The Fund of Funds and Sofia University, with the help of the Bulgarian Equity and Venture Investment Association (BVCA) and other partners, will introduce young entrepreneurs to the world of financial instruments with funds from the European Union. This will be possible through the new course “European Funds and Financial Instruments”, included in the program for the third year, first semester of the academic year 2022/2023.

The study discipline is optional and can be taken by the students of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration in bachelor programs: “Economics and Finance” (English and French program), “Business Management” (English, German and French program) and “Business Administration” (English, German and French program).

The lectures will be led by professionals from the private and public sectors who are currently managing equity and debt investments in enterprises in our region. Managers from the Fund of Funds and partners from venture capital funds, BVCA, banks, ministries and the InvestEU Investment Committee of the European Commission will share their experience and the opportunities provided by this billion-dollar sector of the financial industry. The discipline will be comprehensible, interactive, based on game models, case studies and above all on discussions.

The subject covers the following larger topics: European funds and programmes; Legal and institutional framework of European funding; Financial instruments co-financed by the EU; Financial intermediaries; Equity investments; Creation and financing of startups; Applied market mechanisms in development financing and their control; Financial instruments at EU level; Sustainable financing, etc.

The discipline is a continuation of the partnership between the Fund of Funds and Sofia University, which began with the Memorandum of Cooperation signed in April. The efforts of the two institutions to help everyone who wants to change the environment around them through entrepreneurship and investment began with the “National Competition for the Best Youth Startup of 2022” in spring. Everyone who joined the initiative learned more about how to finance a start-up, how to prepare for attracting investors and pitched their ideas to venture capitalists. Students from the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration who have registered for studies in the new elective discipline will also have the opportunity to prepare for participation in the second edition of the competition in 2023.

The head of the discipline “European funds and financial instruments” will be Dr. Dochka Vasileva, Director of Project Information and Funding at the Fund of Funds. Students from the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, who are interested, can request more information by calling 0877834646, as well as by email: d.vassileva@fmfib.bg