Dimo Dimov-Lemuel
05.03.2025
Young Entrepreneurs Impress at the Digital Transformation Accelerator Event within the HACKATHON “Smart Connectivity for Cities – CREATIVITY IN ACTION!”
On March 5, 2025, a significant event titled “Where Digitalization Meets Investment” took place at Trakia University in Stara Zagora. It was organized by the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs in Bulgaria – EDIH Zagore, in partnership with the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) of the European Commission and the Ministry of Innovation and Growth. The forum brought together representatives from industry, science, and the public sector to discuss the future of digital and green transformation. A key partner of the event was the Regional Economic Development Agency, represented by Dr. Rumyana Grozeva, who also acted as moderator of some of the discussion panels.
Among the participants, the strong presence of young people – students, future entrepreneurs, and startup representatives – stood out, as they presented innovative solutions for the cities of the future. The young entrepreneurs, including teams from InnovatEase, showcased their unique project ideas focused on integrating digital technologies into urban environments to increase energy efficiency, optimize city infrastructure, and promote sustainable development.
“Participating in this forum is extremely valuable, as it gives us the opportunity to exchange ideas with leading experts and to find potential partners for the realization of our projects,” shared the InnovatEase team. During networking sessions, InnovatEase successfully exchanged experiences and ideas about the future of smart cities with colleagues such as Zhivka Chertonova and Plamen Petkov from Corlette Ltd., as well as Dimitar Uzunov from Ekip Uzunovi EOOD – a studio for professional photography and digital marketing.
Highlights of the event included:
- Presentations of the EDIH network in Bulgaria and opportunities for business development through it
- Discussions on the dual green and digital transformation of business and public administration ✔
- Meetings with industry experts and representatives ✔
- Opportunities for innovation and funding through the Digital Europe program ✔
- Consultative Council presentations by EDIH Zagore ✔
- Specialized presentations by the Digital Transformation Accelerator and young entrepreneurs ✔
The presence of young innovators and the presentation of their technical projects emphasized the key role of entrepreneurship and digital technologies in shaping the sustainable cities of the future and unlocking the potential of Stara Zagora and the region.
Our VISION is to connect new and existing high-tech solutions for digitalization, robotics, and automation with the economy, through dynamic processes of innovation and knowledge transfer that will shape the future. The goal is to create new partnerships at the educational and infrastructural levels that can transform regional ecosystems and develop long-term collaborations with key stakeholders for future growth and sustainability.