WE CAN CHANGE BOTH OURSELVES THE WORLD

AMERICAN-SERBIAN VIEW OF INNOVATION

FOCUS WE CAN CHANGE BOTH OURSELVES & THE WORLD

Not long ago, it would have been far-fetched to tout Serbia as a location for research into virtual reality, eHealth or artificial intelligence. This summer, however, three new laboratories opened at the Innovation Center of the University of Belgrade’s School of Electrical Engineering, where young, talented Serbian researchers can push the boundaries of these most advanced scientific fields in their own country.

We asked young people who are originally from Serbia and have forged notable careers in the U.S. what Serbia should do if it wants to take a major leap forward in terms of innovation. According to the answers that we received, the secret of success is “both there and here”. In other words, we should rely on the knowledge and talent that we have but don’t sufficiently use, while we should copy some of the recipes that have already proven extremely successful.

NENAD GRMUSA,SVP, HEAD OF TAKEDA’S CENTER FOR EXTERNAL INNOVATION

SELF CONFIDENCE IS KEY

For me, the experience of studying in the U.S. was decisive in me gaining self-confidence, and that forms the basis for a person to feel the strength and motivation to change the world for the better. I believe that the right example for Serbia is to enable people with ideas to work in incubators that are sponsored by the state or industry, as it is done in San Francisco.

Serbia is a country that has a lot of potential when it comes to innovation, admittedly like any other country in the world. We have a long history of innovation, from Tesla and Pupin onwards. Innovation is born in various forms: in sports, science, business, etc. Novak Đoković is an innovator - he revolutionized tennis with his speed of shifting movement from shot to shot. He is today studied and copied by younger generations. Branko Babić, the founder of PhiBrows, is an innovator, and he’s here in Serbia. He can provide a lot of advice on this topic. Just like Mate Rimac in Croatia.

Firstly, I think the key is in the ambition to change the world, to leave our mark on humanity, to ensure our children have the self-confidence to feel that they can do it. Nothing motivates people more than the opportunity to make an “impact,” to change the world for the better; to offer something that’s differentiated, better than what exists, and that’s in high demand. For children to have a passion for what they choose to do, for them to have the ambition to be “worldly.” And to believe they can do so. Novak and Branko are good examples of that.

Secondly, it would be good for our successful, wealthy people to invest as venture capitalists in new companies devised and pushed by kids. That would help those children become “worldly” with the provision of capital, advice, and their own connections.

Thirdly, the education system should also be transformed into one that instills a sense of self-confidence in people, and not the other way around, as it has been to date, filtering children from elementary school onwards. For instance, I only gained academic self-confidence in America. Growing up in Novi Sad, in our education system, I thought I was extremely limited. I’m sure that every person can be successful, and an innovator – they just have to sufficiently interested in something. People today spend their entire lives learning, and you never know when a window of genius will open up for someone. So, the education system must be adapted to shape people who have the agility to learn, and new quality will emerge from that. America has nothing special to offer when it comes to innovation models, other than the three things that I’ve just listed. Serbia has made great progress in the IT field, and this is now a leading branch of industry that is able to keep pace with the world. As far as I’m aware, due to good earnings and working conditions in this sphere, workers have even started returning to the country. My suggestion is for the same recipe to be used to strengthen other branches related to technology and natural sciences.

The pharmaceutical industry is currently experiencing a boom in America. This relates to huge investments that result in the appearance of treatments for diseases that were untreatable until recently. The huge success of COVID-19 vaccines has further boosted confidence in the biotech industry and new treatment methods. There are around a dozen incubators in the San Francisco area that help young biotech companies initiate research. Several hundred companies that deal with medicines, devices or diagnostics are currently being “incubated” there. These incubators are often linked to universities, but also larger pharmaceutical companies that are very happy to sponsor the functioning of these institutions. I think this is also the right example for Serbia, i.e., to enable people who have ideas to work in incubators that are sponsored by the state or industry. It would be logical for these incubators to be closely connected to universities.

NENAD TOMAŠEVIĆ, CEO DREN BIO INC. REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA

LET’S COPY OURSELVES AND OTHERS

Nenad Tomašević Ph.D. received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and his Master of Science degree and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Belgrade. He completed his postdoctoral training at the National Institutes of Health (NIDDK, Genetics and Biochemistry Branch) in Bethesda, Maryland. During his training, he discovered two previously uncharacterized proteins. He went on to join Cytokinetics, leading a team that identified small molecule inhibitors of key players involved in actin dynamics i.e., cell motility, with that data published in prestigious scientific journals. He led a protein biochemistry group at Nuvelo that implemented numerous preclinical studies on protein and antibody therapeutics. He was director of protein biochemistry at KaloBios and his team has supported preclinical and clinical activities for three clinical-stage antibodies. During this time, he was also team leader for an antibody program in allergy.

He is today the Founder & Vice President of Research at Allakos.