The New Factories, Networks and Energy for the Future
Energy is the new oil — and the major surge is coming from data centers, more specifically from AI gigafactories. According to forecasts, their global energy consumption will increase by 50% by 2027 alone, and by up to 165% by the end of the decade. This places the sector before an unprecedented challenge and an urgent search for solutions to manage the exponential growth — because the numbers don’t lie.
Against this backdrop, nuclear energy is emerging as one of the most attractive options — a stable, clean, and reliable source that could open a new era for the energy industry. Ultimately, the future of artificial intelligence will belong to the countries that build strong electricity grids and know how to connect them to industrial growth.
The nations capable of rapidly deploying base-load capacity, modernizing their grids, and accelerating permitting procedures will capture a disproportionately large share of the AI-driven economy.
In the panel “Grids, Capacity, and the Energy of the Future,” the topic will be explored from multiple perspectives. MEP Tsvetelina Penkova will focus on strategic policies and the European vision for networks and sustainability. Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov will outline Bulgaria’s priorities in the context of new capacity and integration into the regional energy market. Angelin Tsachev, Executive Director of ESO, will present the readiness of Bulgaria’s grid to handle increased load and to adapt to both nuclear and renewable energy. Dobroslav Dimitrov, Chairman of BRAIT, will offer the viewpoint of the technology sector and data centers — the main drivers of this growth.
The discussion will thus present a comprehensive picture — showing how new grids, nuclear capacity, and data centers can interconnect into a sustainable model that gives Bulgaria and Europe a competitive edge.
Green Transformation and CBAM: Opportunities for Industry
The green transformation is no longer a choice — it is a necessity, and the pace is now set by the rules of global trade. The EU’s new mechanisms, including CBAM (the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism), are designed to create a level playing field between European and external producers, but they also pose significant challenges for industries. For companies in energy-intensive sectors, this is a moment of reckoning: whether to invest in decarbonization and preserve their competitiveness, or risk losing their market positions.
This is especially evident in Bulgaria, where key sectors such as chemical production, fertilizer manufacturing, and the cement industry are already feeling the direct impact of CBAM. The new framework of global trade doesn’t simply change the calculations — it demands a vision for sustainable production and readiness for accelerated adaptation.
In the panel “Policies for Green Transformation, CBAM, and the New Rules of Global Trade,” the topic will be explored from several perspectives. MEP Tsvetelina Penkova will outline the EU’s strategic policies and their impact on industry. Jan Dusík from the European Commission’s DG CLIMA will provide essential context and present the European framework first-hand.
The discussion will also include the voices of business — representatives from the fertilizer plants and other enterprises directly affected by CBAM, as well as companies from the cement industry. Their experience will place the policies in a real-world context and demonstrate how quickly the new rules are becoming part of everyday business reality.
Thus, the conversation will build a comprehensive perspective on how Bulgaria and Europe can combine industrial competitiveness with the green transition — and position themselves successfully within the new global trade architecture.
Industry and Raw Materials: Less Regulation, More Sustainable Business
Europe’s economic transformation is entering a new phase — industry is now called upon not only to be the engine of growth but also the guarantor of sustainability and competitive advantage. In an era defined by the Green Deal, digitalization, and global market turbulence, the question is no longer whether businesses must adapt, but how they will do it — and how fast.
Against this backdrop, industrial policy takes on crucial importance — as a tool for balancing environmental requirements, social stability, and economic viability. The countries that succeed in supporting enterprise modernization, encouraging investment, and building a predictable business environment will be among the winners in the new global architecture.
The panel will feature voices from European institutions, business, and real industry. Assoc. Prof. Milena Angelova, member of the European Economic and Social Committee and Secretary General of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA), will focus on the EU’s strategic policies and the role of employers’ organizations in achieving a balanced green and industrial transformation. MEP Radan Kanev will examine the topic from the perspective of European regulations and their impact on the Bulgarian economy.
Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry Doncho Barbalov will outline the state’s priorities for supporting industrial sectors amid accelerated transformation.
The discussion will thus build a comprehensive view of how Bulgaria can combine its industrial potential with the EU’s strategic policies — and turn the challenges of the transition into a competitive advantage.
Competitive Industry with European Support
The competitiveness of European industry no longer relies solely on market forces — it depends on active institutional support and the ability of businesses to make use of new mechanisms. In the context of the green and digital transition, the European Union is focusing on strategic funds designed to help companies modernize, invest in innovation, and withstand global competition.
The future will belong to those countries and enterprises that manage to combine their own resources with European support, turning regulations and financial instruments into tangible competitive advantages. In a time of high uncertainty and dynamic geopolitical change, this capacity for mobilization will determine which industries survive — and which expand.
In the panel “Competition with European Support,” the topic will be examined from multiple perspectives. Assoc. Prof. Milena Angelova, member of the European Economic and Social Committee and Secretary General of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA), will outline the EU’s strategic directions and their impact on Bulgarian business. From the European Commission, Tatiana López Garrido, Acting Deputy Head of Unit, DG GROW, will take part in the discussion about EU Competitiveness Fund — an instrument aimed at ensuring a level playing field for European companies in relation to global competitors — will take part in the discussion.
Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Martin Danovski will present how Bulgaria plans to take advantage of these opportunities, while business representatives will provide insights from the real industrial sector, which directly feels the need for support in modernization and sustainable development.
The discussion will offer a comprehensive view of how, through European mechanisms and national efforts, Bulgarian industry can strengthen its position and become a winning player in the new competitive environment.
Leaders’ Talk
What do one of the pioneers of Bulgaria’s IT sector, Ognian Trajanov, and the creator of autonomous robots for small and medium-sized businesses, Georgi Georgiev, have in common?
Everything.
Both are transforming industries.
Both believe that innovation begins with education.
Both prove that “Made in Bulgaria” can mean world-class.
On the stage of iN Sofia 2025, two leaders will stand together — not just following change, but creating it.
Ognian Trajanov, CEO of TechnoLogica – the man who saw the future when computers were only just appearing in Bulgaria. Founder of one of the country’s first private IT companies, he didn’t just build a business – he built an ecosystem.
From TechnoLogica to TechnoMagicLand, from educational initiatives to support for young talent.
Dr. Georgi Georgiev, CEO of Simobotics – a product of the very era that Trajanov helped make possible. With a PhD in robotics, five successful exits, and a mission to make advanced automation accessible to every business, he is the face of the new technological generation.
Two generations. One vision.
A conversation about the transformation we’ve lived through – and the one still to come.
A Visionary Conversation
Bulgaria has long proven that it can reach for the stars. Shipka and Interkosmos placed our name where, half a century ago, only superpowers had set foot. Then came the silence – decades of missed opportunities, when the dream remained locked beneath the dust of memory.
Today, however, that dream is returning. More modern. Bolder. And more realistic than ever.
On the stage of iN Sofia 2025, two visionaries will meet to talk about what lies ahead:
Raycho Raychev – the man who turned his childhood passion for the stars into a global company. Through EnduroSat, he gave Bulgaria a new orbital address and proved that great dreams know no borders – neither geographic nor intellectual.
Tomislav Donchev – the politician who believes that innovation is not a wish, but a matter of state policy with a long-term horizon; a leader who holds the tools capable of turning strategic sectors into national destiny – not into missed opportunity.
Their conversation at iN Sofia 2025 will not be a nostalgic glance at the past, but a statement of intent for the future.
Because the real question today is not “Will we have a place in space?” but rather “How quickly will we take the position we can – and must – hold?”
