Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zornitsa Yordanova from the Industrial Business Department Participated in a Panel Discussion As Part of HEMUS 2026

Assoc. Prof. Zornitsa Yordanova, lecturer at the Industrial Business Department, took part in the panel discussion on the Innovation and Technology – The Role of SME`s, Start-Ups and Dual-Use Companies, Relation Between the Innovation and Research held as part of the Industrial Forum at the International Exhibition HEMUS 2026.

In the panel participated representatives from the Center for Defense Innovation at Sofia Tech Park, Wiser Technology, NeuroMorphica, the academic community and the innovation ecosystem in Bulgaria. The discussion was moderated by Prof. Dr. Eng. Georgy Angelov from the Technical University of Sofia.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zornitsa Yordanova’s participation is part of UNWE’s active commitment to the development of the innovation ecosystem in Bulgaria and to strengthening the relation between the science, education and business in the context of accelerated technological transformation.

Among the main topics of discussion were the development of dual-use technologies, the transformation of the innovation cycle under the influence of artificial intelligence, the role of synthetic data and digital twins, as well as the necessity for closer relations between the fundamental scientific research, applied development and business.

Special emphasis was placed on the potential of small and medium-sized enterprises /SME`s/ and start-ups in Bulgaria to actively participate in the AI-driven and deep-tech innovation ecosystem through flexible organizational models, rapid adaptation and effective implementation of the new technologies. The discussion also examined the idea of creating a registry of companies developing dual-use innovations to facilitate better collaboration between the businesses, scientific organizations, and institutions.

The participants outlined the importance of coordination among the science, industry, universities, research organizations and small and medium-sized enterprises /SME`s/ for building a sustainable innovation ecosystem in Bulgaria. A consensus was reached that strengthening the cooperation among these stakeholders is a key factor for the successful development and implementation of high-tech solutions with high added value.

During the forum, emphasis was also placed on the necessity of closer interaction between the Ministry of Innovation and Digital Transformation, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Economy, Investment and Industry and the Ministry of Education and Science to promote the development of deep-tech and dual-use innovations and accelerate technology transfer processes to the business sector.