“EcoScrub” among the winners of the Regional Competition Green Ideas 2025

Another inspiring edition of Balkan Green Ideas (Green Ideas 2025) has concluded, celebrating creativity, innovation, and sustainability across the region. Among this year’s winners is the Macedonian idea EcoScrub – a natural cream made from used coffee grounds, representing North Macedonia with an innovative approach to waste reuse and the promotion of green entrepreneurship.

EcoScrub stands out not only for its eco-formula but also for its strong message that everyday waste can be transformed into valuable and sustainable products. This business idea shows that small ideas can bring big changes when driven by passion and vision. The winning team consists of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zimere Saiti Musliji, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Drita Abazi, and Assist. Prof. Dr. Sani Demiri, who have been conducting research for years in the field of sustainability and the reuse of biowaste. The results of their scientific analyses, published in relevant papers, served as the foundation for developing this innovative idea.

Here are this year’s winning ideas shaping the greener future of the Balkans: Smart Save – Kosovo, Botanical Tours in Shkodër Lake National Park – Let’s Zoom into Nature – Montenegro, Green Bin – Bosnia and Herzegovina, EcoScrub – Natural Cream from Spent Coffee Grounds – North Macedonia, Ride and Stride – Serbia, and Greening Schools of Montenegro – Montenegrin Schools for a Green Future – Montenegro.

At this year’s regional competition, N. Macedonia also participated with the ideas “Hay stuffed Toys” by the organization “Uma Sto” and “Honey Valley – Living with Nature” by the organization “Honey Valley” from Belica.

All these initiatives highlight the region’s growing commitment to innovation, collaboration, and sustainable development. The Balkan Green Ideas competition, established in 2011, represents a true platform for connection, support, and promotion of green entrepreneurial solutions across the Western Balkans.

Green Ideas is an annual competition that supports the development of small, local, and sustainable business ideas in Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and Greece. Each year, three representatives from each country participate in the regional competition, and four winners receive $5,000 or $10,000 to realize their ideas.
The Association for Social Innovation ARNO, for the 11th year in a row, administers the national Green Ideas competition and is proud that the country has already had regional winners, with a total investment of $100,000 for the development of green businesses in the country: The first cooperative of organic consumers Our Good Earth (2015), the initiative for repairing old furniture that grew into a small business led by architect Marta Mojsova – SPIN (2016), the platform for selling affordable meals Food for All (2017), education through illusionist eco-messages Green Magic Production (2017), Bio Smart Rice – sustainable rice production (2019), Challenger – a mobile app that rewards citizens for every green kilometer walked (2019), Weiss Additive – producing food additives from grape pomace (2020), O-krug (2021) – a circular startup producing eco-essential oils and air fresheners from orange peels, Insect Pilot Room (2022) – protein pet food production from insects, Mirjana Josifoska – designer hats made from textile waste (2023),  Trajche Rusev – innovator of a portable stove (2025). In 2025, a team of professors was awarded 5000 dollars to develop a  natural Scrub Cream from Coffee Waste.