The National Contest was organised for the ninth consecutive year by ARC Fund as coordinator of the Enterprise Europe Network in Bulgaria, in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Energy and the EC Representation Office in Bulgaria.
President of Bulgaria, Mr. Rosen Plevneliev, presented honorary statuettes to Mechatronica JSC for “Market Leadership” and to “InterConsult Bulgaria” Ltd for “Innovation hub” on 5 December 2013 during the Ninth National Innovation Forum.
This year participants in the National Contest were nominated in seven areas according to the impact of their innovations:
Area “Market Leadership”
“Mechatronica” JSC
“Mechatronica” JSC is an innovative company for design and production of automatic machines for manufacturing, filling and sealing of flexible packaging for the cosmetic, food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. For its innovativeness, speed of development and excellent quality of engineering solutions, the company is a preferred supplier of automated machines for the largest producers of cosmetics in the world. The machines of the company are used in the production of more than 20 % of the tubes in the world. Innovative solutions of the company are protected by numerous patents – European, USA and Bulgarian.
Area “Innovation Hub”
“InterConsult Bulgaria” Ltd
“InterConsult Bulgaria” Ltd is software and consulting company with over 15 years of experience in the market. The company has successfully completed over 300 ICT projects for leading multinational and Bulgarian companies, resulting in significant management shifts of their business processes. The main customers of the ICB are companies in the banking, financial, shipbuilding, insurance, energy, utilities and public administration sectors. In the contest ICB participated with own platform for automatic generation of software application for managing business processes in enterprises. The innovative approach and the high-tech architecture of the platform allow changes and modeling of business processes without the help of IT experts.
Area “Innovative start-up enterprise”
“Ucha.se” Ltd
“Ucha.se” develops a comprehensive platform for online learning that includes video tutorials, exercises, algorithms for linking exercises with video tutorials, and online live sessions with teachers. Ucha.se is the only online educational resource that follows completely the syllabus from 1st to 12th grade, approved by the Ministry of Education and Science. Currently the platform contains 1,900 lessons and the main objective of the company’s team is to create multimedia lessons and exercises for all subjects in all classes. In less than a year the online platform recruited 70,000 registered users with 25,000 views per day.
“HutGrip” Ltd
“HutGrip” develops software that helps small, medium and large businesses to anticipate and prevent industrial accidents, improve processes and optimize resources. HutGrip offers monitoring, data analysis and prediction in real time, thus providing a higher level of understanding and control of manufacturing processes. The HutGrip system is effective cloud technology that is related to the available equipment and considerably reduces the initial investment. It offers solutions, not just data storage. The system is applied in pilot companies and buildings in Bulgaria and USA.
“Playground Energy” Ltd
“Playground Energy” Ltd develops innovative toys for children with built-in generator that converts kinetic energy into sound and light with a stimulating and educational effect. The options for applications are many – interconnected toys, racing facilities, educational games. The aim is to reduce obesity in children and stimulate their activity. The first sites with the eliminating toys will soon be built in the towns of Kardzhali and Pazardzhik. The company has received European, US and Bulgarian patent for the use of such generator in playground toys. Future designs include illuminated park facilities for adults that will generate electricity for their own lighting and wi-fi connection.
Area “Social Impact”
“Robopartans” Ltd
The School of Robotics “Robopartans” aims to attract children and students from an early age to technical sciences. “Robopartans” is the only school in robotics, which provides not only individual classes but comprehensive curriculum with duration of 3 to 5 years. The team of “Robopartans” successfully developed and implemented globally unique methodology and interactive training programs for students in the field of engineering based on Mindstorms robots of LEGO. Robopartans already have their first franchise customers abroad – from Azerbaijan and Russia, as well as online courses with paid subscribers from 20 countries (including USA and Canada).
Area “Sustainable innovative behavior”
“AMG Technology” Ltd
“AMG Technology” Ltd is an innovative company in the field of nanotechnologies and embedded systems, which develops and manufactures high-tech sensors for integration in a wide range of MEMS devices. The company uses own innovative technologies and has filed five applications for patent protection and over 20 design. The company offers complete solutions for development from starting phase to functional testing of prototypes. Up to now “AMG Technology” has developed over 50 unique structures of MEMS for different purposes. The company participates in European research programs and bilateral cooperation with universities and institutes in Europe. Since 2007, over 50% of company’s revenues are re-invested in R&D activities.
Area “Green Innovation”
“DeConi International” JSC
“DeConi International” JSC participated in the contest with its unique mobile educational center – 3D Ekobus equipped with removable three-dimensional screens and the latest sound system. The Ekobus is designed for conducting mobile learning courses to children throughout the country. From March 2011 up to now nearly 80 000 children from 70 municipalities have passed courses on “Environmental protection and separate waste collection of packaging”. Training sessions with employees in manufacturing companies of packaged goods are also organized in parallel to the activities with children. Besides its “green” impact, the 3-D Ekobus is a good example of corporate social responsibility that has transformed into sustainable business product and realizes 17% of the annual turnover of the company.
Area “Quality of Life”
“AMET” Ltd
“AMET” Ltd manufactures medical equipment and has developed innovative device for neutralizing tumors and metastases in the liver and other soft tissues by treating the tumors with high-frequency energy and injecting saline solution into the attacked zones. The method demonstrates high degree of destruction of the tumors and completely safe surgery. The apparatus is protected by Bulgarian and European patents and is a world novelty. “AMET” Ltd is one of the few Bulgarian companies certified with ISO 13 485 for production of medical equipment.
