The fifth B2B event “The Future Today” was held in Sofia on 26th -27th September organized by the Automotive Cluster Bulgaria. The event was held within the framework of Green ICT Development – GIVE project. Host of “The Future Today” was Unicredit Bulbank International Center in Sofia. The two-day conference included presentations from Automotive, ICT and Smart Green Tech companies, which shared the best practices and also, there was networking between the companies in formal and informal meetings. The opening session started with welcome speeches by Mr. Lyubomir Stanislavov, CEO of Automotive Cluster Bulgaria and Mrs. Teodora Petkova, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of UniCredit Bulbank. After the opening session Mrs. Anna Naydenova, Executive Director of the ICT Cluster Bulgaria presented the opportunities that SMEs have with the implementation of this project.
Next on the agenda was the keynote speaker, Mr. Zhecho Zhechev from the Expert Department Economic Policy in the Ministry of Economy who presented the business development opportunities in Bulgaria. In the following presentation Mr. Vladimir Minev from Bulgarian Small and Medium – sized Enterprises Promotion Agency presented measures implemented by BSMEPA in support of the internationalization of Bulgarian enterprises.
The event session started with Mr. Matteo Ferazzi, CEE Strategy and Corporate Foresight, UniCredit S.p.A. and Mr. Kristofor Pavlov, Chief Economist of UniCredit Bulbank and their presentations were related to the automotive industry as an engine of global and local business. After this session the best practices were presented. The first presentation was by Mr. Ivan Mihaylov, CEO Visteon Electronics Bulgaria and chairman of the ACB BoD who presented Automotive 3.0 through the vision of Visteon. Next presenter was Mr. Lyudmil Mutafchiev from Robert Bosch Bulgaria who presented the Sofia – HUB for the Development of automotive software. Next on agenda was Mr. Boban Kostic, BG – Bcons, Serbia who presented regarding the EDI – Literacy on the Balkans. The last presentation at the first day of the event was from Mr. Kristiyan Andonov, Operation Director at UniCredit Fleet Management Bulgaria who presented the EDI-literacy on the Balkans. Throughout the whole first day, companies and organization representatives had multiple occasions to have B2B meetings and introductions.
The event ended with short company pitching and B2B meetings between the participants in order to establish cooperation and discuss present activities, products, services, joint projects, partnerships, exchange of experience and market information.
Stay up to date with all the future activities within the project by following the GIVE Facebook page and GIVE LinkedIn group. The next GIVE B2B event will be organized on 30 – 31 October 2019 in Cluj – Napoca, Romania.