December 11, 2024
In the spirit of the ambition for technological and economic development, Sofia hosted the 20th National Innovation Forum. Organised by the Applied Research and Communications Fund and Enterprise Europe Network – Bulgaria, in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and with the support of the European Commission, the event brought together leading figures from business, sciences and the public sector. The Forum has once again become a platform for sharing best practices, strategic planning and promoting innovation potential in the country. Following a tradition established over the last two decades, the event was a kind of culmination of the national competition “Innovative Enterprise of the Year”, which honours the most innovative companies in Bulgaria. This symbiosis between a discussion platform and a competition turns the event into a powerful catalyst for sharing best practices and promoting the competitiveness of enterprises in the country. During her welcome speech to the guests of the twentieth edition of the Forum, the Head of the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria, Dr. Yordanka Chobanova, stressed that innovation is among the top priorities of the new European Commission. This is why a new area – start-ups – has been added to the portfolio of Bulgarian Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva.”
A key moment of the programme was the presentation of the report Innovation.BG 2024, prepared by the consulting unit of the Applied Research and Communications Foundation – ARC Consulting. The report provides a detailed analysis of the state of the innovation system in Bulgaria, outlining both progress and existing challenges. According to the study, Bulgaria remains in the group of “modest innovators”, with an innovation index of 50.6. Despite an increase in R&D spending in 2023 to 0.79% of GDP, the country is still far from the national target of 1.5% and the EU average of 3%.
One of the positive trends highlighted in the analysis is the growth in patent activity, which increases by 15% in 2023, and the growing number of start-up companies. However, Bulgaria continues to lag behind in corporate entrepreneurship and investment in innovation by SMEs.
“Bulgaria has a clear advantage in terms of information and communication technologies and holds the first place in Europe in terms of entrepreneurial attitudes among young people. The Bulgarian government needs to develop a sustainable national innovation policy with a long-term planning and financing horizon”, summarised Ruslan Stefanov, Managing Director of ARC Consulting, who presented the results of the analysis.
In her speech during the discussion that followed, Svetoslava Georgieva, Chair of the Board of the European Innovation Council Fund, underlined that “the European Innovation Council is a unique instrument with which the European Commission aims to accelerate the development of the private venture ecosystem for innovation in business. It is a complement to the EU’s excellent performance in science and technology, and a bridge to the further integration and development of a single capital market”. The Mayor of Sofia, Vasil Terziev, noted the importance of innovation in positioning the city as a technology hub in the region, saying, “No matter our political differences, we all need to have a single success story in Bulgaria to present to potential investors. We need daily work and collaboration in the innovation ecosystem to ensure prosperity. And the municipality will make sure that the quality of life is continuously rising.” The panelists stressed the importance of public-private partnerships to make innovation programs more effective. Special attention was paid to the need for investment in human resources, digitalization and internationalization of Bulgarian enterprises.
The Forum culminated with the award ceremony of the winners of the national competition Innovative Enterprise of the Year. The awarded companies demonstrate that innovation can be a leading force in achieving sustainable economic growth in Bulgaria and the region.
Logisoft EOOD and M2M Services received recognition for their achievements in the Market Leadership category.
MartiChem was awarded in the category Innovation for Quality of Life.
Abrasive Technologies Ltd was awarded for Green Innovation.
Tinusaurus Ltd received the award for Innovation in Education.
Neuromorphics Ltd was awarded in the category Digital Transformation.
SIMOBOTICS was recognized as the winner in the Innovative Startup category.
Solvay Sodi and Asarel-Medet AD were awarded in the Innovation Management category.
The National Innovation Forum once again proved its importance as a major platform for dialogue and innovation transformation, charting Bulgaria’s path to a more sustainable and competitive future.
