On September 27, 2024, Burgas Digital 2024 gathered leading experts , representatives of business, academia and local government to discuss the future of digitalisation. The event, organized by Burgas Municipality, DIGIHUB and Sofia Tech Park, attracted the attention of nearly 200 participants and was held in Central Park, Burgas.
The opening was marked by the presence of Dimitar Nikolov, Mayor of Burgas, Zornitsa Rusinova, chairman of the Economic and Social Council, and Todor Mladenov, executive director of Sofia Tech Park, who emphasized the importance of cooperation between local government, business and academia in the digital transformation of the region. After them, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of DIGIHUB, Petko Georgiev, pointed out the key moments of the development of the digital ecosystem in the region in recent years and the ambitions for the future.
The conference included a number of panel discussions and workshops. The main lecture, entitled “Homo/Deus Ex Machina”, was presented by Dobroslav Dimitrov (BRAIT) and examine the profound impact of artificial intelligence on various industries.
Panel 1: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Digital Transformation was moderated by Georgi Nenov and included Ivaylo Slavov, Ilia Krastev , Elena Marinova and Kristian Mikhailov. They shared their views on the implementation of AI in business and society, as well as the challenges associated with it.
Panel 2: Green Innovation through AI, moderated by Kristiyan Mihailov (PARA). The participants, including Kalin Dimchev (Microsoft), Todor Mladenov (Sofia Tech Park), Hristo Kovachev (ORBIS Digital Services) and Ina Agafonova (DIGIHUB Board member), discussed how AI can support the sustainable development of industries. Ina Agafonova, with her expert opinion, made a valuable contribution to the panel.
Panel 3: The role of AI in the public sector included presentations of the project AI4Public and META CITIES presented by Boyan Popunkiov and prof. Sotir Sotirov. The moderator of this panel, Cvetan Smerdanski, led the discussion on how AI can be integrated into the public sector and what funding opportunities are available.
Panel 4: Innovative training programs and the digital future
The final panel focused on the role of innovative training programs in the digital future. Moderator Mikhail Nenov led a discussion with prof. Stanislav Simeonov, prof. Milen Baltov, Alexander Kitov and Stanislava Gorostanova. They discussed how academic institutions and technology companies can prepare staff with the necessary digital skills for future challenges.
The event also included two workshops organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Innovation and Growth (MIR), which proved to be extremely useful for representatives of clusters and hubs. The first workshop focused on cluster funding opportunities and the upcoming programs that will be launched in October 2024. It was specifically mentioned, that by the end of the year a cluster funding procedure will be opened that will allow clusters to apply for support. The second workshop related to the national network of 12 digital innovation hubs also provided valuable guidance for the future development and cooperation between the hubs.
The closing session led by Georgi Nenov summarized the main conclusions of the conference , with special attention paid to the possibilities for future development of the digital ecosystem.
The conference ended with a festive event on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of ICT Cluster Burgas. The celebration included congratulatory addresses from AIBEST, BRAIT and ICT Cluster Varna, and the guests enjoyed a festive cake, music and dancing.
Burgas Digital 2024 has consolidated its position as a leading platform for the exchange of knowledge and ideas in the field of digitization, and we look forward to continuing this journey and next year.
“We are lucky to have so many members and partners with whom we share 8 years of success, common values and memories to celebrate. This is already a tradition that connects us forever”, said Petko Georgiev, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DIGIHUB and ICT Cluster Burgas, welcoming our guests and members on the beautiful terrace of Central Park at sunset in Burgas.
