The finalists in the Innovative Enterprise of the Year 2020 contest in Bulgaria

The Innovative Enterprise of the Year national contest is organized by the Applied Research and Communications Fund, ARC Consulting, the Bulgarian department of Еnterprise Europe Network, with the support of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMES and in media partnership with TLL Media’s leading web portal IndustryInfo.bg among others.

All finalists in the contest are granted the right to use the Excellence in Innovation label of the Applied Research and Communications Fund and provided opportunities for reaching potential international partners and clients in all economic fields through the Enterprise Europe Network, which is active in over 60 countries.

At the Sixteenth National Innovation Forum, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev presented awards to distinguished enterprises in several areas according to the impact of innovation. In the following section of the article we are publishing a short presentation of the awarded companies and their innovative solutions.

Stamh – Market Leadership

Stamh is an engineering company providing consultancy, design and engineering of complex automation and mechanized warehouses, including management software. The company operates and has its own offices in Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia. Stamh’s main products are: different types of automated storage systems for boxes and pallets including racks, stacker cranes, conveyors and management systems; vertical automated storage and retrieval system for office and industrial applications; dynamic roll systems for pallets and boxes; all kinds of roll and belt conveyors and automated sorter systems; mobile racking systems for pallets and long work pieces. The company’s product range also includes palletizers and robocars, warehouse management software (WMS), lifting equipment and professional cleaning machines. The company has more than 4500 clients in over 20 countries.

Stamh was awarded in the Market Leadership category of the contest for its automated storage systems for the food, furnishing, chemical, automobile and other industries, which place various equipment sets (racks, pallets, cranes and conveyor-belts) on the storage land and then "close" them up with walls all around. The warehouse processes are served without human interaction, only on the basis of the innovative software developed. Each project is custom-designed to account for the specifics of each client and each particular site.

Ondo Solutions – Innovative Start-Up Enterprise

Ondo Solutions’ team of agricultural experts and agronomists has solid experience in building and integration of systems for automated drip irrigation, precise plant nutrition and climate control for greenhouses and open fields. Together with a skilled team of experienced software and hardware specialists, they work to create a reliable technology solution that meets the needs of farmers while keeping it easy to use and integrate with any existing farm infrastructure. The company has its systems installed and operational with clients in Bulgaria and North Macedonia. Recently, it has opened an office in South Africa.

The company won in the Innovative Start-Up Enterprise category of the contest for its system for smart automated management of agriculture, which is equally applicable in small, medium-size and big farms. It consists of hardware installed in the farm, and integrated specialized software with remote control and easy-to-work-with interface.

Gamifinno – Green Innovation

Gamifinno has developed an interactive notebook, which allows erasing and correction of the written text as well as page interchange. It consists of 40 sheets and in fact replaces over 100 pages. The notebook has 4 versions – with blank pages, rows, dots and squares. It provides opportunity to decrease paper usage, as it is produced from recycled plastic, the latter being likewise subject to recycling. Additional sheets can be added to the notebook.

Alegi Engineering – Innovation for Quality of Life

Alegi Engineering is a private company focused on the production of mining machinery and repair of mining and construction machinery. The company has its own production and repair base, which is equipped with all necessary machines and tools for quality repairs and production of small series of machines. Alegi Engineering strives to deliver excellent quality in fulfilling its commitments and overcome all challenges with high professionalism. In 2019 Alegi Engineering received a certificate BDS EN ISO 9001: 2015 for “Design and manufacture of mobile mining machines”, which certifies the quality of manufactured products.

The Innovation for Quality of Life award went to Alegi Engineering for is light-weight mining truck for transport of people, freight and explosive materials, which provides a higher level of safety and reliability and longer service life. It is specifically designed for underground conditions – higher humidity, dustiness, acidity, demolitions, etc., being the only one in the world with Euro 5 engine for less emissions in the mines. The machine is maneuverable, with entirely electronic control, a modern design and a convenient display.

