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Sustainable solutions for smart cities

Strawberry Energy improves public spaces with urban street furniture

Strawberry Energy, a company known for innovative solutions for smart cities, is the leader of the revolution in street furniture with its smart benches and other advanced solutions. The company is led by Miloš Milisavljević, the founder and director, who, together with his team, has successfully transformed public spaces in more than 50 countries around the world.

Smart bench as a starting point

The company made its first significant step in 2011 by introducing a smart bench, which was inspired by the desire to enable using clean energy sources in everyday life to the greatest extent possible. The first Strawberry Tree was created with the support of the Innovation Fund through the Mini Grants Program using the funds provided by the European Union. At that point the tree was of the size of a small house. Up to this day, it has evolved into a standard smart bench, which is 10 to 20 times cheaper than the first model, thanks to significant non-refundable aid provided by the Fund and the European Union in the amount of 420,000 euros. This development path has enabled the company Strawberry Energy to launch its products in more than 50 countries around the world, focusing on more affordable solutions.

“We have always been inspiresd by introducing clean energy sources into the everyday environment. Now we have developed a much cheaper and more scalable solution that can be applied all over the world”, says Milisavljević.

Expansion to include street furniture

After the success of smart benches, Strawberry Energy recognized the potential for applying similar technologies to other elements of street furniture, such as tables, bus stops and telephone booths. In this way, the company has positioned itself as a leader in creating smart urban infrastructure for smart cities.

Milisavljević emphasizes the importance of thinking about innovations beyond the technical aspect. “I would like people to think about innovation not only through the prism of a new product or some new functionality, but also through a business model and any other aspect that can solve a problem in a different way.”

Support by the Innovation Fund

The company Strawbery Energy was first supported by European Union funds through the Innovation Fund program in 2011, when it was in the early stages of development. This support served as a tailwind and was crucial for launching the initial projects. At that time, they managed to develop and launch their first smart bench, which laid the foundation for their future success.

Now, with additional support from the Fund, Strawbery Energy continues to develop new ideas and products. This new phase of support has enabled the company to expand its product range and focus on innovations that will further improve urban infrastructure.

The Fund follows its users through all stages of development, providing initial support and continuing to help in the development of new or existing products, services or technologies. This continuous support ensures that companies can not only survive but also develop and innovate in the long term.

”The project we applied for at the Fund had already been initiated by us. We used the funds to accelerate development and enable faster market entry”, explains Milisavljević.

Strawbery Energy continues to transform public spaces, making them more functional and sustainable. Through smart solutions, the company contributes to the creation of the cities of the future.