Project Fragment Panels coming from startup company Fragment Incorporated which deals with the production of innovative and sustainable construction materials made of 73% recycled glass, is the winner of this year’s Generator ZERO Competition by OTP banka. With a record 116 applications, compared to the previous cycle where 72 projects applied, this year’s competition was the second competition in a row dedicated to solutions for reducing the carbon footprint. The winning team was awarded by the Bank with two million dinars and strategic support in further project development and promotion, along with awards by two partners.
Apart from being the leading corporate and retail creditor, OTP banka is also the leader of the green transition in the banking sector, but also the first bank in Serbia to develop system support programs for innovative and green entrepreneurship. This is additionally demonstrated by the fact that Generator ZERO is the most awarded project of this Bank.
“The tradition and reputation that the Generator already has is the greatest recognition for our commitment to enhancing the circular economy and needs of the local community. The number and quality of applications that increases every year, is an even better indicator of the general social importance of this topic. This was precisely the reason why we dedicated this year’s cycle to reducing the carbon footprint. The Generator ZERO Project, because of which we have gathered here today, best illustrates OTP banka’s strategic commitment to sustainable business and innovative thinking in the direction of green economy development, which justifiably became one of our most important projects over the course of seven years. We hope that some of the solutions that we have seen in the finals of the Generator will help us create a more responsible and sustainable environment“, stated Predrag Mihajlović, President of the Executive Board of OTP banka Srbija when announcing the winner.
The idea for Fragment Panels occurred in the course of preparations for one of the numerous exhibitions by artist Marija Marković. Pavle Milošević, an entrepreneur and sustainability advocate, joined Marija in further development of the idea. They discovered that glass and cement are incompatible materials by nature and are not bound easily. This phenomenon intrigued them and further research led them to scientific works of professors from the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy in Belgrade. The result of this fusion of artistic instinct, scientific experience and business orientation is the Fragment Panel, a new material for a new generation of consumers. The Fragment Team is proud that post-industrial glass that would otherwise end up in a landfill, is used to produce the Fragment Panel, slowing down thereby the filling and accelerated creation of new landfills. Each construction of a new landfill has a high carbon footprint and leads to the destruction of biodiversity and the environment.
Almost 100 original ideas have been supported through the project since 2017 when the Generator was launched.
“This year’s final exceeded our expectations, given that the topic was repeated, but it is also proof that our country is oriented towards a sustainable business model and innovations in that domain. Therefore, choosing the top ten was not an easy task at all. We are proud of everything that the Generator ZERO project has produced so far, and we hope that the creativity of this year’s finalists will be another incentive for the entire economy to affirm and promote green projects and sustainable business, as we do at OTP banka. First of all, we as individuals believe that the only right path is this common one, where we join forces and act for the common good, and for this reason I once again thank our partners for their support and engagement”, said Vuk Kosovac, member of the Executive Board of OTP banka for retail and digital development, and the president of the jury.
The Fragment Team expressed their gratitude to OTP banka for the given opportunity and clarified how they will use the award.
“We are very pleased to have been a part of the competition that brought together many great ideas from the area of sustainable economy. We are grateful to OTP banka as well as the collaborators of the 2023 Generator Zero project for establishing a platform for discussing the problems of ecology and modern economy. We will use the financial award to implement the development and enhancement of Fragment Panels by introducing eco cement and substituting additives with bio additives. Endeavouring to make art, we created construction material. We have turned construction material into art”, said Pavle Milošević.
OTP banka provided support to all this year’s finalists through promotional and marketing activities, while the winner, in addition to the cash prize, will also receive advisory assistance, presentation of solutions in the OTP Lab innovation hub of the parent OTP Group and Portfolion Investment Fund.
Milena Mićanović, Head of Communications and Public Relations at OTP banka, commented on this and said that in addition to financially supporting initiatives that impact the innovation ecosystem development, the Bank should also do this through its
non-financial resources.
“Along with our desire to bring good news, we at OTP banka also want to contribute to spreading good news far and wide. This is exactly why we strive to spread awareness through all our channels about the ideas that have passed through the Generator for the past seven years. Although this year’s cycle has ended, we continue to closely cooperate with our winners, to jointly promote the concept of a sustainable future and educate society of the importance of responsible business, because the future and survival of those coming after us depends on how we behave today“, Mrs Mićanović emphasised.
The project was also supported by numerous partners, namely: ICT HUB, Blic, Mastercard, Serbia Innovates Project supported by USAID, Digital Serbia Initiative, Belgrade Business School (BOŠ), Netokracija, Schneider Electric, MPC, and Supernatural – an association engaged in environmental protection.
ICT Hub will support the winning team Fragment Panels through business mentoring, branding and marketing consulting, assist in the brand building process, provide support in connecting with corporate partners, in preparations for fundraising, as well as by free use of its co-working space.
Team ConnectClean Roma Group received from Mastercard the amount of EUR 5,000, while Blic awarded them with a media campaign in all editions of the Ringier media company worth EUR 3,000. In addition, Blic provided all finalists with media promotion in the form of separate interviews or reports on the blic.rs portal and social networks.
Schneider Electric opted for the solution by team Smart Metallurgy and donated computer equipment and mentoring.
For support in promoting and connecting with potential investors and donors, Supernatural selected team HEMP, and the Digital Serbia Initiative awarded Beointech with expert consultation services in the area of communications, marketing, finance and pitching towards investors in order to raise capital. Together with the Serbia Innovates project, supported by USAID, they received a stand at the SPLET conference in October.
The award by partner Serbia Innovates, supported by USAID, went into the hands of team “MK-VET Marko Komloš“. The award is business consulting service. The Farmbo Team also received the possibility to represent itself in the startup zone at the largest regional innovation and innovative entrepreneurship conference SPLET.
MPC Properties decided to reward each team that promotes and advocates recycling, namely Fragment, Naša kuća and ConnectClean Roma Group. The award worth
EUR 5,000 is comprised of assigning communication channels of the UŠĆE Shopping Centre, stands and branding in the Centre and led screens, as well as connecting these initiatives with business partners within the MPC business network.
The award of Netokracija is media promotion on the netokracija.rs website, value of which is EUR 2,000 to startup eMobil. Their eDrive application solution allows users to find the nearest available charger and effect payment easily.
OTP banka presented a special award to MOSQ-SWITCH Team in the form of presentation on the Bank’s stand at the Agricultural Fair in Novi Sad, where the Farmbo and HEMP teams will also have the opportunity to present their products.
GENERATOR ZERO – DRIVING FORCE OF SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
As every year, this year’s Generator competition also wishes to enable entrepreneurs and innovators to contribute to a sustainable and digital future with their innovative ideas and projects. Launched by OTP banka, this project has since 2017 up to now supported almost 100 innovative original ideas that have made it to the finals. The program was also one of the first to help small and medium-sized businesses to introduce digital changes in their operations, but also one of those that helped entrepreneurs overcome the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The last cycle that was implemented last year, is dedicated to reducing the carbon footprint, and is a unique competition of its kind. The significance of the Generator for small businesses and the entire innovation ecosystem is testified by a record number of applications received this year, and the project itself has won four awards to date.