The third event of Innovation.bg 2040 Dialogue, in cooperation with the Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria, took place on October 16, 2025, in the city of Varna. The forum brought together representatives of business, academia, public institutions, and the financial sector, united by the common goal of building successful national policies for innovation and technology transfer in Europe.
The event focused on the development of regional innovation and technology hubs for growth in Bulgarian regions, with leading experts and representatives of institutions and companies involved in Bulgaria’s innovation ecosystem participating in the discussion:
- Anton Tonchev, Director of the Research Institute, Medical University, Varna
- Georgi Kosev, Senior Expert in the Policy and Analysis Directorate, Ministry of Innovation and Growth
- Elica Mollov, Director of Innovation and Incubation, Sofia Tech Park
- Svetoslav Stamenov, Member of the Board of Directors, ICT Cluster Varna
- Trifon Tsekov, Executive Director, Z-FI EOOD
- Ruslan Stefanov, Coordinator, Innovation.bg Group, Applied Research and Communications Fund
During the event, discussions centered on several key aspects of the Bulgarian innovation ecosystem:
- Sofia Tech Park is increasingly establishing itself as a leading national platform for scientific, technological, and innovation projects. This creates conditions for better focus and targeting of resources to specialized areas in different regions of the country.
- Innovation is a driving force of the regional economy. Local government representatives emphasized the need to promote high-tech manufacturing and sustainable economic development models.
- Digitalization remains a priority: Society expects the modernization of public services through digital solutions, which requires a strategic approach on the part of institutions.
- Bulgaria has significant scientific potential, scientists and researchers motivated to turn their scientific achievements into marketable products, relying on substantial support through European funding for scientific infrastructure. This highlights the need for the future national center and fund for technology transfer to be built on a hybrid model based on effective cooperation between academia and business.
- Bulgaria needs to adapt to the emerging new global economic realities is necessary: Global competition in the field of innovation is intensifying, with the focus now shifting from digitalisation to artificial intelligence and new technologies, requiring swift and coordinated action by European countries.
The event concluded with a presentation of the activities and contributions of the partner organizations, Sofia Tech Park, JA Bulgaria, and Innovation Amp, which are actively working to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in Bulgaria.
