StartUP

The momentum of StartUP Weekend 2026 continued thanks to these incredible partners! 🚀 Here is the next group of sponsors who fueled our creativity and rewarded our hard work:

🍕 .margarita – Their big, delicious pizzas brought everyone together, adding a warm, shared moment to the atmosphere. We truly appreciate their contribution! 🍕❤️

⚡ – Kept everyone fueled and ready for action with a fridge full of ice-cold energy drinks. Their support brought the vitality needed for such a dynamic weekend! 🥤🚀

🥨 – These crunchy, savory snacks were the perfect go-to for quick bites between intense sessions and long hours of work. 🥨✨

🍻 – The perfect companion for networking and sparking conversations, adding a great vibe to the overall atmosphere. 🍺✨

🥤 Party Drinks – Kept us refreshed with a variety of flavorful non-alcoholic drinks that kept the smiles bright and the energy high throughout the celebration. 🙌

🏆 – Supported our top three winning teams with generous vouchers, providing the perfect way to celebrate after an intense weekend! 🎉🍽️

🌊 – Provided a dinner-for-two voucher for a memorable evening in Primorsko, complete with a stunning water view and a delicious menu. 🍷🥗

🏞️ – Our lucky giveaway winner will enjoy a relaxing weekend for two at this beautiful Smolyan retreat, featuring spa treatments and mountain views. 💆‍♀️🌿

💡 – Provided conference tickets to one of Bulgaria’s most influential tech platforms, allowing participants to explore how AI is reshaping the future. 🚀

🌀 .sofia – Generously provided invitations to their mind-bending exhibits, adding a touch of magic and adventure to the experience! ✨📸

🎓 .bg – Their vouchers for practical online courses give our winners a meaningful way to keep building skills and growing even after the event ends. 💻

📚 Bulgarian Angels Club – Their contribution of books added depth and inspiration, leaving our participants with lasting knowledge and valuable takeaways. 📖✨

Huge thanks to the partners who made StartUP Weekend 2026 a success! 🚀 Our event was fueled and rewarded by these 16 amazing sponsors:

🍗 – Their sandwiches and fries kept our participants energized and happy all day long. We are so grateful for making the event delicious! 😋🙌

🥤 – As an iconic global brand, they kept everyone hydrated and refreshed throughout the weekend. 🙌❤️

🌾 – Provided a healthy boost with rice chips and zero-sugar bars – snacks that are both tasty and wholesome! 🍫✨

🍿 – Brought a fun twist with uniquely flavored popcorn and drinks that made every break more exciting. 🐻🔥

☕ – Fueled our sessions from brainstorming to final pitches with fresh coffee, keeping the creativity flowing. ⚡✨

🍪 .bg – A delicious tradition since the 1960s; their sandwich biscuits with orange and caramel fillings were a true highlight. 💛

🥛 – Kept us fully stocked with sweet milk in strawberry and vanilla flavors for a refreshing break. 🍓✨

🍬 Ivel 93 (ivel.bg) – Added a delightful touch to the atmosphere with their generous contribution of traditional Turkish delight. 🍬

⚡ – Their innovative energy drinks combined vitamins and antioxidants to help participants stay in the zone. 🚀💡

🥤 – Kept the energy high with vitamin-packed carbonated drinks in various delicious flavors. ⚡🍓

🥔 Zaira Chips – Brought the crunch with high-quality chips, a well-loved Bulgarian favorite that kept everyone satisfied. 🥔❤️

🍺 – Their carefully crafted brews added a special touch to our networking and celebration moments. 🍻✨

🍽️ – Treated our top teams to celebration vouchers for a well-earned meal after an intense weekend. 🏆

🕯️ .eu – Their luxury hand-poured soy candles brought elegance and a serene atmosphere to our event space. 🌿✨

🌿 – One lucky winner received a spa getaway at their picturesque lake complex in Ognyanovo. 🌊💆‍♀️

🚀 Freshmango – Empowered our winners with vouchers for their startup ecosystem, helping turn ideas into real opportunities! 📈

Honoring the winners of StartUP Weekend 2026: The Art of Strategy! ⚔️

After an intense weekend full of bold ideas, sharp thinking, and relentless determination, we proudly present the teams who rose above the rest:

🥇 Team 14 - Mimo
🥈 Team 10 - Adopt Me
🥉 Team 4 - PisPis

Congratulations to our winning teams for their outstanding performance, and to every participant who brought passion, creativity, and courage to the arena. Your ideas made this journey unforgettable 🌟🚀 From first pitch to final presentation, all participants embodied the spirit of strategy, resilience, and innovation, true to the way of the samurai 🏯.

