In 2025, Bulgaria continues to walk a fine line—between the opportunity to establish itself as a regional innovation hub and the risk of economic and technological marginalisation in an era of growing geopolitical fragmentation. This is one of the key conclusions of the traditional annual report “Innovation.bg 2025” by the Applied Research and Communications Fund, which provides a yearly assessment of the state and potential for innovation in the Bulgarian economy. Still among the “Emerging Innovators” Bulgaria once again falls into the group of “Emerging Innovators”, ranking 26th in the EU...

On December 12, 2024, HARMONMISSIONS partners participated in an online Train-the-Trainers workshop hosted by ARC Fund. This workshop was designed to prepare project partners for their role in organizing trainings, workshops, and brokerage events focused on participation in the EU Missions under Horizon Europe. The workshop provided comprehensive guidance on key topics, including: The objectives and structure of Horizon Europe. Mission-driven research and innovation and the EU Missions framework. Implementation of EU Missions within Horizon Europe. Developing competitive proposals for Horizon...

From 19 to 20 November 2024 representatives of the RTIT>> consortium including experts from the ARC Fund participated in a meeting and training in Niksic, Montenegro. The event brought together experts from 12 partner organizations and one associate strategic partner. The aim was to discuss important topics in the field of new technology transfer and innovation policies, with a special emphasis on new materials, by creating a more favorable environment for scientific research. The program also included interactive joint seminars focusing on European innovation policies and good...

The HARMONMISSIONS project is gearing up to deliver a comprehensive capacity-building program designed to empower stakeholders in the Danube Region to participate effectively in the EU Missions under Horizon Europe. Developed by ARC Fund, this program aims to enhance regional capacity to design and implement impactful projects addressing Mission 1: Adaptation to Climate Change and Mission 4: 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030. The program was officially presented during the HARMONMISSIONS Steering Committee meeting on October 24, 2024, in Kosice, Slovakia. Program Details The...

At a recent international working meeting held in Kosice, Slovakia, on October 23-24, 2024, stakeholders from across the Danube Region came together to share innovative practices for mitigating climate change. The event was part of the HARMONMISSIONS project, an initiative under the EU’s Interreg Danube program (2021–2027) focused on building capacity for climate action and fostering collaboration among countries in the region. The meeting showcased successful projects from Bulgaria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ukraine, addressing two...

Wind Labs: Just Development of Wind Energy in Northeastern Bulgaria Edition #3: Factors for Maximizing Local Added Value in Offshore Renewable Energy Infrastructure Planning in the Black Sea The Applied Research and Communications Fund (ARC Fund) is organizing the third edition of the Wind Ideas Lab, which took take place on September 4, 2024, at 4:00 PM in the Congress Center at the Port of Burgas. AGENDA This event aims to bring together stakeholders and experts to discuss and develop fair and effective management practices for the development of wind energy in Northeastern Bulgaria. The...

About the case studies Explore the regional case studies on just and effective wind energy governance across seven countries: The Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Germany, and Bulgaria. Dive into the nuances of energy justice and participatory practices, explore regional recommendations and inspiring solutions. To ensure the best possible results in our case studies, the project experts have conducted document review work, as well as interviews with wind industry stakeholders in the researched regions. The findings and insights collected were summarised in regional...

Danube region countries such as Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, face some specific challenges in regard to their participation in the Missions of Horizon Europe program. Because of these obstacles, the HARMONMISSION partners have recognized the need for improving the cooperation among countries in the Danube region in order to enhance the capacity of research and innovation actors to participate in Missions-related projects. HARMONMISSION aims to do so by minimizing existing disparities and strengthen collaboration in two...

In a landmark effort to understand the European public’s stance on the energy transition, EnergyPROSPECTS has successfully conducted an in-depth online survey of 10,000 individuals across 19 European countries. The survey examined individual engagement in the energy transition, responses to the 2021-2022 energy crisis, energy-saving measures and motivations. The survey also sought to determine the expectations of citizens in relation to sustainable energy practices.  The survey findings suggest that most European citizens believe that their role in the energy transition is limited to...

On March 18, 2024, an online discussion was held within the WIND LAB #2: Just Development of Wind Energy in Northeast Bulgaria” (within JustWind4All project), dedicated to the visual effects of offshore wind farms in Northeast Bulgaria. Participants focused on exploring this important aspect of wind energy development and their intention to create a framework for equitable development in the region. The purpose of the Laboratory is to bring together stakeholders for discussion and generation of ideas for wind energy development. The project, supported by the European Commission’s...