site.btaPM Gurov: EUR 210 Mln to Back Bulgarian Companies in Strategic Sectors

Meeting with European Investment Bank Vice-President Marek Mora and European Investment Fund (EIF) Chief Executive Marjut Falkstedt on Tuesday, caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov said Bulgaria and the EIF are working in strong partnership, as reflected in the extension of the JEREMIE Initiative. A further EUR 210 million will support Bulgarian companies in strategic sectors, Gurov said, as quoted in a Facebook post by the government.

The Prime Minister said Bulgaria is the first country in Southeastern Europe to participate in these flagship initiatives. This is a deliberate choice, signalling the country's trust in the EIF and its alignment with broader European priorities.

Under JEREMIE, businesses receive support including equity financing, with funds from repayments recycled back into the programme for reinvestment, for example, into the country's existing research capacity to support its development and promotion not only regionally but also at European and global level.

It was noted during the meeting that Bulgaria has a strong early-stage entrepreneurial ecosystem, with nearly 500 funded start-ups and several internationally recognized success stories. At present, the main challenge for these companies is access to later-stage capital. Strong cooperation between Bulgaria and the EIF could help ensure the successful completion of projects, participants in the meeting indicated.

Earlier in the day, the JEREMIE Bulgaria: New Opportunities forum opened in Sofia. Gurov said at the opening that Bulgaria's top priority is to build a country where value is created, developed and harnessed to retain talent, and where innovation is translated into real opportunities.

At the end of 2025, the government and EIF agreed to extend the JEREMIE initiative until 2035. Under the deal, EUR 160 million will be reinvested and channelled into the Bulgarian economy from this year to support deep-tech projects, technology transfer and artificial intelligence.