Veolia, global leader in the utility services, is joining efforts with Endeavor, international organization for support of innovative companies. The divisions of Veolia and Endeavor in Bulgaria start an initiative to identify and support innovative projects, which will support the three business lines of Veolia – energy, water and waste. The initiative was also endorsed by the Municipality of Sofia with the expectation for the realized projects to contribute many improvements to the urban environment.
During the first half of the year (until the end of July 2025), the startups can submit their ideas for innovation. The program gathers startups and scaleups from Bulgaria, Greece, Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia.
The proposed innovations will be reviewed and validated by experts of Veolia Bulgaria and the Municipality of Sofia and, if necessary, they will be developed together with them in real business environment. The purpose is to adapt the innovative solutions to Veolia’s specific needs in its three business spheres – energy generation, water supply and treatment, waste management, as well as to the needs of the Municipality of Sofia in the following spheres – air quality, energy efficiency and environmental protection.
The final stage of the program is in the autumn. Then, a jury of representatives from Veolia Bulgaria and the Municipality of Sofia will select the best innovative proposals. One or more of the selected companies will be given the opportunity to continue to work together with Veolia and its divisions outside Bulgaria, as well as with the Municipality of Sofia.
The partnership of Veolia Bulgaria and Endeavor Bulgaria aims, on the one hand, to enhance expertise in the sphere of utility management, and on the other hand – to boost the development of the startup ecosystem at national and regional levels. In this context, the Municipality of Sofia provides its support within its innovative initiatives and looks forward to working with innovative companies. https://www.veolia.bg/bg

Veolia Bulgaria is part of the global network of Veolia, which operates in 57 countries on 5 continents. Nearly 215,000 people are working in them. 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. https://bulgaria.endeavor.org