Export Hub Bulgaria, which will work to develop Bulgaria’s export potential, was created yesterday by 12 private and governmental organizations. The founders of the hub are Executive Agency for Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises, Sofia Tech Park, Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria, CleanTech Bulgaria, Bulgarian Consulting Organization, Bulgarian Export Insurance Agency, Bulgarian Startup Association (BESCO), SoftUni Group, Association of Business Clusters, Higher School of Insurance and Finance, Bulgarian Industrial Association. The document was signed by the Executive Director Todor Mladenov on the part of Sofia Tech Park.
The event, which took place at the John Atanasoff Innovation Forum at the Science and Technology Park, was attended by about 200 ambassadors, trade attaches, representatives of employers’ organizations, commercial chambers, public organizations and the media.
The purpose of the initiative is to support Bulgarian entrepreneurs with an interest in exports by creating an opportunity for companies to receive information, guidance and advice on the activities they need to undertake in order to reach international markets.
The Executive Director of Sofia Tech Park Todor Mladenov emphasized that Sofia Tech Park, as a kind of host of Export Hub Bulgaria, will participate actively in its activities, assisting the companies in the direction of improving their technological security. Sofia Tech Park offers opportunities for business incubation and development services within the Technology Park Laboratory Complex.
We will also provide companies with the opportunity for consultations with which they can successfully develop and improve their products or services”, Todor Mladenov said. He stated that after the establishment of the Export Hub, the founders have a responsibility to the Bulgarian business to develop the activity of the new organization and to create events and content that will support the enterprises and facilitate their successful export activities. “We are pleased that Sofia Tech Park is a partner and host of this initiative and I wish our work will lead to the success of many Bulgarian companies”, Mladenov said.
Export Hub Bulgaria will begin its active work in 2020. Its activity will be focused on the creation of an information platform that will include monthly trainings. 15 Bulgarian companies from 3 sectors will undergo a pilot export program and it is expected that within four months, with the support of the hub, they will gain access to international markets. The Executive Director of the Executive Agency for Promotion of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises of the Ministry of Economy, Boyko Takov, explained that the hub will work actively with Bulgarian trade attaches operating in more than 50 countries.
The initiative will also have an online platform, created with the help of SoftUni, as part of the Export Hub events will be in an online format. Foreign embassies in Bulgaria will have the opportunity to present business conditions in their countries within the framework of Export Hub Bulgaria. Business support will be completely free of charge. Such explained that funding for the initiative would be sought through the Operational Program Innovation and Competitiveness, which would lead to greater sustainability of the new organization. Export Hub Bulgaria’s media partners are: Bloomberg Television Bulgaria, Investor.bg, OFFNews.bg, Economic Magazine, Novinite Group: Econ.bg, Kmeta.bg and MediaBricks.bg.