InvestBulgaria Agency Honours Winners at Investor of the Year 2024, Biovet Takes Top Prize

Kaloyan Kirilov, Delian Petrishki

InvestBulgaria Agency presents the Investor of the Year awards at Sofia Tech Park, April 2, 2025 (BTA Photo/Nikola Uzunov)

Sofia,

02.04.2025 22:49

(BTA)

InvestBulgaria Agency, operating under the Ministry of Innovation and Growth, announced the winners of the 19th Investor of the Year 2024 competition on Wednesday. The ceremony, held at Sofia Tech Park’s John Atanasoff Hall, was supported by BTA as a media partner.

Biovet won the Investor of the Year 2024 title for its veterinary products for industrial livestock farming. Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov personally presented the award, thanking all investors who have chosen Bulgaria for their operations. Outlining his cabinet’s economic policy, Zhelyazkov highlighted a democratic and legal framework, a market economy with minimal regulatory burdens, and the rule of law as the priorities for Bulgaria’s continued European and democratic development.

AK Electric (Radomir) received the prize for Investment with High Contribution to Regional Development. The company is part of the global Swedish AQ Group AB.

ZS Europe Ltd. also won in the Investment with High Contribution to Regional Development category. Part of the Chinese Shanghai Unison Aluminium Products Ltd. holding, the firm plans to invest nearly BGN 19 million in a high-tech aluminium auto parts factory in the Trakia Economic Zone near Plovdiv, expected to create over 100 jobs. ZS Europe representatives also announced an additional BGN 35 million investment set to begin in 2025, voicing hope that more Chinese companies will select Bulgaria as their EU manufacturing base.

Integrated Micro-Electronics took the Investment with Low Carbon Footprint award. A global leader in electronics manufacturing, the company operates 21 plants worldwide, including in Botevgrad, Bulgaria, where over 2,000 employees receive professional development.

In the Sustainable Business category, three plaques were awarded.

Festo, the largest Festo development centre outside Germany, was lauded for its work in electronics, electric drives, and clean manufacturing. Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Georgi Angelov presented the award.

Ficosota Food won the next plaque for investing BGN 80 million in its new Alto factory for Bruschetti Maretti snacks, sold in 80 countries. The 15,000-square-metre facility will double production capacity to 414 million packs annually, adding 150 new jobs. Deputy Minister of Culture Todor Chobanov presented the award.

Bulpharma, with 28 years of history, earned the third plaque. It began by distributing pharmaceuticals wholesale in Bulgaria and abroad before expanding into healthcare in 2000. Bulpharma’s six medical complexes include Sofiamed in Sofia, and its 2024 projects total BGN 200 million, including a photovoltaic park in Pazardzhik.

Simenso won the Innovative Product category as Bulgaria’s first company focusing on stress management, burnout, and mental health. Founded by Silvia Kumanova, Simenso merges 30 years of scientific expertise with modern technology.

Epix.Ai was named Successful Startup for combining epigenetics and artificial intelligence to measure biological age and the risk of age-related diseases.

A special honorary plaque for Industrial Zone Certified for Priority Investment Project went to Zagore Industrial Zone, presented by IBA Executive Director Mila Nenova.

For Municipality in Bulgaria with the Most Investments for 2024 Stara Zagora received the Golden Bull statuette, the competition’s highest symbol, in place of the usual plaque. Mayor Zhivko Todorov explained that, in partnership with the State, Stara Zagora aims to transform its former airport into a major industrial zone.

Plamen Panchev, founder of the Trakia Economic Zone, also received a Golden Bull for his personal contribution, vision, and impact on Bulgaria’s economic growth. The award was presented by Minister of Agriculture and Food Georgi Tahov.

The next Golden Bull, for Investment in Human Capital, was awarded to Dormakaba Business Services Bulgaria, while Alcomet received the statuette for Investment in Business Expansion, and Smart Solar Technology was honoured for Greenfield Investment.

EnduroSat triumphed in the Investment in Innovative Business category. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev, who presented the award, called for the end of “economic nihilism,” explaining that this comes from the deep-rooted belief that nothing is made in Bulgaria. Instead, the focus in Bulgarian society should be on what types of local production exist and what their added value is, Donchev said.

EnduroSat founder and CEO Raycho Raychev, said the company’s 2025 investments will be three to four times higher than last year, with plans to hire 150 new engineers and launch a third generation of satellites. EnduroSat already has 60 satellites in orbit, Raychev announced.

Official guests at Wednesday’s ceremony included Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov; Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev; Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov; Minister of Economy and Industry Peter Dilov; Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Ivanov; Minister of Health Silvi Kirilov; Minister of Agriculture Georgi Tahov; Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Georgi Angelov; Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Martin Danovski; Deputy Minister of Environment and Water Viktor Atanasov; Deputy Minister of Culture Todor Chobanov; Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Dimitar Nedyalkov; Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy Natalia Efremova; Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Labour and Social Policy Denitsa Sacheva, and BTA Director General Kiril Valchev, among others.

/KT/