11 Bulgarian startups participated in IBM Sofia Accelerator and received the unique opportunity to collaborate with the company’s technology experts, mentoring from IBM business partners, corporate clients and entrepreneurs from Bulgaria and the USA.

The program, which lasted 12 weeks, ended with a demo day where they presented their solutions to investors and representatives of regional funds. The event was attended by the CEO of Invest Sofia, Dr. Maria Hristova PhD, and a special guest was Solomon Passy. “In 2004, at the Bulgarian Embassy in Paris, I met Mr. Passy, who had invited us – the Bulgarian students in Paris, to a meeting. Now in 2024, we are together again at the meeting of Campux X, IBM and Accelerator Sofia, where good partnerships are deepened and further developed”, said Dr. Hristova. IBM plans to organize two 3-month programs per year, one of which covers the period from April to June and the other from October to December.

The German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce in partnership with Nemetschek Bulgaria organized an exclusive event focusing on innovative strategies to tackle economic challenges and exploring opportunities for digitalization – “From Recession to Reinvention: Celebrating Adaptability and Innovation”.

The forum was joined by Nikolay Petkov, a chief expert at Invest Sofia’s Investment Analysis Department and included discussions between leading economic experts. Among the special guests of the event were prof.

Richard A. Werner, a world-renowned global economist with experience in advising governments and central banks, and the Executive Director of the Economic Policy Institute Yassen Georgiev.

The event, organized by our partners – Biotechnology and Health Cluster and Artificial Intelligence Bulgaria Cluster, took place on 20 and 21 June at Sofia Tech Park. The CEO of Invest Sofia, Maria Hristova PhD, gave a speech at the opening of the event and was a member of the jury that determined the best spinoff of Bulgaria for 2024. The event was also attended by Viktor Gusev, Head of the Investment Analysis Department and Nikolay Petkov – chief expert at Invest Sofia.

The Agency’s activities and various initiatives in the service of business in Sofia were presented at our special stand.

The Spinoff Bulgaria initiative aims to create a sustainable spinoff ecosystem and culture in Bulgaria and Europe by connecting national stakeholders with international partners. The event presents best practices from universities, investors, governments, corporations and industry experts and funding opportunities from European organizations. The conference also aims to stimulate interest in the creation of spinoff startups and to promote the exchange of knowledge.

The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry organizes a presentation of the EU-Japan and Republic of Korea business hub. The program is funded by the European Union and supports small and medium-sized enterprises in the ecology, digitalization and healthcare sectors to enter the markets of Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Dr. Lyudmil Ivanov PhD – chief expert in the “Investment Analysis” department of Invest Sofia, took part in the event.
The program aims to activate the export and the investment activities of the enterprises in the EU. Business missions are planned to Japan and the Republic of Korea over the next four years, with each mission allowing 50 innovative companies from the European Union to benefit from training, site visits, networking and participation in international exhibitions.

September 14, 2024 is the deadline by which you can present innovative solutions in the two main competitions at one of the world’s largest medical exhibitions. The 16th World Health Innovation Cup is a launch pad for global innovation in medicine. Present your smart medical devices or XR solutions and have a chance to participate in the MEDICA innovation forum on November 11 and receive free marketing and media services, connect with leading companies and investors, and compete for special prizes.

The second proposal is for start-up companies – MEDICA Start-up COMPETITION and is designed for innovators in the field of artificial intelligence, robotics, health applications and laboratory diagnostics. By joining, you have a chance to become one of the best start-ups in the field of medicine, gain international exposure and valuable contacts. More information about the events can be found here https://www.innovationworldcup.com/

The CEO of Invest Sofia Maria Hristova PhD took part in the forum, which is part of a series of motivational, educational, technological and innovative events organized by Sofia Tech Park and Ivan Radev Studio.

Tech Park Talks aims to create a platform for dialogue between professionals from different industries, encouraging the sharing of knowledge and experience. The focus of the third edition was the Space. Among the topics discussed were the latest types of satellites and their key role on earth for a range of activities and industries, as well as the place of Bulgarian science and business in the space sector.