Evedo Bulgaria – Innovation in the Creative Industries

Evedo Bulgaria has developed the first ever platform of the “one-stop-shop” type for the event industry. It gathers in one place artists, event organizers, promoters, event hosts, and service companies (catering, stage, lighting, etc.). The platform also has ticket sale and event management functionalities. It is based on blockchain solutions for higher level of transparency and security in the event industry. About 1000 events have already been implemented through the platform since March 2020.

Central Cooperative Union – Social Innovation

The Central Cooperative Union has developed a system of mobile services with added social value – for the delivery of food and indispensable household goods and for the provision of medical aid in small and remote towns and villages. The health services cover diverse fields of medicine; they also include means for the shift and transfer of patients, a pediatric set, and an ultraviolet bactericide irradiator. The goods are produced by members of the union or local manufacturers and are offered at very low surplus charge.

Orak Engineering – Digital Transformation

Orak-Engineering has developed a package of services in Bulgarian for training in a digital environment. It consists of a private office for technical and methodological support, also including a school website and conference box for connection between physical and virtual rooms; an integral virtual space for internal meetings/trainings with an automated protocol/video journal and GDPR protected repository for electronic documents and materials, and periodic certification of teachers and educational experts.

Elektrosfera – Innovation Management

Elektrosfera (Antelope Audio) has packed more than 20 years of experience in digital audio, clocking and analog circuit development. The company is dedicated to helping people achieve high-definition sound both in the recording studio and home environment. It pioneered the adoption of Atomic clock generators in Audio Master Clocks and now implements pro audio technologies in a product line of USB D/A converters (DACs), targeting both audiophiles and professionals.

Elektrosfera has outstanding innovation management practices in the overall company performance, including in digital innovation. The company has developed a technology for analogue to digital signal transformation and vice versa, which allows for real time processing and modelling of effects in the music industry. The device is the only one in the world with 64 channels combined in a single tool. With a minimalist interface, it has a multifunctional touchscreen which can be used without necessarily being connected to a computer.

The finalists

EntoSynergy breeds and processes crickets for pet food – as a nutritional supplement in the form of flour, bars or chips from whole crickets with different flavors. The products have a high level of proteins and their manufacturing is economic and environmentally friendly. Its residual product is used as organic fertilizer with very good qualities.

Hidroyonix has developed equipment for the fragmentation of out-of-use tires into different end products – rubber granules, high quality alloyed wire and cotton-like thread. All these can be used as raw material for different products: rubber flooring, metal billets, insulation. The line is fully automated and can operate in a 24-hour mode.

ImmerseFX has developed an application for mobile devices to serve as a handbook in histology. Via virtual reality it shows detailed 3D models of basic human body systems, virtual surgical incisions for tissue extraction, as well as electronic microscope images at the cellular level. It is based on 3D-modelling for the achievement of full photo realism.

Musala Soft has developed an integrated system for innovation management involving partnerships with schools, universities and communities in the IT field to motivate youngsters to pursue careers in the IT sector, participation of IT professionals in curricula creation and research projects, organization of thematic contests and olympiads, a system for selection, training, career growth and motivation of human resources, etc.

Nasekomo has organized green manufacturing of high quality sustainable proteins via bio conversion of insects (flies) though automated modular technology to sell them for the purposes of pet food and fish fodder production. The product is hypoallergenic and easily digestible. The residual product from its manufacturing is an organic fertilizer with a high level of chitin.

Otvoreni Technologii Bulgaria has developed a system for software testing management based on the principle of open source for the improvement of a product created by another company, but later discarded. The system is used by programmers for the purposes of development and testing of their own products. By November 2020, it had more than 240 000 real-time downloads all over the world, achieved within a period of about 3 years.

Press Start has developed a platform for photo realistic 3D visualization for the purpose of digital interior setting of event venues without the necessity of visit on the spot. Fully interactive and easy to use, it is designed for all types of users, not only professionals. The system offers 2D, 3D, and virtual reality perspectives and works trouble-free in any browser.

Zero Wave has developed a 100% biodegradable and compostable disposable plate from the residual product of the brewery industry (processed malt). Being edible itself, it is also resistant to all types of food and liquids and to flavored food with high or low temperature. It comes in different flavors, forms and sizes. The plate can be thrown away with household waste without the risk of producing methane during decomposition.

Photos: ARC Fund