The international forum brings leading scientists and experts to the capital to explore technological solutions for smarter urban management and a better urban environment
What will cities look like when artificial intelligence becomes part of the way we plan and manage them? How can data help optimize traffic, create a more sustainable urban environment, and enable more timely responses to natural disasters? Why is it important to test an urban solution virtually before implementing it in the real world?
These and other questions will be among the key topics of GeoSofia 2026 – an international scientific forum that will turn Sofia into a meeting point for global expertise in geoinformatics, spatial modelling, big data, artificial intelligence, and smart cities.
The event will take place from 28 September to 2 October 2026, hosted by the GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. Sofia Municipality is a partner of the forum.
New GATE Institute study shows a significant increase in heat stress in Bulgarian cities, with evening temperatures up to 9.5°C higher during the compared heat periods in 2006 and 2025
The first national attribution study conducted by researchers at the GATE Institute and focused on heat stress in Bulgaria and Bulgarian cities shows a substantial increase in the risk of extreme heat. The analysis looks beyond air temperature alone, combining temperature, humidity, wind, and solar radiation to assess the actual heat load on the human body.
The study analyzes conditions at the national level and in 10 Bulgarian cities – Sofia, Plovdiv, Pleven, Blagoevgrad, Ruse, Vidin, Kardzhali, Sliven, Varna, and Burgas. The cities were selected to represent different parts of the country, terrain and climatic conditions, proximity to bodies of water, and different characteristics of the urban environment.
The fourth edition of the Summer Internship Program at GATE Institute, part of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, has officially begun under the motto NEXT GATE TALENTS 2026, attracting a record level of interest. This summer, 32 young talents will spend the next three months working on real-world research and innovation projects in the fields of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence as part of the institute’s multidisciplinary teams.
Interest in the program continues to grow. More than 100 students and young professionals applied for this year’s edition. Beyond the impressive number of applications, the quality of the candidates also stands out. This year, the first Centre of Excellence in Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in Eastern Europe welcomes senior undergraduate and master’s students with strong academic backgrounds and research potential.
GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” opens applications for two fully funded Google DeepMind AI Masters Scholarships for the 2026–2027 academic year through the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Sofia University.
Radostin Mitkov awarded the AWE Best Student Paper Award, one of only three distinctions in the field of computational wind engineering
Radostin Mitkov, a researcher at the GATE Institute of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski,” has been awarded the prestigious AWE Best Student Paper Award during the 8th International Symposium on Computational Wind Engineering (CWE 2026), held at Western University, Canada.
The award is one of only three distinctions granted for the best scientific publications presented at the symposium. The winning research was selected from more than 100 scientific contributions submitted from around the world. This recognition places the young researcher’s work among the highest-rated contributions in one of the fastest-growing fields of modern engineering.
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” 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.
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.
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