‘Bourgas couldn’t be a better platform to launch from – it has a well-functioning Business incubator, a vibrant, ever-evolving entrepreneurial environment and a motivated, professional local authority team. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the city and the greater region will benefit from expert up-to-date information on financing and national and global partnership opportunities, to help their ideas become a reality’
This was just one of the positive outcomes announced by Eva Paunova MEP during the recent ‘Possibilities for SME Growth and Development in Bourgas’ conference. Attended by the Mayor of Bourgas Dimitar Nikolov, MEP and chair of the Bulgarian delegation to the European Parliament’s EPP group Maria Gabriel, and the chief executive of the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) Marieta Zaharieva, alongside business representatives from around the region, the meeting took place on Thursday, 27th of August in the Business Incubator building, Bourgas
Mayor Nikolov promised that the incubator’s regional office will service over 16000 SMEs in Bourgas, providing them with a better overview of opportunities for funding via the Union’s operational programmes. Ms Zaharieva explained how Bulgaria’s trade representatives abroad will also supply EASME with information about foreign companies and investors looking for partners, contractors or goods, which would in turn be immediately disseminated to regional hubs such as the Incubator and, thereby, directly to companies.
The conference also served as an introduction of the new regional head of EASME Todor Iliev, who is also due to attend a similar event in Varna on Friday, 28th of August, together with Ms Paunova and the city’s Mayor Ivan Portnih.