Researcher at the GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski,” Simeon Karpuzov, is among the ten “Outstanding Young Persons of Bulgaria” (TOYP Bulgaria 2026), an initiative organized by Junior Chamber International Bulgaria (JCI Bulgaria). He is the winner in the “Science and Technological Development” category, which recognizes young Bulgarians with exceptional contributions to science, innovation, and technology.

This recognition is yet another confirmation of Simeon Karpuzov’s significant contribution to the field of digital healthcare and the application of artificial intelligence in addressing real societal and medical challenges.

Prof. Silvia Ilieva, Director of the GATE Institute, took part in the strategic dialogue “ONE EUROPE. ONE MARKET – Strategic Exchange”, featuring former Italian Prime Minister and one of the most influential architects of the contemporary vision for the EU Single Market, Enrico Letta, as part of the sixth edition of Green Transition Forum 6.0.

The event brought together leading representatives of European institutions, businesses, and academia to discuss key issues related to the future of the European Single Market, the competitiveness of the European Union, and the role of Central and Eastern Europe in ongoing economic transformation processes.

The GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” is among the co-organizers of the fifth edition of the Spinoff EUROPA Conference 2026, which will take place on June 11–12 at the Technical University of Sofia under the motto “Building Europe’s Innovation Powerhouse.”

The conference is one of Europe’s leading forums for scientific entrepreneurship, technology transfer, and deep-tech innovation, bringing together more than 400 participants from over 20 countries, including researchers, innovators, spin-off companies, investors, representatives of European institutions, industry, and the public sector.

As a strategic partner of the Spinoff Initiative and an active contributor to the development of the European innovation ecosystem, the GATE Institute will showcase its expertise in data management, artificial intelligence, and the development of high-impact solutions for healthcare, sustainable cities, intelligent governance, and industry.

The GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” has announced the opening of applications for its summer internship program NEXT GATE TALENTS 2026. The program is aimed at students and young professionals with an interest in big data, artificial intelligence, and innovative technological solutions.

The three-month paid internship will begin on July 1, 2026, and will provide participants with the opportunity to gain practical experience by working on real research and applied projects alongside leading scientists and experts from GATE. The program combines education, research, and innovation in an interdisciplinary environment and provides access to the institute’s high-tech infrastructure.

GATE had the honour of welcoming H.E. Mr Pontus Melander, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Sweden to Bulgaria, accompanied by Ms Zoya Paunova, Honorary Consul General of Sweden.

A day at the heart of innovation, artificial intelligence, and the future of cities, healthcare, science, and business – this is how Vladimir Nedev’s participation in the “CEO for a Day” initiative unfolded. Vladimir is a law student at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski.” The initiative is organized by the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria and H.E. Andrea Ikić-Böhm, Ambassador of Austria to Bulgaria.

As part of the initiative, Vladimir took on the role of CEO of the GATE Institute – the first Centre of Excellence in Bulgaria in the field of big data and artificial intelligence, established jointly by Sofia University and Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.

GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” welcomed an official delegation from the University of Tsukuba, Japan, led by its President, Prof. Kyosuke Nagata.

The GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” has been awarded the prestigious annual “ACADEMIC PROJECT OF THE YEAR” prize during the international conference InfoSec SEE 2026 – the largest cybersecurity event in Southeast Europe.

The award recognizes the leading role of the GATE Institute in the development of big data and artificial intelligence technologies, as well as the institute’s high level of expertise in building reliable and secure digital ecosystems. The practical orientation of its scientific research and its successful implementation in solutions of public significance – supporting industry, the public sector, and the digital resilience of society – also contributed to the recognition.

The award is presented annually by the InfoSec SEE organizing committee to an academic institution with proven contributions to the advancement of information security, innovation, and knowledge transfer between science and business. Over the years, the distinction has been awarded to leading Bulgarian higher education institutions, including the Technical University of Sofia, the University of National and World Economy (UNWE), the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, and the Higher School of Telecommunications and Posts.

GATE Institute is one of the 12 partners in the European project “European Citiverses Uniting for Inclusiveness”, funded under the Digital Europe Programme.

On April 27, 2026, the final event of DisInfoHack 2026 took place at the GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. The initiative is a research hackathon dedicated to information resilience and countering disinformation. The event brought together 46 students who, over the course of one month, developed and presented analytical projects addressing real-world cases from today’s information environment.

DisInfoHack is being held for the third consecutive year and is part of the activities of the research project CoDE, which focuses on analysing the information environment in Bulgaria and developing sustainable approaches to tackling disinformation. The format of the so-called “slow hackathon” provides opportunities for in-depth team collaboration, mentorship, and the application of scientific methods in the study of communication processes.