On October 17, 2025, Burgas hosted the fourth event of the national initiative “Dialogue Innovations.bg 2040.” The forum brought together leading experts, entrepreneurs, representatives of the scientific community, state administration, and the financial sector from across the country.
The initiative was implemented in partnership with the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria and was part of Burgas Digital, the regional platform for digitization and innovation of the Southeast Digital Innovation Hub.
The opening discussion brought together Petko Georgiev, Chairman of the Management Board of the Southeast Digital Innovation Hub, Mihail Nenov, Deputy Mayor for Education, Healthcare, Social Activities, and Youth Policies, Burgas Municipality, Zornitsa Rusinova, Chair of the Economic and Social Council, Mihail Iliev, Manager of the Association for Scientific Research and Development, Sofia Tech Park, and Ruslan Stefanov, Coordinator of “Innovations.bg” at the Applied Research and Communications Foundation.
Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Martin Danovski delivered an opening speech in which he emphasized the importance of digital transformation for Bulgaria’s sustainable economic development and the many opportunities that will open up for the country in the coming decades of European Union membership. He concluded his presentation by emphasizing the key importance of public-private partnerships and cooperation in the implementation of increasingly complex innovation projects at the global level.
Under the skilful moderation of Georgi Nenov, creator of the popular podcast “The Superhuman”, the discussion focused on the topic “National Strategies for Innovation and Technology Transfer until 2040”.
The following participants took part in the Innovation.bg 2040 dialogue Prof. Simeon Stoyanov, Business Development Manager, “Petascale Supercomputer Discoverer” consortium Sofia Tech Park, Stanimir Apostolov, Deputy Mayor of Burgas with responsibility for Finance, Budget, Economy, and Maritime Affairs; Ruslan Stefanov from the Applied Research and Communications Fund, and Natalia Georgieva, Executive Director, Association for Innovation, Business Services and Technologies (AIBEST). The discussion outlined several key directions for the development of the innovation ecosystem in Bulgaria:
- Developing sustainable policies and partnerships to accelerate the country’s integration into European standards in the field of innovation;
- Adapting to global competition in the context of the growing role of artificial intelligence and digital technologies;
- Creating an effective model for technology transfer between academia and business, stimulating the implementation of new developments in the real economy;
- Achieving technological independence and sustainable growth by supporting local innovation initiatives and entrepreneurial ecosystems.
The event in Burgas confirmed the city’s position as a leading regional center for innovation and digital transformation. “Dialogue Innovations.bg 2040” continues its mission to build bridges between knowledge, business, and public institutions—with a vision for smarter, more connected, and competitive growth in Bulgaria by 2040.
