National initiative

 The pilot edition of the AI & I Factory educational program is a series of activities culminating in a hybrid hackathon for young entrepreneurs focused on the practical application of AI for good and ethical causes. Students from various universities collaborated in the process of creating and presenting startup ideas supporting the healthcare system, urban environment, and education.

AI&I FACTORY brings together experts and students in activities aimed at co-developing knowledge and culture oriented towards changing the future through the power of technology and cross-sector collaboration.

The pilot project of the AI & I FACTORY initiative was successfully launched in November 2022. CHALLENGE 1.0 is a series of activities culminating in a hybrid hackathon for young entrepreneurs focused on the practical application of AI for good and ethical causes. Students from different majors are visiting Sofia Tech Park’s lab complex, consisting of 11 innovative labs offering the opportunity to generate and test ideas for scientific and business projects in different research fields. Participants are going through a series of lectures and mentoring sessions that introduced them to the basics of artificial intelligence, its application in various fields, and what are the key steps to form the foundations of a successful startup. Finally, participants are working in mixed teams on creating and presenting their own AI-based startup projects. The best team is presenting their project idea on stage at the event called “The Bulgarian Davos” – Powers Summit 2022. In addition to the knowledge they’re gaining, the participants are getting visibility of their projects and additional development opportunities.

AI & I FACTORY initiative’s mission was deepening the understanding of the role and potential application of AI in human everyday life, encouraging experiments in the tech field, and attracting more women and youths into the tech and especially the AI industry.