News_
17 Apr-2012

Detailed information about the winners of the European Seal of e-Excellence2012 is now available on-line

An on-line brochure with detailed information about each of the winners of the Seal of e-Excellence 2012 is now available on-line. The PDF document contains information about the winners' company website, country of origin, key activities and a detailed company/product profile.

The European Seal of e-Excellence rewards ICT and Digital Media companies with an excellent track record in innovation marketing. Awarded annually since 2003 by EMF and its Partner Organisations, including ICT Cluster, the Seal is widely known for distinguishing companies with innovative products&services and outstanding marketing.

For more information visit the site of E-Seal:

http://www.seal-of-excellence.org/winners2012

14 Mar-2012

ICT Cluster will participate as Intermediary Organization in Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Programme in 2013

Foundation ICT Cluster is an intermediary organization in Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Programe since 2009 - the pilot project of the programme. The foundation will continue its participation in 2013 in consortium "3E II"

The online registration form for HE and NE is available on the programme website: www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu

12 Mar-2012

European Seal of e-Excellence 2012 - Winners Announced on 6 March 2012 CeBIT, Hannover

The Winners of the European Seal of e-Excellence 2012, the prestigious European and global Award honouring ICT and digital media companies with an excellent track record in innovative marketing, were announced on 6 March 2012 at CeBIT in Hanover, Germany.

Awarded annually by EMF – The Forum of e-Excellence and its Partner Associations, the European Seal of e-Excellence is widely known for promoting companies in the digital field with:

  • Innovative products and services, and
  • Excellent marketing practices to promote them.

2012 is a special year for the Seal:It is 10th anniversary. The Seal is increasingly gaining recognition and becoming a major focal point not only for Europe’s most successful digital media companies, in term of products and services, but also in terms of marketing.

There are two Bulgarian companies that were awarded this year: Musala Soft – 2012 Platinum Seal winner and ICB InetrConsult – 2012 Silver Seal Winner. For ICB InterConsult Bulgaria the award was received by Mr. Stoian Boev, Managing director, cofounder of the Foundation ICT Cluster and member of the board of managers of the foundation.

For the first time, there are 5 winners from China. This is an important step forward towards collaboration with emerging economies that started already years ago with Indian winners, and continued last year with winners from Brazil, Argentina and Mexico.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.seal-of-excellence.org/winners2012

 

1 Mar-2012

CONFERENCE AND ROUND TABLE NATIONAL ECOSYSTEM FOR SUPPORT OF INNOVATIONS AND COMPETITIVENESS

Conference and round table National Ecosystem for Support of Innovations and Competitiveness was held on 22 February 2012 in Sofia, Grand Hotel Sofia. The event was financed and it is within the framework of a project I3E SEE Promoting Innovation in the Industrial Informatics and Embedded Systems Sectors through Networking.

The conference was organized by a foundation ICT Cluster with a cooperation of all organizations in ICT area: ASTEL, BAIT, BASSCOM, BWA and Foundation for New Bulgarian University. Participants in the conference and the round table were representatives of the state administration, academia and the business.

The aim of the event was to open a public debate and to put accent on the problem that there is a lack of public ecosystem supporting and encouraging the innovations in Bulgaria. There are no funds for venture capitals supporting talents and people with innovative approach yet.

The participants in the forum point out that a big part of the companies in ICT sector are export-oriented, which means that even in crises time they achieve a high growth of their business. However, companies from well developed countries, where the society recognize the innovation as something very important for its progress, penetrates faster on the global market. Such countries provide public and private funds to create conditions for establishing of innovations and supporting their market realization.
 
The participants discern clearly the fact that even if Bulgarian companies have a good market realization on their own our economy faces one big problem: our country is not recognized as a place for high technology business. This results in market predominance of companies with well known brands. The fact that Bulgaria is still not recognized as a high technology destination and a place with traditions in innovations and development of technologies leads to following circumstance: Bulgarian companies sell their products at a lower price than if they had been branded correctly.

