Dried oyster mushrooms from Serbia reach America – EUR 3.4 million provided for innovative solutions

The research carried out by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics on innovative activities in Croatia has shown that only a third of the enterprises in this country are innovative. In Serbia, the number is even lower. As they say for eKapija in the Innovation Fund, the situation is Serbia is worse, considering the general economic conditions in the past few years. Nevertheless, the potential is there and the awareness of the importance of investing in new products, services and technologies is being raised.

- Entrepreneurs understand that they can't only compete locally, and then mostly through low wages, so they are trying to reorient to creating practical innovations truly valued by the world market – the Fund points out.

A good example is the Belgrade enterprise Eko Fungi, whose dried oyster mushrooms entered the American market last autumn thanks to its innovative technology of mushroom production. In 2013, the enterprise started industrially producing dried oyster mushrooms using the new technology which uses waste cellulose in producing the substrate for the growth of mushrooms, thereby reducing the usage of electric energy by 90%. This is the first facility of this type in Serbia, but also in the world, for the industrial-scale production of edible mushrooms.

Ivana Milenkovic, owner of the enterprise, says that she is not sure that Eko Fungi would even exist without its innovations.

- Not just because of the production and production lines, but because we have become an authority and made additional profit through selling knowledge in various ways, which positively impacted the main production as well.

Around 150 tons of fresh mushrooms are produced in Eko Fungi each year, and they are planning to start the new season with a capacity of around 180-200 tons. They are also constantly innovating, so they are currently investing in the new facility for the production of the substrate for the growth of portobello mushrooms, so that it too may get certified as an organic product, which would greatly increase its chance of being exported.

When asked whether companies in Serbia recognize the importance of innovations, Milenkovic says that as a country we are conservative not just by nature but due to the level of knowledge among the entrepreneurial populace.

- Of course, there are numerous exceptions, but they're still individual cases – our interviewee adds.

The Innovative Fund explains that most enterprises are fighting for survival, but also that in the past four years there has been a growing number of those whose owners boldly decide to go down the path of research and development instead of remaining content with a modest income through low-profit business activities.

- Raising awareness in this area is as important as providing means of support, and the best practice is for successful technological entrepreneurs to teach others how to start their own innovative businesses.

Most innovations in Serbia come from the domain of information and communications technologies, considering the fact that there's no need for large investments in materials and equipment in this area, and returns on investments can be quite large. On the other hand, innovations in machine engineering, electrical engineering, agricultural mechanization and energy efficiency also have a lot to offer and, in fact, there's no area where innovations can't take place, regardless of the degree of maturity of that industry.

- It's critical in the initial phases of the growth and development of such innovations to have continual financial support, which the Fund is striving to provide – the institution points out.

Between 2011 and 2016, within the Innovation Serbia Project, financed by the European Union, the Fund allocated a total of EUR 8.4 million of financial support for over 50 inventions to local private enterprises. Since June 21, enterprises can apply for the new donation program for supporting innovative scientific research projects in Serbia. The program is financed by the EU with EUR 2.4 million and the Republic of Serbia with EUR 1 million. Within this program, the Fund co-finances development projects in the amount of up to EUR 300,000 for the duration of 12 to 24 months, which covers up to 70% of the total allowed project expenses.

The first applications, the Fund says, have already started, and the public call for submitting applications is open until September 23, 2016.

Fond za inovacionu delatnost Beograd

EKOFUNGI

Eko Fungi

innovations in Serbia

Ivanka Milenkovic

innovations

support to innovations

support to innovative enterprises

financing innovative projects