Participation in the 13th European Networking Event in Düsseldorf

Representatives of the Cluster Sofia Knowledge City, Georgi Ridzhalski and Atanas Nikolov, attended the prestigious 13th European networking event, "Successful R&I in Europe 2026," in Düsseldorf. Organized by ZENIT GmbH in cooperation with the Enterprise Europe Network, the forum is a key European event for building partnerships under the Horizon Europe program. Held on February 19–20, 2026, the event brought together over 300 participants from dozens of countries, including innovators and representatives from industry and research. This provided an excellent opportunity for the two cluster representatives to engage in targeted B2B meetings and thematic working groups.

A key focus of our participation was holding meetings and discussions to identify topics of mutual interest for projects in the fields of digital transition, smart cities, and artificial intelligence. During these discussions, our representatives also presented the concept of the INVESTech project, under which our cluster is establishing a National Centre of Vocational Excellence (COVE). А network of five national COVEs being built through this project (in Slovakia, Greece, Lithuania, Cyprus, and Bulgaria), beyond its immediate objectives, will expand opportunities for partnerships and VET projects in the ICT sector.

The cluster's participation underscores the organization's commitment to positioning Sofia as a leading innovation hub and integrating Bulgarian companies and research organizations into significant international initiatives.

What is the benefit of this participation for the cluster?

Beyond presenting and disseminating information about the INVESTech project,  the Cluster Sofia Knowledge City successfully fulfilled its mission of building "bridges" between Bulgarian business and leading European technology networks through this participation, yielding tangible strategic benefits:

• Validation of project ideas: Direct consultations with experts from the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) enable the cluster to refine its proposals to better align with funding criteria.
• Expansion of the partner network: Personal contacts established with international partners are crucial for forming consortia in which Bulgarian organizations can participate as lead partners or beneficiaries.
• Information on new events: Such networking events provide access to early information regarding upcoming work programs and specific innovation niches that are not yet widely known.

In furtherance of this mission, another key event is planned: participation in the Nordic Space & Defence Summitin Stockholm on March 18-19.