June 19–20, 2025 | GATE Institute, Sofia, Bulgaria

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape industries across Europe, Sofia is stepping forward as a dynamic intersection of academic research, corporate innovation, and emerging entrepreneurial talent. The Bulgarian capital – with its powerful blend of deep tech infrastructure, a vibrant academic community, and a growing startup presence – hosted the ExcellEnt Soft-Landing Mission to Bulgaria as part of a larger push to foster European innovation connectivity.

The goal of the mission was clear: to explore best practices in applying AI in both corporate and academic settings and to uncover new paths for collaboration between ecosystems. Over two days, participants were immersed in one of Southeast Europe’s most promising tech landscapes — one where applied AI is not just imagined, but actively being built.

Day One: Welcome to the Ecosystem: Conversations that Connect

The mission began on June 19 with a warm welcome at the GATE Institute, Bulgaria’s flagship AI research center. After a brief presentation on the ExcellEnt project’s progress, participants joined a panel discussion on “How to Strengthen Europe’s Tech Ecosystem.” The conversation quickly moved beyond abstract strategy, evolving into a lively exchange about the barriers to scaling AI startups, the importance of aligning research with industry, and how European regions can better support each other. The discussion didn’t end when the microphones turned off – several participants stayed well into the lunch hour for follow-up conversations.

In the afternoon, the delegation received an invitation to attend Spinoff Europe 2025, a major conference on research commercialization and university-industry collaboration. Many joined keynotes and workshops with leading researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers from across the continent – an opportunity that added context and texture to the broader mission experience.

Later that day, the group visited Sofia Tech Park, where two high-tech laboratories and Bulgaria’s national supercomputer opened up discussions around hardware, scale, and real-world AI testing. The VR/XR Lab in particular drew attention, as participants tested immersive environments and shared reflections on how these technologies could be applied in education, healthcare, and even cultural preservation.

The day ended where it began – at the GATE Institute – but this time in a relaxed atmosphere, with informal networking among researchers, local founders, and mission delegates. The energy was high, the conversations honest, and the sense of shared purpose unmistakable.

Day Two: From Corporate Labs to Research Frontiers

On June 20, the delegation headed to the Sofia offices of IBM Bulgaria for what was scheduled as a one-hour session – but quickly stretched to two and a half. The team at IBM presented real-world AI use cases across industries and introduced their Sofia Accelerator, a regional program designed to support startup collaboration across Central and Eastern Europe. The strong interest from participants turned the session into an in-depth exploration of what collaboration with large corporations can truly look like.

Later that day, the group returned to the Visualization Lab at GATE, where local experts presented advanced work in urban modeling and digital twins. These technologies – used to simulate and optimize city environments – sparked immediate interest among participants working on similar tools elsewhere in Europe. The idea of co-developing a shared use case, possibly anchored in Sofia, quickly moved from speculative to promising.

By the end of the visit, it was clear that this mission had unlocked more than insight – it had seeded the early foundations of future partnerships.

Reflections from Sofia: An Ecosystem in Motion

Sofia’s innovation community impressed participants not only with its technical expertise, but with its openness to international collaboration. It became evident that this was not a one-off experience, but the start of something deeper: a shared commitment to building bridges between Europe’s ecosystems, particularly where applied AI and tech transfer are concerned.

“Unlike the buzz, Sofia delivered depth – spatial, intentional, and grounded in real venture readiness,” shared Giannis Mylopoulos, one of the participants.
“What unfolded was not just a visit, but a slow-revealing architecture of tech transfer, alignment, and future-facing momentum.”

“The most valuable part of the ExcellEnt Soft-Landing Mission in Bulgaria for me was the connections,” said Oleksandra Karapuz.
“These meetings gave me insights into technologies for creating digital twins and helped me establish contacts that may potentially grow into collaborations on new products.”

Thierry Vallenet described the atmosphere as “a warm welcome and sharp organisation,” with one-on-one exchanges sparking dialogue on medtech, silver economy, robotics, and more. “Good for entrepreneurship, good for the European economy – and good for Bulgaria’s growth,” he added.

Building a More Connected Innovation Landscape

The Sofia mission was part of a broader effort to create more fluid, accessible, and intentional pathways between innovation ecosystems across Europe. As part of the ExcellEnt Project, these soft-landing missions are designed to open new markets for entrepreneurs, foster peer learning, and support startups and researchers in finding the right environments for growth.

What made Sofia special was not only the access to infrastructure and insight, but the clarity of purpose: participants left with the tools to go further – and the relationships to take that next step together.

As the ExcellEnt journey continues – from Larissa to Paris to Sofia – one thing is clear: innovation grows faster when it grows together.