Until next time!

⚔️🏯 The Spoils of Victory Are Revealed! 🏯⚔️

The battlefield is prepared, and the Shogun’s treasury is opened. It is time to see the treasures that await the master strategists of StartUP Weekend 2026: The Art of Strategy! 🌸✨

🏔️ Mountain Sanctuary (2 Nights for 2): Secure your Zen among the peaks at Hotel Kiparis Alpha, Smolyan.

👑 The Shogun’s Retreat (2 Nights for 2): Experience ultimate honor and luxury at the Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko Bulgaria.

🌊 Thermal Restoration (1 Night for 2): Heal your mind and spirit in the sacred waters of Waterside Spa Hotel & Apartments, Ognyanovo.

🏯 To enter the Magic Circle, follow these commands:
📲 1. Follow on Instagram.
🌸 2. Upload Instagram Story from the Weekend and Tag .
💖 3. Like this post.
🔄 4. Repost this post.

That’s it! One worthy warrior (or entrepreneur 😉) will be chosen and announced during our closing ceremony on March 22nd! 🏆🌸 Do you have the discipline to claim the path?

Join us March 20-22 in the ABF Sports Hall!

🏯 The Path of the Strategist: Appolica Mentorship Sessions ⚔️

Samurais, the battlefield is won before the first strike is even made. This Saturday, it is time to consult the grand masters of – your elite tactical advisors who have been forging market-leading ventures since 2015 🏯📜

With their disciplined 360° approach, Appolica is entering our dojo to sharpen your business tactics and ensure you take the lead in the entrepreneurial race 🏆🏎️🏁

In your 45-minute tactical briefing, you will refine your startup’s vision by sharpening your core problem and idea 🎯 master the art of business resource management to turn your strategy into a profitable empire 🏯 study the terrain to understand your true market potential 🗺️ and gather any other elite wisdom Appolica’s senseis can provide to guide your journey 💡

Led by Appolica’s veteran founders, product tacticians, and marketing generals, you will gain the discipline needed to secure your venture’s success ⚔️

Are you ready to map out your victory? Join us this Saturday, March 21, and let Appolica’s mentorship be the guide on your path to greatness 🚀🏯

🏯 The Art of Strategy: Master Your Pitch ⚔️

Founders, to the dojo! ⛩️ Before you embark on your journey for market dominance, it is time to sharpen your blades. A great product is only as strong as the strategy behind its story.

Join us for The Pitching Workshop, where we will host a master strategist. 📜✨

The Sensei: We are honored to host Iva Nachkova. Iva is the Co-founder of 356labs, a specialist presentation agency where she leads every project from inception to delivery. With experience across leading European organisations - including Bosch, Mercedes-Benz, Nestlé, and SkyTeam - she works closely with clients, including founders from diverse backgrounds to craft compelling narratives that align with their investment and business goals. Iva is also the Co-founder of Present to Succeed - the largest event dedicated to presentation skills - bringing together over 1,000 professionals annually, with a new edition landing in London in 2026.

The Mission Briefing:
📅 When: Thursday, March 19th | 19:30
📍 Where: BAC Auditorium
⚡ Objective: Master the “secret ingredients” of winning presentations and align your story with your business goals.

Don’t walk into the boardroom without your armor. Level up your game and unlock the true art of persuasion. 📣🏯

Meet Martin Stoilkov - facilitator of StartUP Weekend 2026: The Art of Strategy 🚀

Martin is an AUBG alumni and part of the Community Development team at BESCO. He works closely with member companies to help them grow, scale, and build meaningful connections. His role focuses on onboarding new members and ensuring they unlock the full value of the community through collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and strategic networking.

