When family tradition, curiosity, and technological creativity come together to create a solution capable of transforming an entire sector, stories like that of EcoHive emerge. Although a young company, EcoHive has already attracted the attention of both experts and the beekeeping community by introducing to the market a device that automatically applies an organic treatment against Varroa—the most destructive parasite in modern beekeeping. What once required significant time, effort, and risk has now become an automated, precise, and gentle process that protects bees without disrupting their natural rhythm.
Director Nikola Teomirović explains that EcoHive was not created by chance—it is a natural continuation of a family tradition spanning more than half a century. After a short break, he took over the care of the bees in 2017 and soon faced a persistent adversary: varroa, a mite representing the greatest threat to bee colonies.
Through practical experience, he realized that existing treatments were impractical, insufficiently effective, and often harmful to bees—especially to the queen. At the same time, among numerous chemical solutions, formic acid stood out as an organic compound with great potential but largely untapped.
While still a student at the Nikola Tesla Technical School in Belgrade, Nikola began developing electronic systems that could automate the entire process and thereby increase treatment efficiency. When the prototype began delivering outstanding results, a domestic private investor recognized the project, and EcoHive was born.
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A Device That Reduces Nine Apiary Visits to Just One
Traditional varroa treatment required beekeepers to visit their apiaries up to 9 times to protect their colonies. The EcoHive device completely changes this process: a single visit is sufficient, and automation handles the rest. Thanks to smart sensors that continuously monitor hive conditions, the device precisely determines the optimal timing and dosage of formic acid application. The result is a treatment achieving 99.4 percent effectiveness—far above the usual 70 percent—while virtually eliminating harm to the bees.
Most importantly, queen loss—previously reaching up to one quarter of treated colonies with traditional methods—has been reduced to a negligible level. The entire process is carried out gently, in a controlled manner, and in a fully organic manner. An additional advantage is that the device is compatible with all types of hives and operates via its own solar panel, making it independent of infrastructure. It functions optimally even in remote natural apiaries, from mountainous areas to isolated meadows.
Time and Fuel Savings, Reduced Environmental Impact
From a broader perspective, EcoHive delivers not only technical innovation but also significant environmental benefits. Reducing visits from nine to one means drastically lower fuel consumption, fewer carbon dioxide emissions, and less disturbance to bees and the surrounding ecosystem. At the same time, waste is reduced, along with dependence on chemical treatments that have long been standard in combating varroa.
It is particularly important that the device uses formic acid, a substance naturally present in honey and wax, against which the parasite cannot develop resistance. While last winter, many commercial preparations contributed to large-scale bee losses, with average colony mortality exceeding 50 percent, apiaries using EcoHive reported losses of only 1.67 percent. This demonstrates that sustainability is not merely an added value, but a core advantage of this technology.
Awards and Support
Developing a device of such complexity in the early stages of business would have been nearly impossible without support from European and domestic funding programs. EcoHive has so far secured more than €200,000 in grants, enabling thorough testing and a secure market launch.
The company has since received numerous recognitions, including the title of ESG Leader among startups for 2024, the WIPO Gold Medal for Innovation, and first place at the POPRI competition for the best business model. All of this indicates that EcoHive’s solution is not merely a local success story, but a technology with serious international potential.
Nikola adds that Serbia is gradually developing a healthier ecosystem for high-risk technology projects, as an increasing number of domestic accelerators are supporting young innovators.
Looking Ahead — Ready for the Next Global Challenge
While most beekeepers are still focused on varroa, EcoHive is already looking ahead. Tropilaelaps mites—an even more dangerous parasite for which there is currently no effective solution other than direct sunlight and formic acid—are emerging as the next major threat. Here, the company sees both opportunity and responsibility.
As Nikola explains, EcoHive already holds a patented solution and is waiting for the right moment to initiate new investment cycles and broader commercialization. He is convinced that, in the coming years, this technology will play a key role in advancing more sustainable, resilient beekeeping across Europe.
Automation of organic bee treatment, time and resource savings, protection of the queen and the entire colony, and an environmentally responsible approach without chemical residues—all of this positions EcoHive as one of the most promising Serbian agri-tech innovations.
Prepared by Milena Maglovski
The story was published in Energy portal Magazine DIGITALIZATION
