What to expect
UpToGATE 2025: New Horizons – a forward-looking journey through the evolving intersection of artificial intelligence, data, policy, and human-centered innovation.
In an age of rapid regulatory transformation and technological acceleration, “New Horizons” is both a theme and a call to action. It reflects a new stage of maturity in AI and data-driven ecosystems—from experimentation and ethics to implementation, impact, and scale.
The global conversation has shifted. The European Union is actively shaping the future of trustworthy AI with the rollout of the AI Act and the concept of the “AI continent.” Data spaces are moving from concept to operation. And businesses are urgently seeking pathways to integrate digital innovation without compromising human values or legal compliance.
GATE Institute enters this moment as a pioneer in applied AI and Big Data, with a mission to shape a resilient, inclusive, and innovation-driven society. Since 2019, we’ve grown from vision to infrastructure to implementation—building platforms, testbeds, and knowledge that turn research into opportunity and real-world solutions.
UpToGATE 2025 is our flagship event to bring these efforts into dialogue with our partners—across Europe and beyond.
This year’s event is structured as a deliberate arc, guiding participants through the stages of innovation in the data-AI ecosystem:
Inspire – Future-first thinking
We open with a keynote that sets the future-driven and technological tone.
Frame – AI-Empowered Innovation
Panel 1 brings together policymakers, regulators, and institutional leaders to explore how implementation of the AI Act is unfolding. What does it mean to be compliant? What challenges are businesses and governments facing? How do we move from principles to practice?
Apply – Human-Centric Research at GATE
Panel 2 puts the spotlight on GATE’s domain leads through TED-style presentations, illustrating how applied research is being translated into usable, ethical solutions in Future Cities, Digital Health, and Intelligent Government.
Scale – Business-Driven Innovation
Panel 4 brings in the private sector—startups, corporates, and investors—to explore how data and AI readiness is being commercialized. How can companies benefit from data-sharing frameworks? What role do standards and testbeds play in adoption? What does “compliance-ready” innovation look like?
Connect – Data Sharing as a Catalyst
Panel 3 addresses Europe’s data-driven transformation. Data spaces are no longer pilot concepts—they are operational frameworks with legal, organizational, and technical layers. We examine how GATE contributes to this ecosystem, and why sovereign, trusted data exchange is the next frontier of innovation.
Key Themes
How the AI Act is shaping innovation, compliance, and trust.
Trusted, sovereign data sharing as a driver of cross-sector innovation.
Applied research in Future Cities, Digital Health, and Intelligent Government.
Scaling AI and data innovation through business adoption and investment.
Reasons to attend
Policy Insights
Hear directly from EU and national leaders on the future of AI in Europe.
Real-World Examples
See GATE’s research turning into practical, impactful solutions.
High-Value Networking
Connect with policymakers, researchers, startups, corporates, and investors.
Growth Opportunities
Discover how compliance-ready AI and data strategies can fuel your business.
Speakers
Agenda
- Welcome remarks from VIP guests
- Address by Prof. Sylvia Ilieva, Director, GATE Institute
A visionary talk on AI in Europe and the world — exploring the shift to compliance-driven innovation and the societal implications of the AI Act and AI Factories.
Networking break with first opportunity to explore demo areas.
High-level discussion on the European and national visions for AI under the AI Act — from compliance to trust and governance.
Ivo Emanuilov
TBC
TED-style presentations from GATE domain leaders in Future Cities, Digital Health, and Intelligent Government. Fast-paced, inspirational stories of how applied research is delivering ethical, real-world solutions.
Speakers
prof. Desislava Petrova-Antonova
Simeon Karpuzov
Keith Peter Kiely
Extended lunch with time to visit demo areas and booths.
Exploring operational data spaces, sovereignty, and trust as enablers of AI and cross-sector collaboration.
TBC
TBC
How businesses can harness data ecosystems, compliance-ready innovation, and applied research for growth. Featuring corporate partners, startups, investors, and success stories from GATE’s EU projects.
TBC
TBC
Closing remarks by Prof. Sylvia Ilieva
Media partners
Register here
UpToGATE 2025: New Horizons is the flagship event of the GATE Institute at Sofia University. This year’s event is a forward-looking journey through the evolving intersection of big data, artificial intelligence, policy, and human-centered innovation.
GATE develops research capacity and potential in Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, cultivating the next generation of leading scientists by expanding the existing research network and establishing long-term agreements with leading global organizations.
The Project “Big Data for Smart Society” (GATE) is funded by Horizon 2020 Teaming programme and Operational Programme “Research, Innovation and Digitalisation for Intelligent Transformation“ 2021-2027 y., co-funded by the European Union