Innovations and human capital - the key to the competitiveness of the Bulgarian industry

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev emphasized that the qualification of the workforce and the quality of human capital are key factors for the competitiveness of the Bulgarian industry in the coming years. He believes that this is the chance to create innovations in the country. In this regard, education is a key topic that he has placed at the forefront.

Donchev pointed out that young people do not show interest in engineering specialties, and this is a serious problem. According to him, the reason is that neither they nor their parents know what opportunities this field offers them. He explained that this is due to the "systemic course of economic nihilism" over the past 20 years, in which Bulgarians do not know their industry. Donchev emphasized that the claim that "nothing is produced in Bulgaria" is drastically untrue, as the country produces complex machines and equipment, as well as high-value-added services.

The Deputy Prime Minister stated that this part of the Bulgarian reality must become public in order to awaken young minds. "We need to make the conversation about the economy possible. To awaken the interest. Young people need to understand that if they study to be engineers, they have a great chance not only for good incomes, but will also work on interesting, creative work," he was adamant.

Donchev pointed out that in public attitudes, the production capacities and factories in Bulgaria are still perceived as something from the end of the 19th century, but this does not correspond to reality. Therefore, according to him, economic development, industry, and high-value-added services should be at the center of public attention in order to provoke public pride.

Later, the INNOVISION AWARDS 2025, organized by Schwarz IT Bulgaria, were presented. They are dedicated to innovations, sustainable business practices, and visionary ideas that transform the future of industries. Projects in the categories "Technologies", "Cybersecurity", "Sustainability" and "Talent Development" were awarded. Among them were initiatives for robotization in industry, a virtual platform for interior design, projects for sustainable agriculture, cybersecurity for SMEs, ecosystem protection, construction of eco-schools, and promotion of innovations through hydrogen car competitions.

The competition was held under the patronage of the Minister of Innovation and Growth and aims to become a tradition for recognizing innovations with real impact on society and business.