INNOVATION ACADEMY 2023

For the tenth year in a row, Innovation Starter’s “Innovation Academy” will be held on June 2nd and 3rd in Sofia Tech Park. The project is dedicated to the development of entrepreneurial skills of students and the financing of their first business ideas. The event will have the character of a hackathon, during which students will present their ideas to an expert jury including investors, lecturers and innovators from different fields.

One of the projects of the participants will receive funding in the amount of 20 thousand BGN, and the winner will receive other prizes, including those with an educational focus. The first three teams will have the opportunity to visit the European institutions in Brussels. An additional 20 thousand BGN from the prize fund will be distributed to other participants at the discretion of the jury.

Anyone wishing to participate in the hackathon must apply by submitting a registration form by the end of May with their team name. Teams eligible to apply must consist of 2 to 5 people, and each participant must be a student.

If approved to participate, the teams will be assigned mentors who will not only advise the participants, but also determine the twenty teams that will reach the finals. In practice, if the mentor considers that the team’s idea is not clear enough or is impractical, the team may not proceed to the third and final phase. At the final stage, a panel of ten academics and ten business experts will determine the winners and the ranking of the competition.