Innovation and digital transformation minister Ivan Vasilev said nearly €83m has been set aside for micro, small and medium-sized firms that want to adopt green technology. He spoke in Sliven at the Sliven Future Forum 2026. See our original report: Sliven forum seeks 10 steps to develop the region by 2030.
Firms can use the money to buy machinery, facilities, equipment, software and intellectual property rights. The purchases must be for green technology and for circular models of production and consumption.
In Sliven region alone, 133 projects have received grants of more than €9.8m, data from the Agency for European Funds for Competitiveness show. Work is finished on 45 of them, and €4.6m has been paid out. The other 88 are still under way.
The minister also spoke about the Brain++ supercomputer, which is to be built at Sofia Tech Park. The investment is more than €90m, and the machine will have 700 graphics cards. Brain++ is part of the European EuroHPC network. Half of its computing power will go to Bulgarian companies, and the other half will be shared by companies across the EU.
Vasilev said the aim is for access to the supercomputer to follow clear rules, so that entrepreneurs and researchers from across Bulgaria can use it.
He also spoke about how Bulgarian companies can use artificial intelligence. The minister called on businesses in Sliven region to look for ways to use it, so they can work more productively and create new companies. Vasilev advised local firms to use the available funding.