Ms. Zornitsa Tomova recently started own business, the company 42 Ideas (www.42-ideas.com), focused on consultancy services and systematic Innovations.

Mr. Yordan Pashov is the first Bulgarian mentor, participated in Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs. Mr Pashov is manager of travel agency Vistalis (www.vistalis.bg).

The President of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr. Rosen Plevneliev continues the tradition, founded in 2003 with the "John Atanasov" award based on the name of the creator of the first electronic computer - the famous scientist of Bulgarian origin, John Atanasov. It aims to promote the personal achievements of the young Bulgarian scientists working in the fields of informatics and communication technologies, and to create a prosperous and supportive environment for young talents in these areas, as well as supporting the development of information and communication technologies in Bulgaria in 2012.

More information about award, the rules of Selection commission and the general requirements for applicants for the awards could be found here: http://www.president.bg/ja_nominacii_2012.php .

You can ask your questions devoted to the award on: nagradajohnatanasoff@president.bg .

The competition for young researchers „Young & Energetic Scientists” (YES) will take place for the third year in the framework of the European Researchers Night 2012
The competition „Young & Energetic Scientists” (YES) aims to find, motivate and promote the ideas of young and ambitious people with research interests, who will build the link between science, education and business, and ambition to succeed.

You may participate if you are:

Young – between 18 -35 years old

Energetic - young, innovative and ambitious people, who want to learn how to present their ideas and/or science to their application in industry and/or social sector.

Scientist - Young researchers with bachelor, master or PhD degrees,  who want their ideas to be supported in favor of economy and society.

What is sought:

You can send your ambitious technological solutions, ideas that are already developed in the form of your thesis, research work or participation in national or international research project.

Your proposal may be in one or more research areas: automation, electronics and electrical engineering, computer systems and networks, telecommunications technology, programming and software, mechanics and machine technology, robotics, biotechnology and medical research, agricultural technology, applied physics, electron management, construction and architecture, food industry, quality control, ecology and energy.

Awards:

Authors of the ten best proposals will receive certificates of participation and will be included in training to prepare application documents in the "Science - Business" of Ministry of Education, Young and Science and "Erasmus for young entrepreneurs’ of ICT Cluster.

The first five places will be presented to the jury and the wide public within the European Researchers' Night, which will take place on 09.28.2012 at VIVACOM Art Hall (Telephone Palace) in Sofia.

The three most competitive ideas will receive cash prizes by representatives of high- tech companies, and the winner will receive a special prize and will be able to participate in initiatives of the company INTEL (events, conferences).

To participate, please visit www.cys.bg/yes2012 , download, complete and return the application form to yes@cys.bg

Deadline: 10/09/2012

The winners in the different categories of the professional competition for web in Bulgaria were announced on official award –giving ceremony in hotel Arena di Serdica in Jun 28 2012 in Sofia. ICT Cluster was partner of the event.  

Anna Naydenova – Project Manager in Foundation “ICT Cluster” warded Records Management and Alle.bg – make yourself website in the category “Services and Consultation”.

Awards in the different categories were given for:

• Award „Web Agency of the Year“ – Digital Agency eDesign
• Award „Internet Marketing Agency of the Year” - Knoway
• Award „Internet Media of the Year“ – Iconomedia
• Award „The Best Site of the Professional Jury“ – Grabo.bg
• Award „The Best Site of the Branch Jury” – KIA Motors Bulgaria

Total number of the warded companies is 50. There were nominated 2 winners in six categories for one award because of the equal number of points.

The list of the winners is available here: http://webawards.bg/bg/winners. 

The Final Conference of the I-SEEMob (Inter-sectoral mobility of researchers in South-Eastern Europe) Project has been held on 27-28 June 2012 in Ankara, Turkey at the premises of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey.

Thе event brought together the partner countries as well as researchers, industry representatives and policy experts to discuss the results of the project and share recommendations to enhance industry-academia collaboration and promoting inter-sectoral mobility of researchers at the South Eastern Europe Countries. Mr. Petar Statev took part in the conference.

First day of the conference was divided in three sections - political, research and industrial dimensions. On the second day, there was organized a round table session where participating countries as well as researchers, industry representatives and policy experts had the opportunity to discuss the main results of the project more widely and put their opinions forward on how to better exploit these results.

On the link below you can find more information about the conference:
http://www.iseemob.eu/sitegenius/topic.php?lang=EN&id=367

Националният конкурс “Млади таланти” се провежда от 1999 г. и представлява възможност за насърчаване на младите хора – ученици и студенти, притежаващи потенциал и проявяващи интерес към наука и към провеждането на научни изследвания и иновации. Конкурсът е част от инициативите на Министерството на образованието, младежта и науката за подпомагане развитието на младите научни таланти в страната. Национален координатор за провеждане на конкурса в Република България е дирекция "Наука" на Министерството на образованието, младежта и науката.

Като партньорска организация на конкурса ИКТ Клъстер учреди и връчи парична награда и грамота на класирания на първо място проект: „Модерният иконом”  на колектив: Любомир Янчев и Христо Стоянов от Частна немска гимназия „Ерих Кестнер” - София.

Участниците, класирани на първите три места, ще представят България на Европейското състезание за млади учени в гр. Братислава, Словакия, през месец септември т.г.:

• Първо място и парична награда от 1000 лв., осигурена от МОМН , получи проектът „Модерният иконом”  на колектив: Любомир Янчев и Христо Стоянов от Частна немска гимназия „Ерих Кестнер” - София.
• Второ място и парична награда от 900 лв., осигурена от МОМН, получи проектът „Relate2Spot” с автори Димитър Вулджев от НПМГ „Акад. Л. Чакалов” - София и Иван Стефанов от ПМГ „Никола Обрешков” - Казанлък.
• Трето място и парична награда от 800 лв., осигурена от МОМН, получи Пролет Лазарова, ученичка от Втора английска езикова гимназия „Томас Джеферсън” -  София, с проект „Върху една нова геометрична фигура”.

