Our organization has been joined by OTP Bank to work together on the technological, ecological, and social improvement of Subotica.
In recent years, in line with the overall digitization of society, the banking sector has become heavily reliant on technology and innovation, as electronic banking is now part of our everyday life. To make such banking, which involves applications, websites, internal systems, and more, work properly, a significant number of technical personnel is required to create and maintain these services. Hence, banks are no longer just financial institutions; they are part of the so-called "fintech" category, as it is globally referred to.
A closer connection with the IT community is OTP Bank's strategy, which also led to its membership in our organization. The representative of this bank in IT Subotica 2030 will be Boris Radnić, director in charge of branches in the North Bačka District. In the following text, Boris explains why this bank is now part of IT Subotica 2030 and how it will contribute to our work.
Why did OTP Bank join IT Subotica 2030?
The IT Subotica 2030 organization aims to assist in the development of technological, social, and ecological activities in the city, making Subotica an ideal place to live, study, and work. My bank also believes in such a vision for cities in Serbia. Networking with the IT community is our business mission, so we immediately recognized the opportunity in Subotica to start changing the city for the better by joining IT Subotica 2030, alongside other member companies and academic institutions. OTP Bank has several great ideas that it can offer and implement as part of its membership in IT Subotica 2030.
We have experience with useful projects from our "green agenda." A good example is the latest cycle of the Generator ZERO competition, which aims to support solutions that contribute to reducing carbon footprints and growing the green economy. The bank invited innovators, startups, micro, small, medium, and social enterprises, as well as civil society organizations (which are not budget recipients), to propose their innovative projects and solutions at the national level, which we will finance if accepted.
We are very interested in contributing to the work of the organization through similar projects aimed at creating conditions for the development of innovation and creativity (Makers lab, startup community, and more). We also plan to support students, as well as the academic community in Subotica, through a series of activities.
Through these activities that you carry out nationally, will Subotica also have the opportunity to develop a more favorable working and living environment?
That’s right, I would especially emphasize our OTP Connect innovation ecosystem, which is a place where innovators, the startup and fintech communities, and our bank connect, designed with the aim of jointly creating new values and quality changes for the benefit of clients, young companies, employees, and thus the bank as a whole. We have been successfully cooperating with startups for many years. OTP Connect is a reflection of our ambition to expand and increase the scope of cooperation with the startup and fintech communities. We have long concluded that development in our sector must be based exclusively on innovation and agility. That’s why we recognized startups and IT companies as powerful partners. There are startups in Subotica, but they are somewhat under the radar, and we think it's worth focusing on them and helping them develop their business.
Where does Subotica stand on the map of innovations and new technological solutions? What is, from your perspective, the vision for Subotica in 2030?
I am confident that Subotica will be an even better place to live. And that means a city that has embraced sustainability in all business segments and bravely embarked on the path of green transformation. A city that is becoming a regional center for innovative technologies, where young people come to study and educate themselves, and then independently create, innovate, and live a fulfilled and happy life. Subotica is a city with great potential. I want Subotica to be an urban, sustainable business oasis by 2030 that will even dictate some innovative trends. That is why OTP Bank wants to be a proactive part of the city's development concept through IT Subotica 2030.
