Treasury of B&H Innovations

Time Period: July 2020 – July 2021

Treasury of B&H Innovations is a project implemented by the Center for Civil Society Promotion (CCSP) and financially supported by the Islamic Development Bank.

The aim of this project is to guide young people through the process of innovation, encourage them to explore opportunities, and empower them to discover new ways to improve our community.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is, unfortunately, the country which invests the least in research and development among the countries of the Western Balkans. According to the statistical information, BiH allocates 0.2 percent of GDP for innovation, while the European Union invests 2.4 percent. Leading economic experts point out that more than 50 percent of GDP growth in developed economies is the result of the growth of innovation.

The project is based on the following activities:

Patenting Education

Involvement and proactivity of young people as well as promotion and affirmation of innovation and technical culture will be accomplished by organizing motivational workshops and a 6-day training which will be one of the key activities to introduce young innovators to the core of the patenting process. Formal education allows us to analyze, but innovation requires synthesis and analysis, as well as interaction. The patent protection process is a very long and complex process requiring a lot of dedication and resources. Hiring a patent attorney to fill out a patent application for an individual and even for some firms is a luxury. Innovators often fill out a patent application on their own without prior knowledge and information, which can only damage their innovation if the potential for patenting exists. Furthermore, innovators often think that they have created a patent, they spend a great deal of money, and eventually find that their innovation does not actually have patent properties.

Promotion of innovations and innovators

In order to get an adequate and comprehensive web site that will include all the necessary information related to patent applications, profiles of innovators, their awards and other useful information, we will create a single web platform. It will be run by the Association of Innovators of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Grants for patenting and prototyping

CCSP has created a grant scheme that we have named the Brainnovators Grant Scheme (BGS) . This activity will relate to the selection of applications that best meet the requirements of the call for applications under the different grant lines. There are the following lines within this grant scheme.

• Consensual patent grants

• Full Examination Grants

• Grants for International Protection – PCT

• Grants for Testing and Prototyping

• Expert Services in the Patenting Process

The amount of funds planned to be allocated for these grants is USD 54,560.

Strengthening the capacity of the Association of Innovators of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AIBIH)

The Association of Innovators of BiH has over 400 members who have participated in around two hundred world exhibitions and won over 1,400 medals, 280 of which were golden. Nevertheless, support for innovators is not at a satisfactory level.

AIBIH capacity development is crucial for their further development and survival. CCSP is known for its expertise in the field of organizational capacity development of CSOs, which will use the first scan of the current situation of the organization in various aspects (HR, fundraising, strategic planning, financial management, communication, etc.) and then sessions and coordination meetings will be held in order to develop the organization’s plans. As a result, the Association will develop its strategic plan and update existing procedures.

The project will involve various stakeholders – civil society organizations, media, citizens (especially young people), businesses, primary and secondary schools, government institutions. Special attention will be paid to issues that need a multidisciplinary and inclusive approach – such as poverty, conflict prevention, human rights, and the relationship between gender equality and the environment.

About the Centre for Civil Society Promotion

The Centre for Civil Society Promotion (CCSP) is a local organization founded in 1996.

Since its inception, CCSP has established itself as an organization that, in cooperation with international donors, distributes and monitors grants and capacity building programs in five countries in the region. With two decades of experience in working with organizations and advocacy, CCSP stands out as an organization that fosters a partnership, systematic, innovative, and transparent approach to work.

So far, the CCSP has provided advisory, expert, educational and financial support to more than 1,000 organizations, trained more than 200,000 people, initiated the creation and adoption of the Agreement between the Council of Ministers and civil society organizations, ensured the adoption of the Agreement in 80 municipalities. and distributed more than 400 grants.

About the donor – Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) is a multilateral development bank (MDB). The Bank works to improve the lives of people by promoting social and economic development in 57 member countries on four continents and Muslim communities around the world.

To support the creation of new innovative technology-based solutions, IsDB Science, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation has established a $ 500 million Transform Fund and established the Engage Internet platform and the Innovate crowdfunding platform. The three innovative tools are designed to create a global innovation ecosystem to engage and connect innovators, investors, academics, start-ups and philanthropists to address the most important development challenges in developing countries and create market and financing opportunities.