The Slovenian Chamber of Economy and Commerce partners with SPIRIT agency and gives out awards for the year's best innovations at the National Innovation Day in autumn.
The motto of last year’s event was »I feel innovation«, in reference to the “I Feel sLOVEnia” slogan successfully used in promoting Slovenia as a tourist destination. The 2018 generation of best innovations included a vast spectrum of interesting products ranging from artificial intelligence solutions to new paper coating for banknotes.
Danfoss Trata received the Golden Award for its new adaptive intelligent valve which significantly reduces the oscillations in heating systems. The second Golden Award went to the global leader in the development of electric motors for vacuum cleaners. Its breakthrough electronically commutated vacuum unit is intended for battery driven appliances, especially vacuum cleaners. EFOS received the Golden Award for its AI based solution for automated pest control in agriculture.
Asko’s Pro Home Laundry premium line received the Golden Award for its extremely durable washers and dryers. Asko is a Swedish brand owned by Gorenje Group, Slovenia’s home appliances company – the new line was developed by Gorenje.
Iskraemeco is one of the global leaders in developing smart electricity metering solutions – Kranj based company runs the Europe’s largest R&D department in this particular industry. One of the winning products among last year’s best innovations was its “fair usage” electricity meter. Radeče Papir produces high security paper used for, among other things, printing banknotes. The company’s newly developed coating brings higher mechanical strength and better resistance against wear or external impacts.
Krka is one of the world’s leading generic drug producers. The Novo mesto based company (see also the article on Novo mesto in this edition of the e-newsletter) received two Golden Awards for its innovations – one for its easily dispersible tablets used in targeted cancer treatment, and the other for a highly efficient drug used to treat arthritis and joint pain.
Swatycomet, recently renamed to Weiler Abrasives, was awarded for its Special Ultracut line of ultra-thin cutting-off wheels. The cutting wheels are designed for special industrial applications that call for fast and ultraprecise cutting.The best innovation overall, taking home the public choice award as well, was the humble car door check developed by
TPV. The automotive company from Novo mesto developed the world’s first integrated stepless door check. What is so special about TPV’s new solution? Usual var door checks provide two holding positions between the opening and closing position. TPV’s innovation allows unlimited door positioning between both extreme positions. According to TPV its door check is “easy to manufacture and use”, it doesn’t need any maintenance in its lifetime and is suitable for large scale production. The development of these innovations is not a coincidence but rather the result of a systematic approach and innovation-oriented culture in the awarded companies. TPV is an excellent example: during the last year TPV’s employees submitted over 3,000 innovation proposals, around 2.9 per employee. TPV’s Innovation Station also supports start-ups and innovations “from the outside”.
