The evolution of the high street: Include CEO and entrepreneur Ivan Mrvoš takes outdoor connectivity global with the 'smart bench'

The British high street has struggled over the past couple of decades, with footfall declining and retailers falling into administration - alongside the rise of online shopping.

Ivan Mrvoš, founder and CEO of tech firm Include, has a vision for not only the British high street, but the cities of the world.

Ivan’s firm Include specialises in ‘smart benches’ - outdoor benches with built-in wi-fi, charging facilities and security surveillance.

Named as one of Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe 2019, Ivan has recently launched Include’s first office outside of his home country of Croatia in London, and plans to continue his expansion across Europe and beyond.

Ivan took some time out of his busy schedule to talk to Bdaily about the inception of the ‘smart bench’, his views on how the high street can be revitalised and the future of his company.

Hi Ivan, thanks for chatting with Bdaily. As an inventor, what inspired you to create the smart bench?

“Since my childhood, I have been making various products that were of interest to me, and over time I began to work on solving a specific problem through my products.

“My first idea, before the smart bench, was an LED chair that could charge mobile phones. With the financial assistance of my grandmother, I created the chair, but the idea never took off because they were very expensive and had to be recharged every night.

“Thinking about how to improve the idea of the chair, I realized that by installing solar modules and making a bigger bench, I could have a solar bench for parks that charge devices and is 100 per cent solar-powered.”

What has the response to the smart bench technology been like around the world?

“The response to Include has been amazing. A lot of cities recognised that it is time for a street bench to evolve. And this is happening all around us.

“Cities are becoming smarter, and what that means is that they use street furniture to interact with citizens, measure data (e.g. weather), provide security and even public announcement via LCD displays (our Steora Urban smart bench model).”

What were the biggest challenges Include faced when expanding internationally, and how did you overcome them?

“There have been many challenges over the last five years during Include’s international expansion.

“First of all, because we needed to coordinate our products with the regulations of different countries, which was something completely new to us.

“As a product user, you rarely think about how much knowledge, time and money it takes to get your product to market.

“Initially, it was difficult for Include to find partners, as we were all a small unknown company and many foreign companies did not take us seriously.

“But over time, we have penetrated many markets and collaborated with large global companies.

“The biggest challenges are certainly currently ahead of us, with the opening of sales offices in several EU countries, including an already opened office in London.”

In your opinion, how does British infrastructure and connectivity differ from the other countries Include has worked with?

“British industry (infrastructure and construction) is one of the best in the world. The United Kingdom is a leading country in smart city solutions.

“The UK is a world-leading example of using CCTV for public security.

“We are excited to work with a highly developed and informed market like the UK as we don’t need to educate people about the benefits of smart city solutions, in the UK, as our customers are already very well educated they just might not know about the best products that are out there.”

How do you think the British high street could be reinvigorated, and what would be needed to make that happen?

“With 1 in 12 shops having closed in the past five years, local authorities, property owners and developers are looking to remodel Britain’s high streets away from retail and into residential, experiential and community spaces. “At the same time towns and cities want to become smarter – save time, waste, and consumption.

“This is where smart street furniture and smart cities can help to create better places for people to live, work and travel across. Just look at today’s behaviour trends, and one of them is that everybody is connected.

“Citizens today are slightly different than before when they didn’t have smart devices. Let us use simple steps - evolve [from a] street bench to a smart street bench.

“With that, we make great progress, we offer citizens a street experience, and that means, 5G Wi-Fi access points, solar powered, self-sustainable device charging, weather information and CCTV for enhanced public security.”

What is next for Include?

“The next immediate thing for Include is to attend the Futurebuild exhibition in London from Tuesday March 2 to Thursday March 5.

“Longer term, we are preparing a redesign of existing smart street benches for the last quarter of this year.

“Also, we have some new products in the plan for the next period, for which I believe are going to change the street furniture industry, improve cities and make them better places for people to live, work and travel across.

“We are very excited as our highly skilled [research and development] department develops amazing smart city technology solutions, together with the help from the sales and marketing department and the feedback from our partners and clients.”

Based on your experiences, what advice would you give to young entrepreneurs?

“If you have an idea and you really believe in it, there is no reason not to try to put it into action.

“The path of startup companies is not easy, the risk is high and there is a lot of work, but it is crucial that you believe in yourself and what you do. If you do then the results will come.”

Interview has been edited for clarity.

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