Over 110 companies from 5 countries participated in the joint initiative of Veolia, Endeavor and the Municipality of Sofia in support of the startup ecosystem in the region. Discussions were held with 30 of them. 5 reached the final stage. The companies proposed various high-tech solutions related to data processing and the creation of customer platforms, proactive survey of the WSS infrastructure intended to eliminate future problems, counter-drone protection of strategic sites.  

“Veolia operates in over 50 countries worldwide. And when we find a useful and innovative solution somewhere, which fits our needs, we are more than happy to also share it with our colleagues in other countries. That makes us a valuable partner of innovative companies like yours,” commented Francois Debergh, Country Director of Veolia for Bulgaria, Greece and Albania, at his meeting with representatives of the five finalist companies in the conclusive event of the initiative. It was also attended by Lyubomir Filipov, Strategic Partnerships and Projects Director at Sofiyska Voda AD, part of Veolia, Ivan Goychev, Deputy Mayor for Digitalization at the Municipality of Sofia, and Momchil Vasilev, Executive Director of Endeavor Bulgaria. 

“The Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for 2025 is for scientific work proving that sustainable economic growth comes from innovations. And for initiatives to be developed, knowledge, competence and an environment supporting their development and quick deployment are required. And we at Veolia do exactly that – we help in the creation of such environment,” said Lyubomir Filipov.

Key for the long-term effect of the initiative is also the role of the Municipality of Sofia being the largest municipality in the country: “The largest number of innovative companies are concentrated in the capital and, that is why, naturally the first tests start here. Everything that we are developing is based on open data and open code, and thus we create working solutions that can be applied in other cities, as well,” clarified Ivan Goychev, Deputy Mayor for Digitalization at the Municipality of Sofia.

“In the last 10 years, our ecosystem has been developing dynamically and our entrepreneur environment is quite complete,” added Momchil Vasilev, Executive Director of Endeavor Bulgaria.

The cooperation of the partners under the initiative - Veolia Bulgaria and the Municipality of Sofia with the 5 finalist companies  will continue in 2026, as well. Specific pilot projects are expected to be implemented, as well.

About the Initiators

Veolia Bulgaria is part of the global network of Veolia, which operates in 57 countries on 5 continents, employing nearly 215,000 people. In Bulgaria, the company manages Sofiyska Voda, the WSS operator in Sofia, as well as the district heating company Veolia Energy Varna. Through the company Veolia Solutions Bulgaria, Veolia Bulgaria maintains dozens of public buildings in the country, including the airports in Sofia, Varna and Burgas. 

Endeavor Bulgaria is part of the international network of Endeavor – an organization established in 1997, operating in 45 countries on 6 continents and connecting entrepreneurs with great potential with more than 4,000 mentors and investors. Since 2015, Endeavor Bulgaria has supported 140+ entrepreneurs from 90+ companies through its main programs Endeavor Global Program, Regional ScaleUp and Dare2Scale, playing a key role in the development of the entrepreneur ecosystem in Bulgaria and the region. 

The Municipality of Sofia manages key spheres such as economy, infrastructure, ecology, healthcare, education and culture. It is responsible for the development of urban environment, public services, public utilities and the protection of public order. The municipality encourages innovations, sustainable development and modernization of the city through various initiatives and programs.