A recycling bin and the application that helps users find and use it won the first place at the “Smart City Challenge” competition in Belgrade.

“Users will be able to find the nearest recycling island, where the press is, and easily recycle. In 30 seconds the press will guide them how to do it, it’s a very simple process,” Nemanja Janjić from the winning team “Solagro” said.

After recycling, users will get a code to enter in the application and thus collect points, and when they collect enough points, they will win an award.

At the opening of the event in Belgrade’s Old court, city council member Dragomir Petronijević emphasized the importance of innovation and science and technology parks.

“More and more people will live in Belgrade and we must be ready to modernize it and make living in the city easier, through urban development and use of new technologies,” said Petronijević.

Second and third places were won by applications that help the booking of small football courts and make shopping easier.

The first three teams won EUR 5.000, 3.000 and 2.000 respectively, three months of workspace at the Centre for the development of technological entrepreneurship ICT Hub, and the best team is going for a two-week study trip to Tel Aviv in Israel.

The competition was attended by teams of up to three members with the idea for Smart City applications in the fields of ecology, transport, tourism and trade. All finalists will continue with the training and development of their applications until May 2017.