Sofia Tech Park Hosts Landmark Agreement on Security and Defence Innovation

Nikolay Zabov, Zhenya Ilcheva

Borislav Bankov addressing the forum, Sofia, March 24, 2026 (BTA Photo/Nikola Uzunov)

Sofia,

24.03.2026 18:26

(BTA)

Sofia Tech Park, Bulgarian Defence Institute, Big Data for Smart Society Institute (GATE), Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, and Research and Development and Innovation Consortium signed an agreement on scientific and technological cooperation and innovation in the field of security and defence. The event that took place in Sofia Tech Park here on Tuesday was attended by caretaker Minister of Innovation and Growth Irena Mladenova, Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Borislav Bankov, and Deputy Minister of Defence Zlatin Krastev.

The initiative aims to consolidate the existing defence base, facilitate technology transfer, and provide opportunities for scientists, startups, innovators, and companies to take their projects to the next level and reach new markets, Mladenova said. She emphasized that the agreement will encourage the development of technologies in areas such as unmanned systems, drone technologies, artificial intelligence, data analysis, autonomous systems, and cybersecurity, with the goal of moving innovations from the lab to real-world solutions and strengthening the link between academia and business.

Bankov said that Sofia Tech Park’s initiative as an accelerator within the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic network will enable Bulgarian innovators to develop rapidly and gain access to international markets. He emphasized the importance of the ecosystem approach, which can provide entrepreneurs and innovators with expertise from various technological fields that include autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, micro- and nano-components, and others.

Krastev noted that the Ministry of Defence has undergone a significant transformation in recent years and that much of the existing technology is outdated and in need of modernization. He said that the current agreement provides an opportunity to develop future technological capabilities and innovative strengths in the military sector by encouraging the adoption of new technologies.

The project’s first small victory is the establishment of common formats and goals between the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Innovation and Growth, and the Ministry of Economy and Industry, said Martin Danovski, Executive Director of Sofia Tech Park. He noted that Sofia Tech Park as a platform provides opportunities for company incubation and acceleration, high-performance infrastructure, and a venue for meetings and knowledge exchange, while supporting the development of dual-use innovations, including in the fields of defence and unmanned aerial vehicles.

/MR/