On October 28, the GATE Institute took part in the Regional Defence Summit 2025, organized by Economedia and Kapital. The event brought together more than 500 participants — including representatives of the European Commission, defence ministries, leading industrial companies, innovators, research organizations, and investors — to discuss Europe’s strategic priorities in defence, technology, and innovation.

The GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” was among the key partners of the second international conference “Innovation. Investment. Inspiration.”, organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria and BOYANOV & Co., with the support of the European Commission, the European Investment Bank, and Innovation Norway.

The forum, dedicated to the future of innovation and investment in Bulgaria and Europe, took place on October 16, 2025, at the Hilton Sofia Hotel and brought together more than 200 representatives from institutions, business, and academia from Bulgaria, Norway, Hungary, and Malta.

During the first panel, “Smart Governance for Smart Growth,” the Director of the GATE Institute, Prof. Sylvia Ilieva, shared the Institute’s vision for the role of research organizations in building an innovation ecosystem that fosters entrepreneurship and technology transfer.

On October 21, 2025, the GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” welcomed the Minister of Education and Science, Mr. Krasimir Valchev, on a working visit.

On November 27, 2025, the GATE Institute will host leading Bulgarian and international experts, researchers, and business representatives at the forum “Up To GATE 2025: New Horizons” to discuss the potential of artificial intelligence and data as engines of innovation and sustainable development.

This year’s theme, “New Horizons,” highlights the evolution of AI and data-driven ecosystems, covering the full spectrum from ethical and conceptual solutions to implementation, scaling, and measurable impact. Participants will explore current trends in data processing, digital technology adoption, and AI applications for more efficient management of cities, healthcare, and the public sector. The forum will demonstrate how sustainable and ethical innovations can be translated into real-world solutions that improve people’s lives.

The GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics (FMI) officially opened the 2025/2026 academic year for the third cohort of students in the joint master’s programme “Big Data Technologies.”

This year, 18 new students have joined the GATE community – young specialists and professionals from various sectors, united by their ambition to acquire advanced skills in data analysis, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies.

GATE Institute took part in a national workshop dedicated to the development of the European Language Data Space (LDS), co-organized by the Institute for Bulgarian Language and the European LDS initiative, bringing together representatives from academia, public administration, and industry to discuss the future of language technologies in Bulgaria.

As part of the GATE Academic Days at the Bulgarian Pavilion of Osaka Expo 2025, the GATE Institute signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Kwansei Gakuin University – one of Japan’s most renowned private universities, founded in 1889 and recognized for its long-standing tradition in architecture, urban planning, and innovation.

On October 4, 2025, during the GATE Academic Days held at the Bulgarian Pavilion of Osaka Expo 2025, Bulgaria’s leading institute for Big Data and Artificial Intelligence signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Tsukuba – one of Japan’s most prestigious academic institutions, with more than 150 years of history and a consistent presence among the country’s top ten universities.

The GATE Institute has been awarded the prestigious Seoul Smart City Prize 2025 in the category Tech-InnovaCity – Institution. Bestowed by WeGO (World Smart Sustainable Cities Organisation) and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, this recognition places Bulgaria among the global leaders in smart cities and technological innovation.

The GATE Institute marked the achievements of its interns with a two-day closing event for the 2025 Summer Internship Program, held under the motto “From Intern to Innovator.” This year, 24 talented students from Bulgaria, Europe, and Japan joined the program, working over three months on cutting-edge research projects in the fields of big data and artificial intelligence.