The award of the InvestBulgaria Agency was presented by President Rumen Radev at a ceremony honouring the most significant investment projects in 2022.
The annual forum is held for the seventeenth time and aims to distinguish the most significant investment projects implemented in Bulgaria in the past year. The leading criteria by which the jury determines the winners are the volume of investment, the number of jobs created, the area in which new production is created or an existing enterprise is expanded. More than 50 companies from all sectors of the economy were nominated for this year's competition.
The award in the Awakener category went to Prof. Martin Vechev from the Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology (INSAIT). It was presented by Prof. Albena Chavdarova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Velislava Petrova presented the award in the National Cause category to Andrey Arnaudov, co-founder of career platform Bulgaria Wants You.
The award in the Successful Startup category went to Ampeco. It was conferred by Minister of e-Government Georgi Todorov.
Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov presented the award in the Municipality in Bulgaria with Most Investments for 2022 category to Burgas Municipality.
The Investment in Human Capital award was handed to Robert Bosch by Deputy Prime Minister for Social Policies Lazar Lazarov.
Three awards were conferred in the Sustainable Business category:
The first was presented by Stefan Savov, Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth, to Carlsberg Bulgaria.
Minister of Defence Dimitar Stoyanov presented the second award to Liebherr-Hausgerate Marica.
The third award was given to Teklas-Bulgaria by Minister of Health Assen Medjidiev.
In the Green Investment category, the award was presented by Bogdan Bogdanov, Executive Director of the InvestBulgaria Agency, to International Armored Group.
Minister of Innovation and Growth Alexander Pulev presented the award in the Investment in Innovative Business category to Intuitive Surgical Bulgaria.
Bogdan Bogdanov, Executive Director of the InvestBulgaria Agency (IBA) highlighted during the ceremony the contribution of the business sector to the Agency's work. “You help us to improve the investment climate in Bulgaria, to bring back to the country our compatriots who are abroad, Bogdanov said.
He pointed out that over the past nine months the IBA team has travelled the world together with representatives of government departments, business circles, local authorities, bilateral chambers of commerce, industrial zones and clusters to present Bulgaria's investment advantages.