Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

This invention “cooked” in the “kitchen” of inventions of the Grabarević family is winning prizes at all events where these hardworking citizens of Subotica appear. Now they are facing several, maybe even the most difficult steps, the start of a serial production of eco-friendly vehicle for the sale of ice creams and fast food.

For four years, the Grabarević brothers from Subotica, in a small garage, worked hard on the inventions which they finally registered with the Patent Office last year. A “universal eco-friendly vehicle running on solar energy for mobile sale of food ingredients” has immediately proved that it has been worth of round-the-clock work. They have won numerous prizes and recognitions at every fair or event where they appeared with their solar vehicle. A merry tricycle has also won the third place at the Green Ideas Forum of the Rockefeller Brother Foundation which took place in Macedonia this summer.

According to brothers Josip and Robert, they are currently perfecting their prototype. Unlike their beginnings, when they were trying to “make up” something in their family garage, now they have cca 80 square meters of space within the Subotica Business Incubator opened by local self-government. Younger brother Josip, an electrical engineer, and older brother Robert, an economist, add that they are facing final, but maybe even the hardest steps before they launch serial production.

– The idea to launch a family business with an ice cream “machine” is the result of our wish to do something creative and optimistic. The easiest thing to do was to import the machine. But, we did not want to do it, and started building it on our own, Josip Grabarević recalls the beginnings.

While they were designing the prototype, they had to consult as many as 50 experts of different profiles – including tinsmiths and frigosystem experts in order to successfully solve their problems. – We needed almost six months to solve some of the problems, they admit.

The invested efforts paid off. They are proud of a vehicle functioning based on the principle of a smart puzzle.

With different add-ons, we can use it to sell ice cream, to cook or bake food in it: popcorn, hotdogs, warm beverages etc. The device can function when the temperature outside ranges between +40 and -18 degrees Celsius, up to 12 hours without pause; fully in accordance with eco-friendly principles, and zero pollution. Namely, the source of energy are solar panels at the top.

– This vehicle is an ideal mean for self-employment. We hope to be able to launch serial production as soon as 2014, Robert believes.

Each stay at fairs, from native Subotica via Novi Sad, to Moscow or towns in Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia, they used to establish contacts with potential local buyers. They hope that their solar tricycle from Serbia will soon appear at their squares and walking areas.

They have so far won the Grand Prix at the Tesla Festival in Novi Sad, the Golden Statue of the Association of Innovators and Inventors of Russia, The Golden Trophy of the Association of Inventors from Sankt Petersburg in the category of the best new project, the Golden Plaque at the Archimedes Fair in Moscow, Moldova and Romania and they have won the prize for the best eco-friendly idea in the food industry at a fair in Croatia.

In the last couple of months, they are working in a business incubator launched by the local self-government. According to the National Agency for Regional Development’s data, 17 business incubators are doing business in Serbia: in Subotica, Novi Sad, Senta, Zrenjanin, Bački Petrovac, Belgrade, Kragujevac, Kruševac, Užice, Prokuplje, Niš, Bor, Vranje, Zaječar, Majdanpek, Pirot and Kladovo, with three similar spaces in Kanjiža, Pančevo and Medveđa. They currently have 206 “tenants” with 614 staff.