The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) on Tuesday announced six winners of its 4th Butterfly Innovation Awards, recognising emerging technologies, green solutions and socially driven projects from across the Western Balkans at a ceremony in Novi Sad.
RCC Secretary General Amer Kapetanović, opening the event, said nearly 600 applications had been submitted since the programme was launched in 2022, including more than 130 this year. He said innovation in the region was increasingly tied to academic research and social impact.
“Innovation transforms communities, industries and our lives,” Kapetanović told participants. “Each act of innovation, big or small, moves us closer to a better tomorrow.”
The winners were selected by a jury composed entirely of experts from outside the Western Balkans, a measure the RCC said was intended to ensure neutrality.
Awards were presented in six categories – STEM, youth innovation, industry, green solutions, university-led research and women-led entrepreneurship.
STEM: Star Campers, an astrotourism project blending camping, astronomy and environmental education aimed at boosting rural economies and promoting dark-sky preservation.
Youth: PM2.5 TRAP, a low-cost clean-air filter for household chimneys that the developers say can cut PM2.5 emissions by up to 98%.
Industry: EcoTie (TechTie3D), a rapid-prototyping and 3D-printing service that has produced more than 300 functional prototypes and integrates plastic recycling to support the circular economy.
Green: Soil Rebirth, which converts industrial waste into water-activated soil briquettes designed to support long-term greening and cover a larger area than conventional soil.
University: Dr. Monika Stojanova, recognised for developing almond-based yoghurt using food by-products, green extraction and AI-driven precision fermentation.
Women: OsnaŽene, a digital platform offering free micro-websites and access to a regional online marketplace for women entrepreneurs.
Launched in 2022 and funded by the European Union, the Butterfly Innovation Award is part of the RCC’s broader regional innovation agenda. The council says the programme has grown into a platform showcasing new ideas aimed at making the Western Balkans greener, more competitive and more technologically driven.