DIGIHUB is a European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) based in Burgas. Our mission is to support small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups and public sector organisations in South-East Bulgaria in their digital transformation.

We provide services such as digital maturity assessment, training, consulting, implementation of digital solutions, testing of technologies before investment (Test Before Invest), as well as support in accessing finance and partnerships.

Any organisation registered in Bulgaria (with a UIC/BULSTAT number) that wants to develop its digital capabilities can become a DIGIHUB client. Our services are aimed at:

• micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including start-ups;
• small mid-cap companies;
• public sector organisations – municipalities, schools, hospitals and others.

Depending on the type of organisation, a different State aid regime applies – see the questions in the “Funding and State aid” section below.

As a DIGIHUB client you receive:

• a clear picture of your current level of digital maturity;
• specific recommendations for next steps;
• access to experts, laboratories, technologies and training;
• the opportunity to test solutions before investing in them;
• help in finding funding and partners;
• all of this free of charge – with European and national support.

The process is simple and has 5 steps:

1. Application form – you fill in the short form (about 5 minutes).
2. Consultation and choice of services – one of our experts contacts you, we complete the digital maturity assessment together and identify the most suitable services.
3. Preparing the documents – if you are eligible, you receive an exact list of the documents needed for registration.
4. Signing the application – you sign an application for the selected services and the required declarations.
5. We start working – you get access to the laboratories, consultations, training and other services.

Yes – for individual services, consultations and State-supported service packages the digital maturity assessment is mandatory. It is a requirement of the EU Digital Europe Programme and ensures that support is targeted correctly.

The assessment is completed together with a DIGIHUB expert and takes about 10 minutes. After the services are completed, we repeat it to measure the progress achieved.

Our events, info days and some of our training sessions are open to everyone and do not require a prior assessment.

The services are funded with public money from the European Union and the State budget and constitute State aid. We are therefore obliged to check the eligibility of every organisation and to document the support provided. The documents confirm, for example:

• the status of the organisation (e.g. SME declaration);
• that the enterprise is not an “undertaking in difficulty” within the meaning of EU rules (annual financial statements, balance sheet, income statement, employment report);
• the absence of public debts (certificates from the National Revenue Agency and the municipality of registration);
• administrative compliance (criminal record certificate, document from the General Labour Inspectorate).

You do not need to prepare anything in advance. The exact list is determined after you fill in the form, and our team will assist you throughout the process.

Usually not. Additional documents may only be needed if there are changes in your organisation (e.g. in ownership, size or financial situation) or if a specific service requires additional information.

Applying is quick: the form takes about 5 minutes, the review of documents up to 5 working days and the signing 1 day, after which the services start immediately.

The duration of the actual work depends on the type of services. Training and consultations are delivered within days or weeks, while more complex services involving laboratory equipment (e.g. implementing digital solutions or test environments) require longer-term work.

For eligible organisations the services are free of charge – you pay nothing. They are fully funded by the EU Digital Europe Programme and national co-financing under the Programme “Research, Innovation and Digitalisation for Smart Transformation” (PRIDST) 2021–2027.

Each service has a defined market value. You do not pay this value, but it is recorded as State aid received by your organisation. Information on the specific services and their value will be provided after the digital maturity assessment or by contacting our team.

DIGIHUB does not keep the aid for itself – the hub acts as a “channel” and passes on the full value of the funding to its clients in the form of free specialised services. You do not receive money, but services (in-kind aid).

For small and medium-sized enterprises this support is granted as innovation aid for SMEs under Article 28 of Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 (General Block Exemption Regulation – GBER). It covers innovation advisory services and innovation support services – exactly the kind of services the hub provides: consultations, assessments, training, access to laboratories, technology testing and more.

Key features:

• aid intensity of up to 100% of the cost of the services – which is why they are free for you;
• a ceiling of EUR 220,000 per undertaking within any three-year period – for this type of innovation services only;
• the aid is intended exclusively for innovation and digitalisation, not for general operating costs.

The regime is set by the Bulgarian Ministry of Innovation and Growth in procedure BG16RFPR002-1.002 for funding European Digital Innovation Hubs. The text of the regulation is available on EUR-Lex.

These are two separate regimes with different rules and separate limits:

• De minimis aid – under Regulation (EU) 2023/2831. It can be used for almost any purpose, but has a common ceiling of EUR 300,000 over 3 years, which adds up all de minimis aid received by the undertaking from all programmes and institutions.
• Innovation aid for SMEs – under Article 28 GBER. It is intended only for innovation advisory and support services and has its own, separate ceiling of EUR 220,000 over 3 years.

What this means for you: if you are an SME, DIGIHUB services do not reduce your de minimis limit. You can still apply to other programmes and calls that grant de minimis aid. The two regimes can be combined as long as the same service is not funded twice – we check this together during registration.

Innovation aid under Article 28 GBER can only be granted to SMEs. Therefore, for small mid-cap companies and public undertakings, DIGIHUB services are provided as de minimis aid under Regulation (EU) 2023/2831. In this case the value of the services counts towards the common ceiling of EUR 300,000 over 3 years.

The short eligibility questionnaires we send (including when registering for some events) help us determine which regime applies to your organisation.

You pay nothing – the value of the services received is only recorded and registered in accordance with State aid requirements. Your obligation is to provide accurate and complete information in the declarations and to inform us of any changes (e.g. in the status of the enterprise or in other aid received).

If the declared information turns out to be incorrect and the organisation was not eligible, the aid may be subject to recovery. That is why we check eligibility carefully from the very beginning.

Yes. Using DIGIHUB services does not prevent you from taking part in other programmes – in fact, we can help you find suitable funding opportunities. The only condition is to inform us of any other aid received for the same activities, so that we comply with the rules on cumulation of aid.

DIGIHUB works with a network of partners – universities, research organisations, technology companies and experts with diverse expertise. Once we understand what support you need, we connect you with the most suitable partners for the successful delivery of the services.

We can also connect you with other hubs from the national or European network.