For many, coffee serves as the ultimate morning motivator that they can’t imagine starting their day without. Additionally, some individuals enjoy gazing into their coffee cups, searching for symbols in the grounds to interpret potential fortunes.

For Marko Milačić from Cetinje, coffee sparked a creative idea, and the remnants posed an intriguing challenge: to craft souvenirs, along with producing liquid soap and candles.

“Since the age of 16, I’ve been working in a bar to fund my education—first at the secondary medical school in Podgorica, and later at the Faculty of Psychology. One memory from that job that sticks with me is the physical strain of carrying coffee bags. While sipping coffee one day in a bar in Cetinje, I pondered the possibility of recycling coffee. That’s where it all began—my team has changed along the way, but we’ve consistently advanced,” shares the 25-year-old Cetinje native with ‘Vijesti’.

In just a year, he gathered nearly six tons of coffee and paper waste, recycling and composting one-third of it.

“I created souvenirs from coffee and successfully developed a liquid soap based on coffee, ideal for exfoliation, and also crafted candles. However, soap and candle production demands a significant amount of raw materials, which isn’t economically viable here at the outset. Thus, I pivoted to producing small briquettes made from coffee and paper, which I use to deter mosquitoes; for the last two months, they’ve been my primary source of warmth,” Marko describes, proudly presenting one of his handmade souvenirs.

Fap can’t break them.

He elaborates on the souvenir-making process, which began with old molds—new ones have since been acquired, but he’s still waiting for organic glue as a raw material.

He notes his capability to create 20 souvenirs daily; however, since they dry naturally, the process takes around ten days. To test their durability, he ran Fap over some samples. They withstood the pressure, remaining intact, and he gifted a tested souvenir to a journalist from “Vijesti”.

“In addition to the technology for crafting souvenirs that I demoed publicly, there is another method I can patent. I aim to pursue this patent so that we in Montenegro can uniquely produce souvenirs using coffee grounds in this manner. Achieving this requires collaboration with universities, which I’ve not yet established, as well as about 2,500 euros, plus the capacity to manage such an endeavor. With 5,000 tons of raw material generated each year, if we succeed in patenting and scaling production, it has the potential to contribute up to 20 percent of Montenegro’s gross domestic product,” asserts the aspiring psychologist from Cetinje, who began studying statistics two years prior.

Regulatory obstacles

In September of last year, the startup that he and IT expert Igor Radulović launched officially became the limited liability company (DOO) “Salvage,” focusing on fostering the production, promotion, and sales of circular products. However, coffee-related products have yet to be included.

“In order for people to leave their coffee waste with me, essentially so that I can store it, I require certification from the Environmental Protection Agency. This entails needing significant parcels of land, a sizable facility, and 30,000 euros in funding. Currently, I just possess a machine and my idea, which limits me to creating souvenirs for personal use or potential gifts for tourists. I truly believe the legal framework must be updated to fully legalize this venture.”

Nonetheless, he notes that the doors to EU countries are wide open; offers from Germany and Austria have already come his way, yet he hasn’t made a decision on those prospects. Meanwhile, he’s applied with various concepts to all state-funded competitions, staying optimistic about the outcome.

“I strive to be proactive. In the environment where I grew up, that’s my only pathway forward. I’m developing several initiatives in the circular economy and exploring the tokenization of waste. Additionally, I’m working on a separate business aimed at assisting small and medium-sized enterprises in implementing AI tools.”

Although producing souvenirs from recycled coffee appears unrelated to psychology at first glance, Marko feels that his efforts fulfill his professional mission.

“Psychology didn’t exist in the Middle Ages; it’s a relatively modern field that emerged in the 19th century. Yet, figures like Jung and Freud often reference past alchemists who attempted to transform base materials into gold. I believe I am fulfilling my professional mission through this initiative, as I create new value from waste,” he reflects.

When asked if he considers himself a contemporary alchemist, Marko smiles and quips—an alchemist of Generation Z.

He believes that individuals who readily support new ideas and narratives, like his own, are often marginalized within society, overshadowed by mediocrity. He points out that the most significant resistance to realizing his idea has stemmed from those in high positions, both in the government and in the corporate world. According to him, young people are often paralyzed by apathy, and a culture of pathological cynicism hinders innovative ideas from succeeding.

“Young people recognize the challenges within our society but lack the bravery to take initiative. Many have received support from their families and communities to share their stories, albeit often outside Montenegro. Statistics indicate that young people prefer secure employment, as any perception of stagnation can lead to being overlooked. Although some progress has been made in promoting entrepreneurship over the past three decades, I worry some may confuse innovation with entrepreneurship. I respect entrepreneurs, but I don’t want someone to classify a taxi driver as equivalent to someone like me, who has labored for two years trying to innovate, often without hope of recognition.”

