From 12 January to 24 April 2026, young people from across the country aged between 18 and 29 (including university students as well as 11th and 12th grade pupils) with innovative business ideas can apply to take part in the fifth edition of the national competition “Best Youth Startup in Bulgaria”. The competition is the largest initiative supporting youth entrepreneurship in Bulgaria and is organised by the Fund of Funds and Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” (Faculty of Economics and Business Administration) under the patronage of the Minister of Innovation and Growth.

More than 60 partner organisations are involved in a free three-month training and mentoring programme, featuring numerous advanced webinars, workshops, gaming and networking events, as well as interim competitions. Within the programme, participants further develop their ideas and gain access to tools and contacts to help them build a successful business. Partners include financing institutions, investment funds, sectoral associations, accelerators, academic and research institutions, media outlets and others. This year, new partners have also joined, including the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Human Resources Development Centre, the Institute of Public Administration, UACEG, UniBIT, ManEco, Bayena, Sofia Talks, YES, Net Info, among others.

Projects from all sectors and at different stages of development are eligible – from idea stage and prototype to operating or growing businesses. Applications may be submitted by individuals or teams led by a young person within the eligible age range, by choosing one of the three competition categories:

• Future Unicorns – for startups with innovative technological ideas and high growth potential, targeting international markets (fintech, biotech, greentech, foodtech, healthtech, cybersecurity, space, semiconductors, IoT, etc.).
• Business Stars – for young entrepreneurs with an idea or an already operating small or medium-sized business (shops, family businesses, fitness centres, agencies, etc.), focused on long-term growth in their region or in Bulgaria.
• SDG Dragons – projects with a sustainable positive impact on society, cities and nature (climate, clean energy, circular economy, sustainable cities, responsible consumption, etc.), oriented towards global solutions.

The “Best Youth Startup in Bulgaria 2026” competition comes with a larger scale and several new features compared to previous editions. This year, investment opportunities will also be sought and assessed within the framework of the competition itself. The new edition also launches a new website: https://bestyouthstartup.bg/. Participants will have access not only to the programme details, key dates, speakers and webinar recordings, but also to additional useful resources in the fields of entrepreneurship, innovation and the journey from idea to successful business. Another novelty is the participation of international guest speakers with global experience. This year, the Fund of Funds will also intensify the promotion of the initiative through visits to universities in major cities across Bulgaria.

The competitive phase will be led by Founder Institute Central & Eastern Europe and will take place in five stages during April and May. The competition will conclude with an official award ceremony in early June. As in previous years, the prize pool will include internships, access to institutions, events and professional networks, additional mentoring, in-kind prizes and many other opportunities.

“Best Youth Startup in Bulgaria” was launched in 2022. To date, more than 750 participants with over 500 ideas have taken part, and nine of them have already received growth investment. The competition serves as a springboard for young people in Bulgaria to successfully start their own businesses and aims to enhance entrepreneurial and financial literacy, including idea generation and development, business planning, marketing, innovation and pitching to investors. A particularly valuable opportunity for participants is building business connections with investors, entrepreneurs and academic circles, as well as attracting like-minded partners to help bring their ideas to life.

All young people interested in starting their own business can apply through the application form available on the website https://bestyouthstartup.bg/.