leARn won 10,000 lv. for the development of its idea, provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB), a visit to the European institutions in Brussels, provided by the European Commission, as well as prizes provided by the Sofia Municipal Agency for Privatization and Investment (SOAPI). The Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” is a traditional academic partner of the initiative. This year the dean of the Faculty Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atanas Georgiev was chairman of the jury, which evaluated the performance of the teams.

In second place was the Vodoraslo team, composed of Denis Ivanov and Vanesa Stefanova, who had prepared a prototype of an algae bioreactor that purifies the air. They are students at the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy (UACEG). They won 10,000 lv. for the development of their idea, provided by the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB), a visit to the European institutions in Brussels, provided by the European Commission and prizes awarded by SOAPI.

The students Alexander Paliyski, Georgi Kolev and Martin Stilyanov from the Mathematical High School “Acad. Kiril Popov” in Plovdiv finished third. They presented their idea of ​​a virtual currency for the central bank. Their team won a visit to the European institutions in Brussels, provided by the European Commission, and prizes awarded by SOAPI.

Out of over 100 participants in the 2022 Academy of Innovation, which is being held for the ninth consecutive year, 20 teams were formed. Of these, 17 were admitted to the mentorship on Day 1 of the Academy, and 8 were admitted to the finals of Day 2 and presentation to the jury of the competition. The jury included leading representatives of academia, the public sector and business. The grand awards were presented by Hristo Stoyanov, representative of the European Investment Fund for Bulgaria, Hristo Temnev, Executive Director of the Capital Investment Fund of the Bulgarian Development Bank and Boyko Blagoev, Communications Director at the Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria.

The largest public-private innovation educational partnership in Bulgaria is organized in cooperation with 14 universities, the Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria, the European Investment Bank, the Bulgarian Development Bank, the Sofia Municipal Agency for Privatization and Investment, Coca-Cola Bulgaria, Nestle Bulgaria, Aurubis Bulgaria and Sofiyska Voda, part of Veolia.