Day 1: Building Connections Over Travnik's Famous Ćevapi
The program launched on June 28 with team-building activities that perfectly captured the spirit of cross-cultural exchange. Participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Switzerland got to know each other through interactive sessions, before experiencing authentic Bosnian hospitality with Travnik's world-famous ćevapi.
The day concluded with a guided tour led by Enes Skrgo, allowing international participants to discover Travnik's rich history and cultural heritage - setting the perfect foundation for the innovative work ahead.
Day 2: Meeting the Challenge Partners
Today marked a pivotal moment as four dynamic local companies presented their real-world challenges to the design thinking teams:
Nobil - Mattress manufacturing company seeking innovative solutions for product development and market positioning
Ljekobilje Grabus - A medicinal herbs company seeking creative solutions for market expansion and product development
Ukusno ko kod nane - Traditional food producers looking to bridge heritage with modern consumer needs
Eko koliba Bernard Rice - Sustainable agriculture innovators exploring new approaches to eco-friendly farming and distribution
Each company shared their unique challenges, market positioning, and vision for growth, giving participants concrete problems to tackle using design thinking methodology. The diversity of sectors - from medicinal herbs to sustainable agriculture, from traditional foods to innovative products - provides rich ground for creative problem-solving.
What's Next
Over the coming days, mixed teams of Bosnian and Swiss participants will dive deep into these challenges, applying user-centered design principles to develop practical, innovative solutions. The combination of local market knowledge and international perspectives promises to generate truly impactful ideas.
The program continues to demonstrate how cross-cultural collaboration can drive innovation while strengthening ties between Bosnia and Herzegovina and its Swiss diaspora.
Stay tuned for updates as teams begin their intensive design thinking workshops!
Swiss Balkan Design Bridge is funded by Movetia - Swiss National Agency for Mobility and Exchange, and implemented by i-platform in partnership with Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU).