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EIC InnoWidening Sofia

European Innovation Council Board and
the Widening Innovation Ecosystem
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Sofia
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16 October 2025
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18:00 – 22:30

Organizers & Partners

European Innovation Council logo (EIC)
European Commission logo
Ministry of Innovation and Growth logo
Bulgarian Business Forums logo
Bulgarian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA) logo
Innowave Summit logo
Romanian Tech Startups Association (ROTSA) logo
Techcelerator logo

About EIC InnoWidening Sofia

EIC InnoWidening Sofia is a high-level event organized in the context of the official meeting of the European Innovation Council (EIC) Board in Sofia. The initiative is jointly led by the Ministry of Innovation and Growth of the Republic of Bulgaria and the European Commission, with the support of the EIC Board, Bulgarian Business Forums, the Bulgarian Venture Capital Association, and key partners from both the national and European innovation ecosystems.

The event will bring together, in one place, the EIC Board, EU policymakers, leading investors, and deeptech startups and scaleups from across Widening Europe – to showcase breakthrough innovation, facilitate strategic exchange, and reinforce the region’s contribution to a competitive and inclusive European innovation landscape.

EIC InnoWidening Sofia will also support the implementation of the European Startup and Scaleup Strategy by promoting new instruments such as the EIC Pre-Accelerator and the EIC ScaleUp Fund, and by creating new connections across innovation communities in Europe’s emerging ecosystems.

About the EIC

The European Innovation Council (EIC) is the EU’s flagship programme to support breakthrough innovations. With a budget of €10.1 billion, the EIC funds and supports the discovery, development, and global scale-up of cutting-edge technologies through instruments like the EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition, and EIC Accelerator, as well as through tailored Business Acceleration Services. A key priority of the EIC is to widen participation and strengthen innovation ecosystems across all regions of Europe.

Officials & Special Guests

Tomislav Donchev
Tomislav Donchev
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth
Martin Danovsky
Martin Danovsky
Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth
Jean-David Malo
Jean-David Malo
Director of DG Research & Innovation (RTD)
Keith Sequeira
Keith Sequeira
HoU European Innovation Council
Michiel Scheffer
Michiel Scheffer
President EIC Board
Svetoslava Georgieva
Svetoslava Georgieva
Chair of the EIC Fund Board
Stephane Ouaki
Stephane Ouaki
Acting Director EISMEA - online
Timo Hallantie
Timo Hallantie
Head of Unit, European Innovation Council - Pathfinder
Denisa Perrin
Denisa Perrin
Head of Unit-Accelerator, European Innovation Council - online
Anne-Marie Sassen
Anne-Marie Sassen
Head of Unit EIC Programme Managers online – online
Viorel Peca
Viorel Peca
Head of Unit, European Innovation Council -Transition online
Dulce Boavida
Dulce Boavida
Policy Adviser, European Innovation Council - Coordination and Analytics
Lucia Fernandez
Lucia Fernandez
Policy officer European Innovation Council
Mali Baum
Mali Baum
EIC Board Member
Bart Becks
Bart Becks
EIC Board Member
Bart De Moor
Bart De Moor
EIC Board Member
Carsten Dreher
Carsten Dreher
EIC Board Member
Teresa Neves
Teresa Neves
EIC Board Member
Francesco Profumo
Francesco Profumo
EIC Board Member
Špela Stres
Špela Stres
EIC Board Member
Francisco Velazquez
Francisco Velazquez
EIC Board Member
Michaela Jacoba
Michaela Jacoba
EIC Board Member
Dimitar Vasilev
Dimitar Vasilev
EIC Board Member
Vicky Kefalas
Vicky Kefalas
EIC Board Member
Lars Frølund
Lars Frølund
EIC Board Member
Yousef Yousef (TBC)
Yousef Yousef (TBC)
EIC Board Member
Kat Borlongan (TBC)
Kat Borlongan (TBC)
EIC Board Member
Chiara Petrioli (TBC)
Chiara Petrioli (TBC)
EIC Board Member
Patrik Sobocki (TBC)
Patrik Sobocki (TBC)
EIC Board Member
Evgeny Angelov
Evgeny Angelov
Chairman of the Bulgarian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association
Maria S. Marinova
Maria S. Marinova
Executive Director of the Bulgarian Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA)
Cristian Dascalu
Cristian Dascalu
EIC Ambassador, supports promotion of the EIC in widening countries
Coming soon
Coming soon
Coming soon
Coming soon
Coming soon
Coming soon

Agenda

18:00 – 18:30

Arrival & Registration

Light refreshments, Background music, Showcase of Deeptech Projects from Widening Countries

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Sofia Tech Park

18:30 – 19:00

Official Welcome

Martin Danovsky, Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth
Martin Danovsky, Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth
Jean-David Malo, Director of DG Research & Innovation (RTD)
Jean-David Malo, Director of DG Research & Innovation (RTD)
Michiel Scheffer, President EIC Board
Michiel Scheffer, President EIC Board
Svetoslava Georgieva, Chair of the EIC Fund Board
Svetoslava Georgieva, Chair of the EIC Fund Board
Evgeny Angelov, Chairman of the Bulgarian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association
Evgeny Angelov, Chairman of the Bulgarian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association
Dimitar Vasilev, EIC Board Member
Dimitar Vasilev, EIC Board Member
19:00 – 19:45

"Spotlight on Deeptech from Widening Europe"

Micro-panel with three short sessions (15 min. each + 15 min. Q&A), moderated by an EIC Board Member or EIC Ambassador

1. „The EIC Pre-Accelerator“
Keith Sequeira, HoU European Innovation Council
Keith Sequeira, HoU European Innovation Council
2. „Cross-border Scaleup: How Widening Can Lead Europe’s Deeptech“

Presentations by startups from Romania, Croatia, and Bulgaria

3. „Lessons Learned from the EIC Portfolio: What We’d Do Differently Today“

Insights from 2–3 EIC beneficiaries (Accelerator or Pathfinder experience)

20:00 – 22:30

InnoWidening Evening Reception & Deeptech Exchange

Informal networking with fine food, drinks, and music
Visual innovation showcase (screens, booths with startup and EIC materials)

Location

Sofia Tech Park

Contacts