Bulgaria Cohort 12

Bulgaria faces challenges in developing an innovation-driven entrepreneurial ecosystem, including weak coordination among government, academia, and business, limited venture capital, and underdeveloped pathways from research to commercialization. The country’s startup scene remains focused on low-cost IT services rather than deep tech, while skills mismatches and talent outmigration hinder growth, especially outside major urban centers.

Through MIT REAP, Bulgaria aims to co-create a coordinated national innovation strategy that translates the Smart Specialisation Strategy into actionable regional roadmaps. By strengthening public-private collaboration, mobilizing funding, and accelerating the shift toward science- and technology-based ventures, the team’s vision is to position Bulgaria as a Southeast European innovation hub aligned with EU priorities on competitiveness, green transition, and digital transformation.