Dr. Maria Hristova and Viktor Goussev highlighted the role of investment facilitation, partnerships and access to expertise in supporting innovative companies
Invest Sofia presented opportunities for establishing, developing and expanding businesses in the Bulgarian capital at Crossroads 2026, an international conference held on 29–30 October at Balgarska Armia Stadium in Sofia. Organised by StartUp Bulgaria, the forum brought together entrepreneurs, investors, technology leaders and representatives of European institutions to discuss developments in innovation, artificial intelligence and international business growth.
Invest Sofia’s participation focused on the practical mechanisms through which the Agency supports Bulgarian and international companies in implementing investment projects in Sofia.
“For a company to choose Sofia and grow here, it needs access to talent, partners and clear administrative procedures. Our role is to help companies identify these opportunities by providing reliable information, relevant contacts and assistance throughout the investment process. This is how we create the conditions for more innovative ideas to become successful businesses in Sofia,” said Dr. Maria Hristova, CEO of Invest Sofia.
Viktor Goussev, Head of Investment Analysis, presented the Agency’s free services, including economic analysis and market intelligence, assistance with investment site selection, guidance on administrative procedures and connections with public institutions and business partners.
The conference addressed practical applications of artificial intelligence, opportunities for European funding, access to investment capital and strategies for entering international markets. A dedicated EIC Info Day focused on the instruments of the European Innovation Council and featured a discussion with Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation.
Participants included representatives of NVIDIA, J.P. Morgan and the European Investment Bank. The programme also featured practical workshops, investor meetings and the Startup World Cup competition.
Crossroads 2026 provided opportunities to engage with Invest Sofia’s partners from the technology and entrepreneurial ecosystem, including Preslav Bobev of IMG Connect, Aniela Ruseva of Webit and Georgi Kaludov of IBM Sofia Accelerator.
Through its participation in international technology forums, Invest Sofia continues to promote the capital’s competitive advantages and develop partnerships that facilitate companies’ access to expertise, investment opportunities and institutional support.
