On June 6, 2025, the Scientific Entrepreneurship Hub in Bulgaria (SciEntBG Hub), in collaboration with the University of National and World Economy (UNWE), held the event "Meet Science with Business" Café. The meeting brought together researchers, entrepreneurs, PhD students, and representatives from institutions and companies to discuss ways to stimulate scientific entrepreneurship, promote technology transfer, and foster collaboration between academia and industry.
The event was opened by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kostadin Kolarov, Director of the Institute of Entrepreneurship at UNWE, outlined a vision for sustainable partnerships between science and business. Ms. Svetlana Dimitrova, Coordinator of EURAXESS Bulgaria, presented career development opportunities for young researchers and upcoming initiatives within the EURAXESS network. Dr. Dmytro Zherlitsyn, Coordinator of SciEntBG Hub, introduced a pilot mentoring programme aimed at connecting researchers with business mentors. Prof. Dr. Kamelia Stefanova gave a talk on the potential of supercomputing and artificial intelligence in science and industry.
Among the business representatives were Blagoy Popgeorgiev, Chair of the Artin Nigokhosyan Foundation, and Konstantin Serafimov, Chair of the Defense Industry Club.
Academic participants included: the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences – Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Population and Human Studies; Medical University – Pleven; St. Ivan Rilski University of Mining and Geology; and the University of National and World Economy (UNWE).
The discussions addressed key topics, including the transfer of technology from universities to industry, the creation of start-ups, the protection of intellectual property, attracting investment, and building a sustainable ecosystem for scientific entrepreneurship in Bulgaria. The event emphasized that effective collaboration between science and business is crucial for transforming innovation into an economic impact.
#ScienceAndBusiness #SciEntBG #EURAXESS #ERATALENT #Innovation #ScientificEntrepreneurship #TechnologyTransfer #AI