Deputy Ministers Angelov and Yakimov discussed cooperation with the Swedish investment and innovation agencies

Deepening the cooperation between Bulgaria and Sweden in the field of investments and innovations was discussed by the Deputy Ministers of Innovation and Growth Prof. Georgi Angelov and Krasimir Yakimov during a working visit to Stockholm. The two held meetings with the vice president for Europe of the investment and export agency Business Sweden and with representatives of the innovation agency Vinnova. Within the framework of the visit, the deputy ministers also visited the headquarters of the technological giant Ericsson in Stockholm.

At the Investment and Export Agency, Vice President for Europe Yvonne Pernot presented the main tasks of the organization to support Swedish business. The director of the Agency for Eastern Europe, Eric Friberg, was also present at the meeting. The two countries exchanged experiences and good practices on attracting foreign investment. Deputy Minister Yakimov emphasized that the Ministry of Innovation and Growth provides various financial and administrative incentive measures for local and foreign investors. Among them are the construction of the supply infrastructure, the reimbursement of insurance costs or the costs of training project employees, as well as grant-in-aid.

"The Ministry of Innovation and Growth is actively working for the reindustrialization of Bulgaria, by financing the construction of 11 industrial parks and zones in the country with a total of BGN 206 million. This is a way to increase the competitiveness of our economy and provide new jobs," he said Deputy Minister Yakimov. He also said that MIR is currently working on a national program for industrial zones, through which support will be provided for them in the next year as well.

The two sides also discussed the organization of a joint business forum with Swedish and Bulgarian companies from the high-tech sector with the aim of new collaborations and expansion of existing ones. For his part, Prof. Angelov pointed out that MIR is pursuing a policy of creating partnerships for the development of key technologies in the space sector. "Our country has long-standing traditions in the field and a huge potential for development. At the end of last year, Bulgaria joined NASA's Artemis Agreement," said the Deputy Minister of Innovation.

Within the framework of the meeting with the innovation agency Vinnova, potential cooperation between the Agency and Sofia Tech Park for the implementation of joint projects and incubation programs was discussed. Prof. Angelov also presented the contribution of MIG related to increasing the possibilities of financing projects with Bulgarian participants - the country's inclusion in the NATO Innovation Fund and the Accelerator in the field of defense innovations in the North Atlantic DIANA.

Vinnova presented Sweden's strategic innovation agenda and their technological priority areas. Prof. Angelov emphasized that MIR manages a financial resource in the amount of BGN 5 billion under two European programs until 2027 - to increase the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises and to promote the interaction between science and business.

Deputy Minister Yakimov introduced the participants to the activities of the Fund of Funds, which also provides support for start-up enterprises. He stated that the establishment of a Technology Transfer Fund is pending. Its aim is to strengthen the relationship between science and business by stimulating the transformation of scientific developments into marketable products, services, processes and technologies.

The two deputy ministers visited the headquarters of the technological giant Ericsson, where representatives of the company shared its history, activities and achievements. During the meeting, Prof. Angelov highlighted the favorable environment for investing in innovation in Bulgaria, highlighting its strategic location, skilled workforce and supportive policies that promote technological growth. He noted that these factors create an attractive environment for companies looking to expand their innovative capabilities and establish a long-term presence in the country.

The Deputy Minister also said that Bulgaria has long-standing traditions in the field of microelectronics - a strong scientific base and oriented towards newly introduced enterprises. He introduced the representatives of Ericsson to the participation of Bulgaria in the initiatives under the European Act for integrated circuits, as well as to the active policy of our country in support of the space sector and the opportunities under DIANA and the NATO Innovation Fund. After the meeting in Ericsson's Imagine Studio, the company's latest technologies were demonstrated.

The meetings were attended by the ambassador of Bulgaria in Sweden, His Excellency. Svetlana Stoycheva-Etropolski and STEVE Stockholm Valentin Stoev.