Mozajka sponsored Startup Europe Week Sofia, a chapter of the concerted Europe wide event Startup Europe Week. Startup Europe Week has been created to include all the European regions in a startup focused program.
Many global initiatives have been created to celebrate entrepreneurship. Typically, such events follow the Silicon Valley format (keynote motivational speeches, networking sessions etc).
But Europe is different and requires something more when it comes to starting a business. Regional diversity and local policy making play a big role in shaping European startups. European regions are key players, from helping entrepreneurs to incorporate a company, to providing grants or taxes breaks. Startup Europe Week is a bottom up movement that aims to set up a meetup in every single region of Europe to inform startups about the available support and resources both at local and EU level. The goal of the Startup Europe Week (SEW) is to bring together as many regions as possible with the valuable support from Startup Europe and the EU Committee of the Regions. The goal of Startup Europe Week is to bring together entrepreneurs and regions, closing a gap that is very unique in Europe – the importance of local / regional support in new business creation. Over 250 regions with the support of more than 400 organizers mobilized their ecosystem to inform startups and to tap all the resources available.
Startup Europe Week Sofia (SEW Sofia Facebook page) was held on February 2nd 2016 at VIVACOM Art Hall. The event was opened by Ognian Zlatev, Head of Representation of EC in Bulgaria, followed by SEW presentation given by me, and five panels: EU and Governments funds, Legal Framework, VC funds and Accelerators, Success Stories, Social Entrepreneurship. The participants of the panels were all distinguished and well recognized professionals in their fields. Representatives of all Ministries that operate EU funds accepted our invitation to present the programs. They were at the level of General Director and Deputy Director or State expert.
The feedback from the community has been great. One of the successes of the event was the get together of communities that usually hold meetings separately, and engage young people who are interested, but unfamiliar with Sofia Startup Ecosystem. The hall was full until the very end of the long day, and the audience did not get tired asking questions on a variety of topics.
Mariana Damova hosted the SEW Sofia event.
