From biosensors you can eat to smart buoys guarding the Danube - More than 20 market-ready scientific innovations presented at the fair in Novi Sad
Could kitchen waste become a medical sensor, and artificial intelligence monitor the health of crops and rivers? Visitors to the "Science in Action" fair received the answer on Friday (September 19) in the Science and Technology Park Novi Sad, as part of the Empower Innovation project implemented by NALED with the support of Philip Morris International and the BIO4 campus. More than 20 teams of researchers and startups, including NTP Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences and BioSense Institute. In addition to them, the Faculty of Agriculture, Institute for Multidisciplinary Research (IMSI) and FINS - Scientific Institute for Food Technologies presented their projects.
- Through fairs, mentoring support and training, we help researchers develop projects in accordance with market needs and connect with companies ready to implement innovations - said Jelena Bojović, program director at NALED, adding that the project also enables domestic scientific achievements to be presented to the general public.
Visitors to the fair could see edible sensors from food and waste for biomedicine, smart buoys and AI drones for monitoring the Danube, systems for precision fertilization, 3D printed supports for fermentation and biosensors for detecting heavy metals. It was especially highlighted how waste and underutilized raw materials from aquatic ecosystems can become a valuable resource for a sustainable economy through biodegradable packaging materials and bioactive extracts from microalgae.
- This was an ideal opportunity to show how scientific research in Novi Sad gains full importance through application in the economy. The fair connects scientific institutes, the academic community and companies, providing a platform for implementing innovations and strengthening the innovation ecosystem, which directly contributes to the development of our community - said the director of NTP Novi Sad, prof. Dr. Srdjan Kolaković.
For BIO4 Campus, it is extremely important that scientific achievements gain practical value through cooperation with the economy. - In this phase of work, we are connecting researchers and industry representatives through concrete projects, so that innovations can be translated as quickly as possible into concrete solutions that improve the health, quality of life of citizens and the economy, explained Marija Pavlović, a member of the BIO4 team.
In the time of rapid technological changes, multidisciplinary cooperation is becoming more and more important, said prof. Dr. Nataša Jovanović Lješković, dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy in Novi Sad.
- Events like this fair help to connect people and institutions and create an environment that encourages long-term and sustainable cooperation - emphasized Jovanović Lješković.
- I believe that our cooperation model can be an example and inspiration for other companies to invest in innovation and support researchers - concluded Tamara Stanković, head of cooperation with science for Southeast Europe at PMI.
As a reminder, within the Empower Innovation project, two science fairs have been organized so far, and a total of five are planned by the end of next year. Teams are additionally provided with certified online training, mentoring support for perfecting presentations and analysis of policies that encourage the development of innovation.
