Entrepreneurship Program

Update of the Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation 2021–2027: New Priorities for the Bulgarian Economy

The Ministry of Innovation and Digital Transformation has published for public consultation a draft of the updated Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation (ISSS) 2021–2027. The public consultation period is open from 21 August to 20 September 2026. The document is based on the mid-term monitoring report on the progress of the strategy, approved by the Council of Ministers at its meeting on 9 January 2026, which aims to track achievements across priority thematic areas, identify challenges facing the national innovation system, and outline guidelines for follow-up actions.

From Five to Seven Thematic Areas

The primary structural change in the update is expanding the scope of the strategy from five to seven thematic areas. Five of the originally established areas are retained, with their sub-areas further refined:

  • Informatics and ICT;
  • Mechatronics and microelectronics;
  • Industry for healthy life, bioeconomy and biotechnologies;
  • New technologies in creative and recreative industries;
  • Clean technologies, circular and low-carbon economy.

Two entirely new thematic areas are added to these:

  • Space technologies and dual-use technologies. The area covers satellite systems, Earth remote sensing, satellite navigation and communications, ground space infrastructure, autonomous and unmanned systems, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, space education, as well as technologies with civilian and defense applications. The goal is a more active positioning of Bulgaria in initiatives such as the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), the CASSINI program, the European Defence Fund (EDF), and NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA).
  • Mining industry. The new area is focused on technologies for exploration, sustainable extraction, processing, and recycling of critical raw materials and strategic metals related to the production of batteries, electronics, renewable energy, and defense technologies.

In addition to adding new areas, the status of an existing priority area is also changing: “Informatics and ICT” is now defined as a horizontal area with national scope, rather than one of the sectoral priority areas — given the growing role of digital technologies and artificial intelligence as a universal driver of innovation across all sectors of the economy.

Enhanced Focus on Strategic Technologies

The update reflects an increased priority on technologies identified as strategic for the country’s economic security and autonomy. Key among these are:

  • Artificial Intelligence — expansion into various sectors, also linked to the horizontal role of the ICT area;
  • Microelectronics — design and production of integrated circuits (chips), identified as a “strategic enabler” for digitalization;
  • Space technologies — satellite systems, Earth remote sensing, satellite navigation, ground space infrastructure;
  • Dual-use technologies (civilian and defense) — autonomous and unmanned systems, cybersecurity, defense technologies;
  • Critical raw materials and strategic metals — related to batteries, electronics, renewable energy, high-performance magnets.

Technologies mentioned in the context of high-performance computing and digital transformation:

  • High-performance computing;
  • Quantum computing and quantum communication;
  • Cybersecurity.

The rationales for the increased focus are related to:

  • the growing importance of the economic security and strategic autonomy of Bulgaria and the EU;
  • geopolitical changes (including the conflict in Ukraine);
  • the need for more active participation in European initiatives such as ESA, EUSPA, CASSINI, EDF, and NATO DIANA;
  • positioning Bulgaria within European value chains for batteries, electronics, defense, and space applications.

The central role in coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the strategy, including the new priority directions, is assumed by the Innovation and Scientific Research Council (ISRC).

Conclusion

The update of ISSS 2021–2027 outlines a broader and more strategically oriented framework for innovation development in Bulgaria, responding to changes in the geopolitical and technological environment by incorporating space technologies, dual-use technologies, and the mining industry as new priorities, and by establishing informatics and ICT as a horizontal driver of innovation across all sectors. The public consultation on the draft is open until 20 September 2026.

ISSS is not an application program and does not itself allocate funds. The inclusion of a given direction does not automatically guarantee funding. Specific opportunities, applicants, and conditions are defined in each separate procedure.

However, the strategy serves as an important framework for targeting support under programs such as “Competitiveness and Innovation in Enterprises”, “Research, Innovation and Digitalisation for Smart Transformation”, the National Innovation Fund, “Horizon Europe”, “Digital Europe”, and other instruments.

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.

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