The conclusion of the discussion was that the three main factors that could have influence upon the situation – administration, business and science - should define accurately the current problems. The point of view of all participants in the triple helix must be heard and after this an adequate legislative and administrative measures must be offered to the state administration. This will make our country to be more effective and competitive in the global economy.

29 Feb-2012

Foundation “ICT Cluster” organised workshop in the framework of the project IMAGINE in partnership with Agenzia per lo Sviluppo dell'Empolese Valdelsa

Foundation “ICT Cluster” organised a workshop within the project IMAGINE in cooperation with Agenzia per lo Sviluppo dell'Empolese Valdelsa. The subject of the workshop was "IMAGINE a Future for the Cluster Approach". IMAGINE - Innovations for a "Made Green in Europe” is financed by European Commission within the framework of a Program Competitiveness and Innovations - Eco-Innovation Market Replication Initiative.

Participants in the workshop were experts from the state administration and representatives from clusters in the area of industry and textile. Representative of Foundation “ICT Cluster” has made a presentation about the activities of the foundation and projects that it is involved. Representatives from Association “Srednogorie, Med Industrial Cluster” and Specialized Cluster “Institute of Clothing and Textile – Danube” from Bulgaria have also made presentations.
The Italian Partners represented the main aims of the project which are relevant to promote the environmental innovation for the organizations operating in various phases of the fashion supply chain in small and medium enterprises.

The event took place in Sofia, Grand Hotel Sofia on 21 February 2012.

For more information visit the following website: http://www.projectimagine.eu/info.

29 Feb-2012

Mr. Todor Raykov has successfully completed his exchange of experience in Finland within the program “Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs”

The New Entrepreneur Mr. Todor Raykov, founder of Ray Consulting Ltd, has successfully completed his exchange of experience in Finland  within the program “Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs”.

He spent more than one month in Finland at the company “MHG Systems Oy” managed by Mr. Seppo Huurinainen. During the stay NE was acquainted with the HE's products and work style.

The stay at Mr. Huurinainen’s company changed greatly Todor’s perception of how business should be conducted.

Mr. Raykov made a detailed research about the market demands in Bulgaria for the HE's services.

Both entrepreneurs considered the exchange as a fruitful cooperation and established a partnership for further common projects.

Success story of Mr. Todor Raykov

14 Feb-2012

Conference and round table “National Ecosystem for Innovation and Competitiveness support” took place on 22 February 2012 at Grand Hotel Sofia.

The event was organized by Foundation ICT Cluster with the support of BAIT, Basscom, Foundation for New Bulgarian University and Bulgarin Web Association.
The main aim of the event was to provoke a public dialog for the creation and development of a working ecosystem for innovation in Bulgaria.
In the conference participated representatives of the state administration, universities and business.

2 Feb-2012

National Seminar of Informatics

National Seminar of Informatics


Prof. Radko Pavlov form IMI-BAS will deliver the first academic public lecture of National Seminar of Informatics:

“Digital Libraries with cultural, historical and scientific subject”

The lecture will take place in the Multimedia hall of Institute of Mathematics and Informatics – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences on 15th February, 2012 from 2 pm.

1 Feb-2012

CeBIT Hannover 2012

CeBIT 2012: The world’s leading event for ICT in business and politics

  • Unique combination of exhibition, conferences, keynotes,
  • corporate events and lounges
  • Great international coverige

Foundation ICT Cluster is CeBIT’s partner. CeBIT Hannover is one of the most prestigious world events in the digital inustry. Thanks to its unique combination of exhibition, conferences, keynotes, corporate events and lounges, CeBIT represents an unrivaled tool for doing business and sealing deals. During March 2011 CeBIT has made more than seven million business contacts for about 45 hours. More than 500 international concerns from Industrial organization committee with sales for up to 50 milliards have visited the event. These facts proved that CeBIT is one of the most effective platforms for marketing and creating business contacts in the world.

