Through panels such as this, science and technology parks continue to be the main link between innovators and industry, ensuring sustainable growth and global competitiveness of the Serbian innovation ecosystem.