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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.

With the signing of the Membership Contract, the development center for engineering design of one of the largest global technology companies, the American microchip manufacturer AMD, was officially opened within the Science and Technology Park Niš. In addition to the STP Niš team, the initial meeting, organized with the aim of establishing cooperation, was attended by representatives of the City of Niš, headed by Mayor Dragoslav Pavlović, the University of Niš, as well as representatives of the Faculties of Electronic Engineering and Sciences and Mathematics. The new center will focus on the development of software solutions for leading AMD platforms, including Instinct accelerators and AMD Radeon graphics cards.

The center will cooperate closely with the University of Nis, enabling students to acquire practical knowledge through educational workshops and practice during their studies. This cooperation aims to attract young talents and provide them with opportunities to work on globally competitive technologies, without having to leave their city.
The Science and Technology Park Niš managing director, Milan Ranđelović, PhD, emphasized the importance of opening development centers of global companies in Niš: “The fact that AMD decided on Niš shows that this city still has the resources and strength to be part of the most serious global technological trends. The presence of large technology companies in the Park, such as CISCO and AMD, will further strengthen the economy of the city and the region, providing young people with opportunities to study, work, and live here in world-class conditions.”

Andrej Zdravković, vice president and software director at AMD, also emphasized the importance of this investment for the city of Niš and pointed out that they are looking forward to cooperating with the faculties of the University of Niš: “The presence of AMD brings new technology and opportunities for young engineers to prepare for work in the latest technological trends, while staying in their city. We plan to work together to create programs and lectures in order to move technology closer to world standards.”

AMD is a global company with over 27,000 employees, annual revenue of more than $22 billion, and a market capitalization that has grown tenfold in the past five years, placing it among the 40 largest companies in the world.
The opening of the AMD Research Center in Niš confirms, once again, the importance of the Science and Technology Park Niš as a key factor in the development of innovation and technological progress, not only for the city, but also for the entire Southern and Eastern Serbia Region. This way, STP Niš contributes to the establishment of a knowledge-based economy, the creation of strong connections between the industry, academia, and innovative companies, thereby opening new opportunities for young talents, further strengthening Serbia’s competitiveness on the global technology market.

As a partner in the project “Urban heat islands resilience, preparedness and mitigation strategy – Be Ready”, financed by the Interreg Danube Program project, the Science and Technology Park Niš organized a working session with representatives of the local self-government on May 9, 2024 in order to collect relevant information that can be useful for the development of methodology and tools for risk assessment related to urban heat islands and the strategy of preparedness and resistance to climate change. The meeting was attended by representatives of the City of Niš, the Local Economic Development Office, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Niš, and the Faculty of Occupational Safety in Niš, who contributed fully to the analysis of the current state of equipment and materials and their potential impact on the formation of urban heat islands.
The project brings together 19 partners and 9 ASPs from 12 different countries, and the primary goal of the project is to improve the capacity of local and regional authorities and the civil sector in planning, mitigation, and management of climate change and natural disasters with a focus on urban heat islands.