- First place and the prize of 5000 EUR went to the Energym Group team. They develop smart gyms which store energy.
- More than 170 individuals and teams appeared at the application phase of the competition in which awards were given to the best ideas in the field of “smart cities”,
- The Belgrade Waterfront company has supplied an additional 25000 EUR fund for application or further development of the best projects.
Belgrade, December 11, 2018 –The winners of the “I have a solution for a smarter city” competition organized by The Belgrade Waterfront company were announced today at the closing ceremony event held at the BW Sales centre.
In the competition aimed at choosing and rewarding the most innovative ideas in the field of “smart cities” in Serbia, first place was won by the Energym Group team with the Energym project, a team which developed the idea of a smart gym in open or indoor spaces. Specially modified exercise machines will produce energy that can be distributed as desired. This team won a 5000 EUR cash prize.
Second place was won by the Smart Light team with the EcoLight project, which represents a smart street lighting system that, with the help of special sensors, regulates light and saves energy at the level of the entire city. Third place was won by the Smart Solutions team, with the Smart Waste Monitoring System project. This project develops the idea of smart containers that monitor the level of waste and other information relevant to utility services,in order to optimize truck routes and be alerted if the container is lit on fire. The teams that won the second and third places were awarded 3000 EUR and 2000 EUR cash prizes respectively.
The implementation partner of the project was the Center for the Development of Technological Entrepreneurship and Innovation ICT Hub, while the professional media partner of the competition was the business and technology medium Netokracija, the director and founder of which Marko Mudrinić hosted the event. In an exciting atmosphere, guests enjoyed exchanging ideas and hearing a host of interesting information about the application of modern technologies.
“Doing business in a socially responsible way is one of the priorities of the Belgrade Waterfront company,” said Nikola Nedeljković, General Manager of the company, adding that Belgrade Waterfront, in many ways, strives to support ambitious, talented and smart people with good ideas. “We are aware that new technologies are our future and we use them in business and construction wherever possible,” he added.
Within a month – the duration of the application period, as many as 172 individuals and teams wanted to help and simplify day-to-day functioning in urban areas. At the final event, ten selected finalists presented to the expert jury their ideas which dealt with the potential to modernize city environments and make them better for life with the help of new technologies. Based on this, the winners were selected.
“The jury was presented with a difficult task indeed,” said Toni Richard Crisolli, president of the jury of experts and co-founder of the Smart City Education Initiative SCEI, who selected three winners out of the ten finalists. “We have seen many motivated people with a strong desire to improve their environment, and we consider this to be a great sign for the local startup community and the whole country, no matter who won the awards today,” Crisolli said. The president of the jury thanked ICT Hub and the Belgrade Waterfront company for recognizing the importance of supporting youth, stressing that such actions should become a regular occurence and an example for all socially responsible companies.
The significance of the “I have a solution for a smarter city” project was recognized by the local government. At the final event, professor Zoran Radojičić, mayor of Belgrade spoke to the attendees, and pointed out that the solutions in the field of “smart cities” are solutions of the future, which can help us better use the existing resources. “Thanks to people like you, who are thinking about their environment, the future and looking for solutions, Belgrade is a smarter city every day,” the mayor said, addressing the participants, using the opportunity to also thank the Belgrade Waterfront company, who “in this great way, support the idea of a smart city “.
Belgrade Waterfront has also provided an additional 25000 EUR fund for further development or implementation of the best projects, in order to encourage the best teams to further work on their ideas, develop them and implement them. Representatives of the company said they would continue to support similar initiatives, all with the aim of creating a better quality of life for the citizens of the capital.