Колективите, заели четвърто и пето място, ще представят своите разработки на Европейското младежко научно изложение  „EXPO SCIENCE EUROPE” 2012  в гр. Тула, Руска федерация през месец юли т.г.

Останалите партньорски организации на конкурса, сред които Британския съвет България, Българо-американската комисия за образователен обмен „Фулбрайт”, Химико-технологичния и металургичен университет - София, Техническия университет - София, Българската асоциация на софтуерните компании (БАСКОМ), фирмите ТЕЛЕРИК АД и SAP LABS България,  също връчиха награди на автори на проекти, участвали в конкурса.

Online applications for European Seal of e-Excellence are open from 1 June 2012 to 30 November 2012.
BECOME PART OF THE CLUB OF e-EXCELLENCE!

For the second time ICT Cluster is a partner of the European Seal of e-Excellence that recognises companies which have demonstrated an excellent track record in the innovative marketing of digital products and services.

If your company has an excellent track record in marketing its innovative products and services, apply for the Seal 2013 and gain visibility through this prestigious label of excellence.

Awarded for the 11th time since 2003 by EMF and its Partners, the Seal is widely known for recognizing ICT and digital media companies with:

1. innovative products and services;
2. a proven track-record of excellence in their marketing, in particular outside their home market.

Apply now online at www.seal-of-excellence.org to become part of the exclusive club of 200+ winners companies.

Consult the 2012 winners brochure here.

If you are interested to participate, please contact Ms. Krasimira Shindarova on:
Tel.: 02 489 97 44 or
E-mail: krasimira_shindarova@ictcluster.bg

National business forum “Big Information Systems in Bulgaria” took place in Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan on 28 May 2012. Representatives of business and public administration took part in the forum. They discussed the state of key IT projects, tenders and e-government.

The forum was officially opened by Deputy Minister of Transport, Information technology and communication of Bulgaria – Mr. Valery Borisov. He participated in the discussions also.

You could find more information about the forum in the file below.

The final I3E conference was successfully organized in the premises of Corallia Athens InnoCenter on May 28th, 2012 in Athens, Greece. The event was entitled as "Research and Innovation in High Added Value Sectors - Paradigm for Competitiveness and Growth" and at disseminating the main project results, i.e. the Strategic Research Agenda in the sectors of Embedded Systems and Industrial Informatics and the Methodology Guide on Innovation, built during the three year long project duration.

The conference was organised in different sessions:

• Session 1: Policies promoting Research and Innovation
• Session 2: I3E Project Main Achievements
• Session 3: Networking with Successful Experiences and Projects in South East Europe
• Session 4: Influencing Policies on Research and innovation at a National Level

All partners in the project consortium had speeches during Sessions 1, 2 and 3, concerning project results or innovations in the sector. The last forth Session was round table - representatives of state administration and policy makers shared their vision about current status in South East Europe.

The conference was closed with visit to Corallia Exhibition Area.

You can download Strategic Research Agenda in the sectors of Embedded Systems and Industrial Informatics (SRA) here.

 You can download Methodology Guide on Innovation (MGI) here.

ICT Cluster leaded training within the framework of SEE I3E”Promoting Innovation in the Industrial Informatics and Embedded Systems Sector trough Networking” project. The training took part on 31 May in Elieff Center for Education and Culture, American University in Bulgaria – Sofia. Representatives of IT companies were trained.

The event was opened with Ms. Anna Naydenova’s presentation about purposes and results from I3E project. Elisaveta Gurova and George Petrov from Foundation “For New Bulgarian University” presented Methodological guide for innovations (MGI) and Strategic Research Agenda for innovations (SRA). Finally, Mr. Peter Statev had speech about Bulgarian national ecosystem for support of innovations and competitive power and presented clusters as basic instrument for rising of competitive power.

The training finished with discussion between all participants.

National competition “Young talents” has been leaded since 1999. It encourages the youths who have potential and interests in the field of science, scientific researches and innovations. Competition is part of Ministry of Education Youth and Science initiatives for support of development of young scientific talents in Bulgaria. National coordinator for conducting of this competition is department “Science” of Ministry of Education Youth and Science.
This year the ceremony took place in Center for training students for olympics on 19 May. As partner organization to this competition, ICT Cluster established and bestowed a prize and charter to winning project: “Modern steward” of Lyubomir Qnchev and Hristo Stoianov team from Privet high school “Erih Kestner” in Sofia.

Participants, classified on the first three positions, will take part in the European competition for young scientist in Bratislava, Slovakia during September 2012:

• First position and amount of 1000 leva, provided by the ministry, won project “Modern steward” of Lyubomir Qnchev and Hristo Stoianov team from Privet high school “Erih Kestner” in Sofia.
• Second position and amount of 900 leva, provided by the ministry, won project “Relate2Spot” with authors Dimitur Vuldjev and Ivan Stefanov.
• Third position and amount of 800 leva, provided by the ministry, won Prolet Lazarova with her project “Over a new geometric figure”.

Teams, classified on forth and fifth positions in this competition, will present their projects on European youth scientific exposition “EXPO SCIENCE EUROPE” 2012 in Tula, Russia on July 2012.

The other partner organizations – British Council Bulgaria, Bulgarian-American Commission for Educational Exchange “Fulbright”,  University of chemical technology and metallurgy, Technical University of Sofia, Bulgarian associations of software companies (BASSCOM), Telerik, SAP LABS Bulgaria etc. – also gave awards to participants in the competition.