Over the past few months, Martin has also stepped into the role of Director of Regional Expansion, leading BESCO’s efforts to build strong regional chapters across Bulgaria. His work helps local businesses connect to the national entrepreneurial network while fostering vibrant local ecosystems and addressing regional economic and administrative challenges.

At StartUP Weekend 2026: The Art of Strategy, Martin will guide participants through the strategic thinking, collaboration, and ex*****on needed to transform ideas into impactful ventures.

Get ready for a weekend of bold ideas, sharp strategy, and powerful connections. 💡📈

⚔️ Meet the Judges – The Masters of Decision

At the end of every great battle comes the moment of judgment. Our judges bring experience from venture capital, AI, finance, entrepreneurship, and leadership, and they will decide which teams have the strategy, vision, and ex*****on to claim victory at StartUP Weekend 2026.

✨ Kremena Dervenkova
Executive Director of ABLE, a community of 500+ young professionals and entrepreneurs driving positive change in Bulgaria. She leads initiatives that help people develop leadership skills and turn ideas into impactful projects.

✨ Dr. Andrey Bachvarov
AI expert and founder, PhD in Computer Science focused on AI for real-world business problems. Founder of ANTHILL and board member at Endeavor Bulgaria, BESCO, and the Digital National Coalition, helping drive innovation and digital transformation.

✨ Angel Hadjiev
Finance professional with 18+ years of international experience in corporate finance, M&A, and capital raising. CEO and co-founder of 4A, a technology company transforming web data into LLM-ready infrastructure, and Venture Partner at SeedBlink.

✨ Angel Angelov
Venture investor with 200+ deals and 10+ exits. Founder of ODC Ventures, Bulgaria’s first growth-stage syndicate investing in companies like SpaceX, and Managing Partner at Innovation Capital, one of Southeast Europe’s most active pre-seed funds.

✨ Stoyan Nedin
Serial entrepreneur and investor, co-founder of Vitosha Venture Partners. CEO of Nexpur and co-founder of Fanstream.bg, supporting Bulgarian startups on their path to growth and expansion.

⚔️ When the final pitches are delivered, these masters will decide which strategy stands above the rest.

The battlefield awaits!

⚔️ Meet the Mentors (Part III)

With experience across pharmaceutical leadership, global entrepreneurship, AI startups, education, and financial strategy, these mentors will help teams sharpen their ideas and build ventures ready for the real world.

✨ Alexander Alexiev
Executive leader with over 17 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and consulting industries. Founder of SAT Health and Managing Partner at AS Systems, specializing in strategic business planning, operations leadership, and regulatory compliance.

✨ Lyubomir Bubarov
Lyubomir is the Chief Strategy Officer at Ozone.bg, one of Bulgaria’s leading online retailers. He is responsible for all future-gazing projects in Ozone, critical infrastructure and development. He is also the European Space Agency's Industrial Coordinator for Bulgaria, the Chairman of the Bulgarian Space Cluster and for 14 years he has led Ratio, a science-communication initiative.

✨ Nick Gospodinov
Founder of Mandel AI, a startup building AI agents for manufacturing supply chains. The company recently raised $3.9M backed by Y Combinator and leading Silicon Valley investors.

✨ Danail Koev
Co-founder and CEO of VEDA Accounting, supporting high-tech startups with financial strategy and structured growth. Board member of BESCO and co-founder of Comrade Cooperative.

✨ Valentin Andreev
Valentin is a e-commerce entrepreneur with experience in growth marketing, software and AI. He's helped his clients generate over €100 million in sales and has one of the leading Bulgarian educational apps.

✨ Blagovest Minev
President of Orange Education and leader at Dineout Poland, focused on international education programs, strategic partnerships, and cross-cultural exchange initiatives.

⚔️ With these mentors joining the ranks, every team will have the guidance needed to refine their strategy and turn bold ideas into real startups.
The arena is ready. Are you?