03.10.2025 / APACCCEEC organized the fourth edition of the Academy for Entrepreneurship in Agriculture in Vratsa
In the period 23.09 – 26.09.2025, in the Conference Hall of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Vratsa the fourth edition of APACCCEEC’s project Academy for Entrepreneurship in Agriculture was held. The Academy is a successor of the Accelerator program for start-ups in the field of agriculture between China and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and aims to develop the entrepreneurial climate in major Bulgarian cities outside the capital. In 2024, editions of the Academy were held in the cities of Varna, Burgas, and Plovdiv.
Candidates from different parts of the country took part in the Academy for Entrepreneurship in Agriculture in Vratsa, developing diverse and innovative project ideas on agricultural topics.
The Academy for Entrepreneurship in Agriculture was opened by Dr. Momchil Stanishhev, Director of the APACCCEEC, and Ms. Maya Milova, Director of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Vratsa. They welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of such initiatives for the development of different regions in Bulgaria and the promotion of entrepreneurial thinking.
During a three-day intensive educational program, participants had the opportunity to build on their knowledge and skills and develop their preliminary project proposals with guidance from lecturers and mentors.
Lecturers in the program included:
Assoc. Prof. Kostadin Kolarov, Director of the UNWE Institute of Entrepreneurship, gave young entrepreneurs valuable advice on successful business planning and modeling, explaining in detail the characteristics of the popular business model Canvas and its practical application.
Ch. assist. Dr. Krum Hristov, lecturer at Agricultural University – Plovdiv, introduced the participants to some of the main problems facing agriculture historically and in the present day such as food, farming, energy, and environmental issues, as well as the ways to solve these problems, including the role of the European Union.
Ch. Assist. Dr. Dobri Dunchev, lecturer at Agricultural University – Plovdiv, participated with the workshop “Leadership and Team Management.” Dr. Dunchev explained the importance of effective leadership and management for improving productivity and achieving strategic goals. During the workshop, Dr. Dunchev explained the characteristics and distinctive features of different leadership styles and described which professions and positions would be most suitable for each style.
The Director of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Vratsa, Ms. Maya Milova, participated as a lecturer on the topic “Presentation Skills.” The topic is of great importance both for the final day of the Academy, when candidates present their project ideas to an external commission, and for the overall development of the participants in the future. Proper presentation skills have an impact in various areas, including business, academia, and also on a personal level, because they improve the ability to communicate and express oneself fully. During the lecture, participants had the opportunity to briefly demonstrate some fundamental presentation skills such as speaking clearly, maintaining eye contact with the audience, confidence, and others.
Dr. Momchil Stanishov, Director of APACCCEEC, answered the question “Quo vadis, entrepreneurship” and presented the main aspects of the complex process of starting and running a successful business—from creating a business idea, through preparing a business plan and forming a team, to promoting the business and generating revenue. Simulation games were also held during the seminar, and practical cases related to entrepreneurship were examined and discussed.
Assoc. Prof. Antonina Habova, lecturer at UNWE, presented the characteristics of Chinese culture, protocol and etiquette in diplomatic and business communication between the East and the West, including basic rules for successful communication with Chinese partners. This knowledge will be of great benefit to participants who are interested in entering the Asian markets.
Mr. Peyo Staribratov, an expert in the field of information technology, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence (AI) at the Digital Innovation Hub “Trakia”, demonstrated some current trends in AI through the lens of cybersecurity. Mr. Staribratov noted that artificial intelligence is a powerful tool for any start-up, but it is important to identify the potential risks and threats associated with its use.
Dr. Rosen Ivanov from Agricultural University – Plovdiv answered an import question for all entrepreneurs – Why Startups Fail? Mr. Ivanov discussed the current trends in startup development, emphasizing that the risk of failure within the first ten years is between 60 and 90%, depending on the country. Rosen Ivanov also presented some fundamental causes for startup failure – lack of capital, insufficient liquidity, consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms. Tsvetana Ivanova, manager of the District Information Point (DIP) – Vratsa, shared her more than 15 years of experience in the field of European programs and projects, presenting to the Academy participants opportunities for financing project proposals through the EUMIS 2020 portal, the web portal of non-governmental organizations in Bulgaria (NGOs), and the website of the State Fund Agriculture. Ms. Ivanova talked about her work in disseminating information on current opportunities for European funding and good practices, both for the citizens of the municipality of Vratsa and for other municipalities in the region. She pointed out some additional opportunities for young entrepreneurs, such as participation in thematic information and working meetings, meetings with the media, business forums, etc.
Dr. Stanimir Andonov, lecturer at the Technical University – Sofia, familiarized participants with the development of marketing and branding strategies. Dr. Andonov presented his work in the field of neuromarketing – a contemporary branch of marketing that studies the cognitive and emotional responses of consumers. The expert explained how every entrepreneur can use customer preferences and market trends to build and promote a successful brand, giving popular examples from Bulgaria and around the world.
APACCCEEC also provided two Mentor’s time panels in the program of the Academy, during which the young entrepreneurs discussed their project concepts with the mentors and received valuable guidance for improving the proposals.Participants and lecturers discussed various aspects of the topics covered, thus successfully exchanging experience and ideas.
On the final day of the Academy for Entrepreneurship in Agriculture on September 26, the participants presented their project concepts within 10 minutes to an evaluation committee, which, after a secret vote, decided to declare the Vidin-based company Revolt Software the winner. The project idea of the company’s manager, Teodor Georgiev, is to develop and promote a mobile application that integrates a calendar with notifications and a weather forecast and risk assessment models for agricultural crops. The purpose of the application is to provide farmers with all the necessary information in an accessible way so that they can protect their crops in a timely manner and reduce their losses. The winner received a prize of 5,000 leva to further develop and implement the project idea.
Representatives of ‘Biblioteka Narodno Chitalishte Razvitie’– 1869, Vratsa, with a project to promote herbs among children and young people, were ranked second by the evaluation committee and received an award. Among the other project ideas presented were proposals for the development of silkworm breeding in the Vratsa area, the creation of a board game about agriculture based on the classic game Monopoly, an innovative concept for parthenogenetic reproduction of bees, and the development of an educational corner for educational experiences in the village of Chelopek, Vratsa province.
Five student teams from Secondary School “Kozma Trichkov” in Vratsa, who are intensively studying entrepreneurship, also participated in the Academy. The students had the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice by developing successful project proposals for solar charging station in the school environment and for the organization of farmers markets and educational workshops in the schoolyard.
APACCCEEC team expresses its gratitude to the Chamber of Commerce and Inudstry – Vratsa for the active cooperation in organizing and conducting the edition of the Academy for Entrepreneurship in Agriculture in the city.
We congratulate the winner and all participants for their efforts and active participation. We wish them fair winds in their current and future endeavors, and may the Academy be just one step in their development!
We would like to remind you that you can now apply for participation in the next edition of the Academy for Entrepreneurship in Agriculture, which will be held in Dobrich from December 2 to 5, 2025.
The application deadline is November 26, 2025. More information is available here: https://china2ceec.org/academy-of-agricultural-entrepreneurship/?lang=en