More than 10 Bulgarian companies are participating in the We Make Future International Trade Fair and Innovation Festival. Among them are our partners from our initiative Sofia IS – WHISP network, Nploy, as well as The Recursive, who are part of the Bulgarian tech delegation. The organizer of Bulgaria’s institutional stand is the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency and Invest Sofia is represented by Kristin Dermendzhiev, chief expert in the Investment Analysis Department.

The event, which takes place in the city of Bologna, Italy until June 15, is oriented towards the creation and development of a cross-sector ecosystem of innovators capable of generating positive impact and providing effective and sustainable solutions to the world’s most important problems.

Our partners 356labs organized the fourth consecutive edition of the largest presentation conference for business professionals Present to Succeed, which was held hybridly in Sofia Event Center and online. The event was supported by Invest Sofia, and the head of the “Investment Analysis” department, Viktor Gusev, and Matei Minev, from the Agency’s team, took part in it. The conference featured some of the best technical presenters and presentation experts in the world from countries such as the USA, Australia, Germany, Norway, Poland, the Netherlands, etc.

The organizers – 356labs are part of our partner network Sofia IS, which is the first city initiative of its kind to unite the local administration and companies from the city to provide integrated service for investor inquiries and free assistance in the process of establishing operations in the capital.

From June 13 to 15, Bologna will host the next edition of the We Make Future International Trade Fair and Innovation Festival. The Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency is the organizer of the Bulgarian institutional stand at the event, which is oriented towards the creation and development of a cross-sectoral ecosystem of innovators capable of generating positive impact and providing effective and sustainable solutions to the world’s most important problems. Invest Sofia will also participate in the forum. The Agency will be represented by Kristin Dermendzhiev, chief expert in the “Investment Analysis” department. We Make Future 2024 will attract representatives of over 90 countries, more than 600 exhibitors, over 3,000 startups and more than 1,000 speakers. B2B meetings, exclusive business events, presentation of innovations in the field of robotics, AI, e-sports and games are also part of the program.

The CEO of Invest Sofia, Maria Hristova PhD, is a member of the Career Show Awards jury for another year in a row. In this year’s edition of the business awards for the best employer, there are categories in which companies can show the most innovative, creative and effective strategies for managing people in Bulgaria. Among the categories in which employers can present the developed strategies with which they respond to the new working reality are strategy for attracting personnel, strategy for tolerance and inclusion, creation of a new product, Co-working initiative, etc.

“We are happy that Dr. Hristova accepted our invitation to be part of the jury team at the Career Show Awards 2024. One important rule for us is to always partner with professionals at the highest level. This way, the evaluations of the jury can contribute to the development of the working environment in our country and the labor market. We are grateful to have the support and appreciation of such a professional!” shares Hovhannes Hovhannesyan, co-founder of Career Show.

The application process for the leading awards for the best employer in Bulgaria – Career Show Awards 2024 continues. The prestigious awards recognize companies from various sectors in over 80 categories focused on human resources and employer branding. You can submit an application on the awards page – careershow.bg/awards

The CEO of Invest Sofia, Maria Hristova PhD, took part in the 15th edition of the leading economic forum in our country with the participation of financial experts and business leaders at an international level. The event, which is called “The Noise of Money 2024”, is among the most recognizable and established event brands in Bulgaria, which in recent years has expanded its program in the direction of macroeconomics, financial policies, the banking and real estate sector, stock markets and asset management, ESG strategies, entrepreneurial landscape, corporate leadership.

The focus at this year’s edition of the event were: the perspectives on our path to the Eurozone and full Schengen membership, the intensive technological changes in financial services and ESG trends. At the same time, topics such as “Strategies and Innovations for Sustainable Growth” and “Solutions for Personal Finance Management” were also discussed.

During the event, Dr. Maria Hristova spoke with Magdalena Ilieva – manager at the leading fintech company in the field of P2P landing IUVO, who are also partners of the forum.