In the premises of the municipality highschool SOU “Kosta Susinov” – Radoviš, on February 18, 2026, the equipment for the “Smart-Lab” was officially handed over – a modern STEM laboratory equipped with technology for robotics, electronics, and 3D modeling, intended for practical, project-based, and interdisciplinary teaching.
“Smart-Lab” originates from the winning idea of the student team GenLab, developed within the “High School Hackathon”, a joint initiative of SOU “Kosta Susinov” and Buchim, aimed at encouraging innovation, technical education, and the development of young people in the local community.
The hackathon was first organized in 2024, and already in its second edition, held in December 2025, 10 student teams participated, twice as many as in the first year. This growth represents a clear indicator of the increased interest and trust in the initiative.
The “High School Hackathon” is not just a competition, but a development platform through which young people identify real needs, develop sustainable and applicable solutions, and acquire practical technical and digital skills. What sets this initiative apart is the fact that ideas do not remain on paper, but they receive concrete implementation and long-term value for the school and the community.
This partnership represents an example of how a company can contribute to long-term local development through concrete investments in knowledge, skills, and opportunities.
“As a company, we believe that sustainable development begins with investing in young people and their education. We created the ‘High School Hackathon’ as a space where students can think innovatively and create solutions with real value. The fact that in just two years the interest has doubled, and the ideas are being implemented in concrete projects like ‘Smart-Lab’, confirms that we are investing in the right direction – in knowledge, in development, and in the future of the community,” emphasized Kristina Krsteva, Director of Sustainable Development at Buchim.
The Director of SOU “Kosta Susinov”, Mile Arsov, emphasized: “This is an example of how education and industry can jointly create value for young people and the community. With the establishment of the ‘Smart-Lab’, our school gains a modern educational resource that enables the practical application of knowledge, the development of technical and digital competencies, and the encouragement of innovative thinking among students. It is especially significant that this laboratory originates from a student idea, which further strengthens the motivation of young people to explore, create, and believe that their solutions can become reality.” With such initiatives, Buchim not only supports educational projects, but also systematically builds partnerships that create generations of young people ready to explore, innovate, and actively contribute to the sustainable development of the community.
