The Bulgarian ICT Cluster

The European Day Of The Entrepreneur – Sofia, 2005

 National ICT Strategy

• Comprehensive vision and detailed action plan for the

future development of the Bulgarian economy through ICT
• Collaborative effort of the private sector and the
government institutions, based on consensus
• Council of Ministers enforcement and establishment of
Coordination Council for Information Society for the
implementation of the National ICT Strategy
 The Bulgarian ICT Cluster

The IT Cluster Center is a new institution, based on the

cumulative competence and experience of its partners:
• Bulgarian International Business Association www.biba.com;
• Bulgarian Information Technologies Association www.bait.bg;
• Center for ICT Law www.clict.net;
• BASSCOM www.basscom.org;
• Association for Telecommunications www.astel-bg.com;
• European Software Institute Regional Center Bulgaria www.esicenter.bg;
• Club “Innovative Scenarios” (CIS);
• Sofia Business Park; Open World (US NGO);
• Society for Electronic Communications www.bina.bg ;
• With the initial support of USAID’s Economic Growth and Investment
Project
 The ICT Cluster’s Mission:
To make ICT the leading industry and economic and social driving
force in Bulgaria
Main Strategic Directions:

• State ICT Policies and Practices - ensuring the participatory and timely
national ICT policy formation and implementation and lobbying for better
understanding on the political level for the economic importance of ICT

• Market Environment for ICT – initiatives with SMEs and ICT–enabled local
initiatives

• Education and Professional Development - better training, education,

certification and workforce experience; close collaboration with the ICT
related university programs

• Branding, Positioning and Promotion - formulating and positioning the

Bulgarian ICT industry message. Establishing and developing relationships
with partners from the different target markets
 Overview of ICT Cluster System
USA GER FRA
Global Outsourcing Marketplaces
National (e.g. elance.com, rentacoder.com)
IT Policy Virtual UK UAE
(IT Body) Incubator /
Online Opportunities Exchange
NGOs national portal for credential-building projects Business
Government PPP IT Promotion
Accelerator Networks Abroad

University-affiliated Talent
Business (includes startup IT entrepreneurs) Regional
Associations Users
“Quick start”
eCenter Bulgarian-
Facilities Owned
•Tele-centers IT Firms
•Incubators
•Business Centers International
IT •Learning Centers IT Companies
Technology •E-Gov Portal
in Bulgaria
Scholarship COORDINATION
Fund CLUSTER
Innovators /
CENTER Inventors
Business
and
Technology Bulgarian SMEs
Virtual Parks from all economic
European sectors
Centers of
Excellence Software
Institute
Global “guru” Basic IT
network Education,
International Bulgarian- Municipalities Private
Training, IT Companies Owned (offer lands, buildings Developers
Re-Training in Bulgaria IT Companies to PPPs) (invest in PPPs)
 Quick start Toolkit

To be competitive today, investors and employers of all

kinds are looking for areas that offer:
• Outstanding value, reliability, and capacity in key utilities (especially
telecommunications and power);
• Favorable business climates whose benefits are easily accessible to
small and large firms alike;
• Comprehensive business support services, especially for small/new
entrepreneurs and existing companies that seek to expand in regional
and global markets; and
• Access to valued technical and business skills needed to compete in
the global market.
• Toolkit focuses on how localities can effectively create public-
private sector partnerships to effectively respond to the challenges of
the global economy and charts paths for the private sector to take
leading roles as developers of such projects.
 Cooperation with International ICT
Clusters
Bulgarian ICT Cluster delegation
visited Barcelona in June 2005 and
established relationships with the
respective cluster organizations in the
Barcelona area by signing a
Memorandum of Cooperation

Bavarian and Bulgarian ICT

business ties are traditionally
strong. The Bulgarian ICT Cluster
is in the process of negotiation
the signing of a Memorandum of
Cooperation in Bavaria
IT Masters Programs in Bulgaria

Master of Information
Technology Management
(MITM)
Master of Project Management
(MPM)
(www.bimtbg.com)

Master of Science in
Information Systems
(http://www-it.fmi.uni-
sofia.bg/msis)
 ICT Cluster Values

1. Evaluation, Consulting: Pull of Experts, Real

Market and Legislation Knowledge
2. Export Promotion, Branding
3. Gateway to Risk Investment Funds
4. PPP moderator {ESI; ICT Sector Information
Audit}
 Challenges

1. To promote innovation culture and entrepreneur

spirit?
2. To attract ‘risk finance’ – Angel, VC, Public
3. To achieve global competitiveness?
4. To ‘bake’ personal/team dreams, knowledge,
skill into ‘convertible’ IP