On 31.01 in Sofia Tech Park was held the forum “Innovation Day”. The organizer of the event was Automotive Cluster Bulgaria, together with the Ministry of Innovation and Growth (MIR).
Milena Stoycheva, Minister of Innovation and Growth, Mila Nenova, Executive Director of InvestBulgaria Agency (IBA) and arch. Lyubomir Stanislavov, Chairman of Automotive Cluster Bulgaria.
At the event, the main topics were the digital transformation of production, good practices, creating new business partnerships.
Minister Stoycheva emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to promoting sectors with high added value, developing through innovative technologies.
During the forum it was noted that the automotive industry occupies a significant place in the economy with 80,000 employees and an 11% share of the country’s GDP, with 35 research and development centers operating there. It was also recalled for the recent agreement with the Belgian company “Avesta Battery & Energy Engineering” for the establishment of a development center in the field of automotive batteries, as well as for the accession of Bulgaria to the European Battery Alliance, made with the signing of a declaration in April 2023 by IBA.
Mr. Stanislavov presented information about the geographical distribution of companies in the automotive sector, focusing on the expansion of industrial activity beyond the main centers such as Sofia and Plovdiv, to cities such as Botevgrad, Vratsa, Stara Zagora, Burgas, Ruse, Pleven and others.
Mila Nenova, Executive Director of the Bulgarian Investment Agency, emphasized the strategic support provided by the state to investors, including through financial and non-financial incentives provided for in the Investment Promotion Act (IPA) and the facilitated procedure for certification of investment projects, which demonstrates the state policy of attracting investments and promoting economic development.
She told the participants that “the best ambassador of our country” globally are foreign investors in Bulgaria.
*Photos: BTA
