Petr Palkovsky

Following the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, Petr emigrated with his parents, like many other Czechs, and spent a period of time in what was then Yugoslavia. As the first country that gave his family refuge, it left a deep and lasting impression on him. He has always sought to continue building relationships with the people of this friendly country who welcomed him and his family with great kindness.

His love for nature and life led him to study science, economics, and most importantly marine biology at university. He aspired to revolutionize aquaculture through sustainable practices. However, the economic downturn of the early 1980s redirected his entrepreneurial energy toward other ventures.

At the age of 24, he founded a painting business that rapidly expanded to large commercial projects in Whistler, Canada. Witnessing the toxic impact of solvent-based products in an environmentally harmful industry — both for nature and for his employees — he developed and patented Bio-Wash, a 100% biodegradable, water-based equipment cleaning solution. This innovation laid the foundation for an entire range of environmentally friendly water-based paints, strippers, and wood finishes, now considered standard in the global coatings industry. By 2000, his company had achieved a global presence and fundamentally transformed the painting industry through sustainable and safe products.

Driven by a lifelong commitment to environmental protection, he also worked with the Vancouver Aquarium and the David Suzuki Foundation on marine conservation advocacy. These efforts contributed to the announced ban on open-ocean salmon farms in Washington State and British Columbia, helping preserve fragile marine ecosystems.

In 2010, motivated by the need to identify critical minerals essential for the transition to clean and sustainable energy, he returned to the Western Balkans, assembling a world-class team of geologists and industry experts. More than a decade later, this vision became reality: the company he founded not only identified key resources but discovered the sodium borate mineral deposit in the Valjevo region, the only known deposit of this mineral in Europe.

Across every venture, Petr has prioritized environmental responsibility and innovation, striving to leave sustainable solutions as a legacy for future generations. His journey reflects the belief that through passion, determination, and commitment, we can make the planet a better place for all.