CeBIT is worldwide known event. During march 2011 more than 4 200 entrepreneurs from 70 countries, about 339 000 visitors from 110 nationalities and about 5 000 journalists from all over the world have been registered.

Brazil will be CeBIT partner country from 6th to 10th march. Ms. Dilma Rusef – Prezident of Brazil – is expected to visit the opening of the event. CeBIT’s country partners throuh the years were: Turkey(2011), Spain(2010), Calofirnia, USA(2009), France(2008) and Russia(2007).

From 2011 CeBIT will be carried out into four customers oriented plaforms. In the part CeBIT pro there will be presented entrepreneur ICT – applications for professional usage in small and medium enterprices, and for international companies. The CeBIT gov part will be directed towards public sector in the ICT field and it will present good solutions for municipalities, national authorities and European Union. CeBIT lab is a laboratory of the future for ICT industry and platform for universities and scientific institutions. In the centre of the CeBIT life sits customers oriented solutions. In this CeBIT part the technologies from the future will be introduced to all professionals and users of high technologies.

More information could be found in CeBIT’s web site:  http://www.cebit.de/home

25 Jan-2012

Mr. Peter Statev, Chairman of ICT Cluster will be speaker at B2B event “Growing Your Business: Exploring Cross Border Opportunities” which will take place in Istanbul, January 30-31, 2012

The Turkish-Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) B2B event entitled “Growing Your Business: Exploring Cross Border Opportunities” is organized by Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development (CEED).  CEED is working with a local partner to facilitate meaningful networking opportunities between those who are looking to learn about new market opportunities.

GOALS: Turkey is a rising star in Europe and the fastest growing market in the region.  This event will help strengthen CEE-Turkish business ties and highlight opportunities for increasing trade and investment. The combination of high added value, innovation, creativity, and extensive research is helping Turkish firms develop products, not only for local market, but abroad as well.  The conference aims to help entrepreneurs from the CEED network get a better understanding of what it takes in to enter the Turkish market and conversely aims to help Turkish entrepreneurs enter new markets in Central and Eastern European countries.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this conference is to identify regional opportunities, discuss market trends and catalyze networking for business development. Everyone should come out of the conference having met a few interesting business contacts and having learned more about cross border opportunities. 

ACTIVITIES: CEED expects to bring a targeted group of 30-40 entrepreneurs from CEED centers in Armenia, Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Romania, Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Poland to meet with 30-40 Turkish entrepreneurs and begin to build long-term cooperative business relationships.  There will be panels which discuss opportunities and challenges, keynote speakers talking about their success stories and many formal and informal networking opportunities.

20 Jan-2012

The young entrepreneur Todor Raykov has just started his 3 months exchange of experience with the successful entrepreneur from Finland, Mr. Seppo Huurinainen within the Programme “Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs”

The relationship started on 20th January and is managed by ICT Cluster, as Bulgarian Intermediary Organization and MISET, IO from Finland.

The main purpose of the relationship is to develop a lasting partnership between the Host Entrepreneur and New Entrepreneur (Finland and Bulgaria) in the renewable energy field, especially in the field of resource management. Mr. Raykov will be acquainted in detail with the Mr. Huurinainen's work style and products. On the other hand, the HE will have the chance to expand its business to new markets in the European Union.

10 Jan-2012

The exchange of experience within the Programme Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs between Bulgarian Host Entrepreneur – Mr. Yordan Pashov and Polish Young Entrepreneur – Ms. Karolina Skowronska started in the first week of January 2012.

Mr. Pashov is successfully managing the company Vistalis, a licensed travel agent and tour operator, offering vast variety of excursions, hotel accommodations, air tickets, cruises, weekend programmes, holidays in the best Bulgarian summer and winter resorts, and exotic travels all around the world.

Karolina Skowronska intent on start her own travel agency, offering holidays and trips to Bulgaria.

The relationship is coordinated and supported by ICT Cluster.