On 12 March 2026, a training on youth entrepreneurship, social innovation and the social economy was held in the hall of the Regional Governor of Gabrovo. The event was organized by the Regional Center for Social Economy and Social Innovation – Gabrovo with the participation of the Regional Innovation Centre “Ambitious Gabrovo” and the Youth Centre – Gabrovo, bringing together students, teachers, social entrepreneurs and representatives of local organizations.
Participants included students and teachers from the National Aprilov High School, students from the “Academician Ivan Gyuzelev” Mathematics and Science High School, representatives of the social enterprises Association “Tsvetnitsa” and Small Theatre Company, volunteers from Youth Centre – Gabrovo, representatives of the NGO “Social Dialogue 2001”, as well as representatives of the Technical University of Gabrovo. The event was also attended by aspiring social entrepreneurs who are currently in the process of registering their companies as social enterprises.
The Regional Governor of Gabrovo, Asen Daskalov, welcomed the participants and encouraged young people to pursue entrepreneurship and civic initiatives. He emphasized the important role that young people play in shaping the future development of the city and the region.
During the training, participants were introduced to the concept of youth entrepreneurship and its close connection with social entrepreneurship. The programme also presented the Youth Entrepreneurship Policy Academy (YEPA) and explored the principles of the social and solidarity economy, highlighting how it differs from traditional business models. A special focus was placed on social innovation as an effective tool for addressing social challenges in local communities.
As part of the programme, opportunities for developing entrepreneurial ideas were presented. Danitsa Yana, a member of the team of the Regional Innovation Centre “Ambitious Gabrovo”, introduced the Entrepreneurship Programme of the European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH), which is currently open for applications. The programme supports the development of innovative business concepts and prepares participants to present their ideas to potential investors. It is open to start-ups, young entrepreneurs, teams and individuals with early-stage business ideas.
Donka Hristova from Youth Centre – Gabrovo presented opportunities for young people to participate in internationally recognised initiatives such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Teenovator and UPSHIFT. The Youth Centre acts as the local coordinator for these programmes in Gabrovo. Participation helps young people develop leadership, creative, scientific, sports and business skills, while also strengthening their university applications. One of the centre’s newest initiatives is the creation of a student-run company developed by and for young people.
During the practical session of the training, participants were divided into five teams and worked on developing ideas for social innovations addressing real challenges in their communities. At the end of the session, each team presented its proposed solution, explained the potential impact on the local community and identified possible funding opportunities and partnerships for implementation.
With the support of the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria, informational materials about the European Union, its policies and current initiatives were distributed to participants during the event.
Within just one hour, five new proposals for social innovation were generated. The event demonstrated that when the enthusiasm of young people meets the experience of experts and the support of institutions, the potential for positive social change in the community grows significantly.
This news item has been created with the financial support of the Research, Innovation and Digitalization for Smart Transformation Program 2021-2027, co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund under project BG16RFPR002-1.002-0001 -C01 “Accelerated digitalization for SMEs in the Central Region through the creation and development of EDIH.” The Regional Innovation Center “Ambitious Gabrovo” bears full responsibility for the content of the document and under no circumstances can it be assumed that this document reflects the official position of the European Union and the managing authority.
