site.btaGATE Institute Demonstrates Crisis Management Innovations as NATO Test Centre

The Big Data for Smart Society Institute (GATE) with Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski presented Wednesday innovations for crisis management as a NATO test centre. The event took place in Sofia in the context of one of the largest and most complex emergency management exercises in Bulgaria and NATO – “Bulgaria 2025.”

GATE is part of the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) and is an official test centre for the Alliance.

When a storm cuts off power, flooding threatens a city or misinformation spreads during an emergency, people expect clear information and swift action, said GATE Director Prof. Sylvia Ilieva. “Our goal at GATE is to provide a safe and well-equipped environment where testing, evaluation, verification, and validation can take place. We simulate various infrastructure projects before they are built,” she said.

Ilieva noted that for citizens, the innovations being tested could mean fewer power outages thanks to microgrids, clearer warnings during floods, faster medical assistance in remote areas through drones and telemedicine, and artificial intelligence that flags fake news before it goes viral.

She added that the future of security and sustainability will be shaped by non-traditional actors such as startups, researchers, and civic technologies.

DIANA General Counsel Tom McSorley noted that over the past two years, the programme has received over 6,600 proposals from every NATO country - from the western United States to the border of Turkiye. He noted that during the Cold War, governments invested in research and development, but today, great innovations often happen organically in the market through venture-backed startups, university labs, and the civilian world. McSorley emphasized that cooperations between organizations such as GATE and DIANA aim to expand the role of private institutions and attract new participants, ensuring that resources are used in a way that not only increases collective defence but also impacts society in truly positive ways.

Projects being developed in the context of DIANA were presented to those attending the event, with a focus on GATE's experience and the successes of Bulgarian companies and state institutions. Topics included network management, team coordination, weather forecasting and healthcare, as well as automated damage assessment systems – all with the potential to revolutionize the security and innovation sectors.

The event was held under the auspices of the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) and the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior. Experts from 29 allied and 19 partner countries, representatives of the European Union, regional and international organizations took part.