OTP banka awards two million dinars to Fragment Panels, the New Winning Solution of the 2023 Generator ZERO Competition. Some of the solutions that have been seen in the finals of the Generator will help to create a more responsible and sustainable environment
Project Fragment Panels coming from startup company Fragment Incorporated that 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.
“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.
The winning team was awarded by the Bank with two million dinars and strategic support in further project development and promotion
“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 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.
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.