Young people around the world are using their innovative mindset and abilities to resolve global social problems. Plastic is one of these issues, including how we should manage single-use plastics. NN and Junior Achievement Europe organise the Social Innovation Relay (SIR) every year for students to present their innovative ideas that contribute to resolving a social issue.
Team Scribo from Slovakia, consisting of Jakub, Miroslava, Gréta and Oszkár, have started an innovative company to create low-waste whiteboard markers that are made from beeswax. They were the winners of the global final of the SIR and we were happy to talk to them about their experience. This is the third and final interview in our series.
Can you tell us about yourselves and the project?
We are high school students from Slovakia, and we have created our company Scribo. Scribo means ‘to write’ in Latin, and this is exactly what we focus on: we create plastic-free markers, made from beeswax. Whiteboard markers dry out quickly, and when this happens, you have to throw the marker away. We decided to focus our business idea around the theme of ecological issues, because we know how big the problem is with plastic.
‘We had to do over 350 experiments to get a good prototype of our product, but we finally got the correct one, which we are now able to use and sell. We want to sell all over Europe, and maybe even all over the world! We can see ourselves developing more zero-waste products you can write with.’
What matters most to you?
Jakub: It is definitely my family and my friends for me but working on an ecological issue and the future of our planet is also for them. I like to help the world in the way that I can, with the skills that I have.
Oszkar: Health is definitely one of the things that matters most to me. I actually wanted to do the innovation project on a health-related theme at first! It is just so important to be able to do what you want to do. After that, everything else will follow.
Greta: I definitely agree with the boys, being healthy and having a healthy family around you is so important.
Miroslava: The most important things in life are indeed the one that were mentioned earlier, but I think we all really care about the future, our future!
Oszkar: I think we are really just young people who are super ambitious, we want to change the world! We care about the personal things in life, but also the future, changing the world, fighting global warming, and protecting our environment. However, this is impossible without our ‘core’: health, family, and friends.
What was your experience of the finals and seeing all the other countries present?
It was great to see so many other young people who have thought of a product or an idea with which they want to change something about the world. It was just all over impressive to see that so many people do care about the future of our planet. Everybody wants to help in their own way.
July 20, 2021
An interview with SIR 2021 winning team Pet-link
Team Pet-Link, consisting of Alexandros, Konstantinos, Vasilis, and Lydia, came up with an online platform in Greece to match stray dogs with potential owners.
July 13, 2021
An interview with SIR 2021 winning team Esperanza
Team Esperanza, consisting of Jean Ee, Janessa and Kareena, came up with Resiztable, a one-stop-shop for sustainable wardrobe management.
