site.btaInnovation Ministry to Initiate Technology Transfer Fund in Support of Inovative Projects

The Innovation and Growth Ministry will initiate a Technology Transfer Fund between the European Investment Fund (EIF), Bulgaria and Romania modelled on the platform between the EIF, Slovenia and Croatia, the Ministry said on Friday. The idea is to pool efforts in support of innovative projects developed at universities which will be successfully commercialized with support from the Technology Transfer Fund, Bulgaria's Innovation and Growth Minister Milena Stoycheva said at a meeting with Nikolina Prah, State Secretary at Slovenia's Finance Ministry.

"Slovenia's experience would be valuable to us, so that we can successfully implement this initiative in Bulgaria. Then we could unite the efforts of the four countries - Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia and Romania - to make it a regional initiative," Stoycheva said.

The two officials discussed joint initiatives to develop the start-up ecosystems in both countries, as well as the possible signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation in Innovation, Investment, Digitalization and Entrepreneurship.

Stoycheva visited the IEDC-Bled School of Management -  the Innovative International Management School with a new approach to fostering and training entrepreneurs through various programmes. The Bulgarian Innovation Minister discussed cooperation on common projects with the school management.

She also visited the IFAM, INTRONIKA, ROBOTICS exhibition in Ljubljana, which presents the latest in automation, mechatronics, sensors, measurement and test technologies. The event brings together innovators and experts from Slovenia and neighbouring countries. On the sidelines of the exhibition, Stoycheva met with Assoc. Prof. Igor Kovac, Director of the largest Slovenian industrial cluster, Strategic Research-Innovation Partnership (SRIP) Factories of the Future, coordinated by the leading Jozef Stefan Institute (JSI). She talked with Bulgarian companies participating in the exhibition.

Later on the Innovation Minister was briefed on the activities of the Slovenian Centre of Excellence for Space Sciences and Technologies SPACE-SI. Stoycheva and SPACE- SI CEO Tomaz Rodic discussed opportunities for cooperation and exchange of experience, as well as joint projects in space technology.