Tehnopolis’ mission—merging entrepreneurship and innovation

Marko, along with Igor Radulović, has been involved in the RISE project, an initiative operated by the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center Tehnopolis, in collaboration with partners since 2019. This project, concluding this year, has supported over 200 young entrepreneurs from the Western Balkans, including the coffee recycling initiative.

“The RISE project enabled young individuals aged 16 to 35 to apply in multiple cycles, focusing on socially responsible entrepreneurship. This diverges from conventional entrepreneurship as it reinvests part of the profits back into the community and includes less employable people. The RISE project incorporated elements of green and transitional-circular entrepreneurship, a distinguishing feature of this initiative. Post-project, Tehnopolis will continue to support social entrepreneurs and innovators, recognizing their immense potential,” explains Anđela Nikčević, Project Management Manager at Tehnopolis.

She elaborates that participants in the RISE project were not required to have fully developed business ideas; awareness of social issues and contemplation of solutions for local communities were sufficient, alongside potential for idea development.

Montenegro has temporarily closed Chapter 20 in its EU negotiations, focusing on entrepreneurship and industrial policy to boost innovation. The EU prioritizes these sectors as essential for the future economy, establishing three core pillars: entrepreneurial policy, industrial policy, and sectoral policies aimed at competitiveness enhancement. Encouragement is especially directed at young people, women, individuals with disabilities, and investments aimed at energy efficiency, environmental protection, and quality management systems.

“Through all our initiatives, Tehnopolis integrates entrepreneurship with innovation. Our organization’s core mission is to bridge innovations into entrepreneurship—supporting startups and innovative individuals to thrive in the market. Marko is part of our incubation program, which allowed him to nominate his idea for participation in the pre-acceleration program,” highlights Nikčević.

“My involvement in the RISE project has significantly benefitted my connections, the development of my comprehensive idea, and how I position myself within social entrepreneurship,” stresses Marko.

Chapter 20—foundations for a dynamic, innovative economy

Support for young creators and their innovative projects is paramount for Montenegro under Chapter 20—Entrepreneurship and Industrial Policy, asserts Predrag Zenović, Montenegro’s chief negotiator with the EU.

“Instances like this, where a young person channels a unique idea into a tangible business and establishes an LLC, exemplify how effectively ideas can morph into sustainable business models with appropriate institutional and financial backing. Marko and others like him serve as exemplary ambassadors for our efforts in this chapter—laying the groundwork for a modern and competitive economy,” he emphasizes.

Zenović points out that such initiatives demonstrate that young individuals need not solely depend on the Labor Bureau for employment; they can forge their own business destinies.

“Our mission as institutions facilitating European reforms is to empower them to achieve their goals by introducing transparent policies, concrete programs, and available funding sources. The Industrial Policy of Montenegro for 2024-2028 serves as the umbrella strategic document within this chapter, recognizing youth and women as vital catalysts for change and progress, directing a series of measures towards their advancement—from grants and equipment purchases to mentoring and access to financial and digital resources,” he explains.

The Innovation Fund also highlights its commitment to young creatives and innovative thinkers as a crucial element of Chapter 20.

Marko transitioned from a startup idea to a limited liability company—showcasing the capacity for turning ideas into viable business models. The Innovation Fund has focused its efforts on supporting early-stage startups, which is where concepts begin to crystallize into competitive products and services.

“The Early Stage Startup Support Program aims to assist promising teams in validating their business ideas and demonstrating the utility of new products, services, or technologies—helping them develop initial prototypes or minimum viable products. Beneficiaries receive grants and mentoring to conduct market research, product development, establish business model concepts, and prepare for subsequent fundraising and growth phases,” the Ministry elaborated.

Teams of two to five members or privately owned micro-enterprises (structured as LLCs), registered in Montenegro for no longer than two years at application time, can apply for a maximum of 30,000 euros per project, with an additional five thousand for mentoring support until June 3.

“Beyond the Startup Development Support Program, other initiatives by the Fund are vital for this demographic, including educational activities within areas of smart specialization and programs promoting an innovation culture—each contributing to enhancing Montenegro’s competitiveness and fostering an innovation-driven economy,” the Ministry concluded.

The Innovation Fund allocated 2.4 million euros for the aforementioned programs, as well as others fostering innovation in micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, testing innovative concepts, and running the innovation voucher program.

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