Gabrovo Technical University is developing a project for a house of the future, in which to house young companies, who implement projects from the university, from Gabrovo schools or how bring an innovative spirit to Gabrovo, said University Rector Prof. Iliya Zhelezarov during the local conference in Gabrovo on Wednesday. The event was part of BTA's "Europe on the Balkans: Cohesion Skills" project.
Zhelezarov added that this should happen with the help of European projects and that the idea is for small companies to reside in this new space for free as they develop their projects. According to him, the next stage of this project will be the construction of several innovative industrial halls for innovative productions and for developed companies to move there. A city park has already been built for the university, including an Entrepreneurship and the European Digital Innovation Hub.
Zhelezarov emphasized that Gabrovo is a unique place because business, higher and secondary education, municipal and regional administration all work together. "This became a fact 2-3 years ago, when we all talked that we have an innovative hill in Gabrovo and that we want to locate one of the 100 European innovative valleys in this innovative hill," he noted.
The rector said that in the previous programming period the university was very active in the field of education and innovation, and that serious European investments gave the university the chance to have modern laboratory equipment, which is unique not only for Bulgaria, but also in some aspects for South-Eastern Europe. He recalled that the Association of Science and Technology Parks in Bulgaria was established together with Sofia Tech Park, and that the Alliance of Science and Technology Parks in Southeast Europe was also established in 2024.
Zhelezarov praised Bulgaria's former European Commissioner Maria Gabriel, who has been a key person for the developments in Gabrovo.
Through this initiative, BTA aims to raise public awareness and foster open dialogue about cohesion policy, local achievements, and the implementation of the EU's policy priorities. Between November 2024 and September 2025, BTA will host discussions at its press clubs in the following cities: Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Kazanlak, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Razgrad, Ruse, Samokov, Svishtov, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Stara Zagora, Troyan, Targovishte, Haskovo, Shumen, and Yambol. Cross-border conferences will be held in Belgrade, Bosilegrad, Bucharest, Edirne, Skopje, and Thessaloniki. The project builds on the Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future and Europe in Bulgaria: A Common Future projects, implemented by BTA in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
/MR/
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