Bulgaria secures 80 million euros for strategic technology funding

On March 10, 2025, Bulgaria's Ministry of Innovation and Growth announced a new initiative aimed at promoting strategic technologies and fostering cross-sectoral cooperation for innovations. This initiative is part of the 'Scientific Research, Innovation and Digitalization for Intelligent Transformation' Program and will utilize 80 million euros in funding secured from the European Union. The funding aims to facilitate infrastructure construction that will support the development and testing of critical technologies, which is essential for bolstering innovation within the country. The announcement followed discussions held during the meeting of the Sixth Program Monitoring Committee, where committee members unanimously expressed support for the Ministry's approach. They emphasized that the science and business program holds considerable potential to enhance the competitiveness of both the business and scientific communities in Bulgaria. By ensuring project support with the 'seal of sovereignty' and 'seal of excellence' from various European Commission competitions, Bulgaria aims to align its initiatives with broader EU goals. Additionally, the Bulgarian government highlighted specific funding of 8.6 million euros allocated from the program's budget to finance projects of Bulgarian research organizations that have gained approval under the 'Digital Europe' program. This funding is seen as a vital complement to the approximately 450,000 euros already planned for 2025. The GATE Institute at Sofia University 'St. Kliment Ohridski' is expected to benefit from this financing, indicating a commitment to advancing scientific research and innovation in the digital landscape. The 'Scientific Research, Innovation and Digitalization for Intelligent Transformation' Program, running from 2021 to 2027, was designed in response to the European Union's policy aimed at fostering a smarter Europe through innovative economic transitions. This initiative is particularly timely, as Bulgaria seeks to position itself within the framework of the overarching EU strategy focusing on research, innovation, and digitalization. With a total funding commitment of 885 million euros from the European Regional Development Fund, this program is expected to have far-reaching implications for Bulgaria's economic landscape and scientific ventures in the coming years.