These Are The Bulgarian Nominees For The Central European Startup Awards

The local innovation community is growing. The number of Bulgarian players that have been nominated in the 16 categories of this year’s edition of Central European Startup Awards (CESA), has doubled to 600. Pre-selected for the final run are close to 60 nominees. Some of them are companies and others, individuals – investors, female role models, and digital nomads.

The community can vote up until September 15 for the 16 national winners, who will then compete with the finalists of another nine CEE countries. They will have the chance to win the regional CESA award in Bucharest in November. On the 24th of September, during a special ceremony, the national winners will be announced. 

Who is shortlisted

Actually on the list of pretenders land companies and individuals who have completed the application process once they had been nominated by a local ambassador. The community can then vote for its favorite pretenders. The deadline for the jury vote is also September 15. One jury vote equals the community vote, explain to us the organizers from ABLE, the Association of the Bulgarian Leaders and Entrepreneurs. 

Startup of the Year
EnduroSat	EnduroSat designs, builds and space-qualifies new type of CubeSats for a range of missions from low Earth orbit to Solar System exploration with a main focus on swarm satellite applications.Their satellites provide inter-satellite connectivity.EnduroSat is completely vertically integrated space company, specialising in next-gen satellite communication.
I Rise Mechanics 357 LTD	Rise Mechanics 357 is a high-tech company engineering and manufacturing OMNIBOT – robotic verticalization mobility device for people with motor disabilities. It will improve their health, independence and social inclusion.
OfficeRnD	Coworking and Flexible workspace management platform.
Payhawk	Payhawk develops a smart company card that does your expense reports. Companies can issue and manage cards for employees while staying in control with real-time expense reports and flexible spendings and budget controls.
QuarkVR	QuarkVR provides Immersive Computing on the Edge. QuarkVR’s software solution allows anyone to tap into high end Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality without spending almost any resources – all the heavy work which is usually done by the end user’s expensive PC is now done by a GPU Server in the Cloud and it  is only streamed to the user’s device.
Best Newcomer
Bioseek	BioSeek JSC is a young software company building a new breed of online work environment especially for the needs of scientific research in the domain of Life Sciences- a multi-component platform based on a semantic search engine and on a graph database, which contains all the information scientists need in order to support their research efficiently: aggregated and indexed are scientific publications, patents, grants, drugs, diseases, authors, etc. The platform includes cutting-edge analytics visualization tools, an online marketplace, and a fully integrated specialized messenger.
Campus X	Campus X is the place where great tech companies come to give life to innovative ideas and accelerate on their path to growth. They are are a unicorn factory providing all key elements for tech companies’ success under one roof. Hub – stellar office spaces and services. Capital – bridge to funding and leading mentors. Talent – access to Telerik Academy’s master juniors. Community – a melting pot of movers and shakers.
LogSentinel	LogSentinel is an information security company that keeps critical data safe at scale. Their innovative solutions keep all logs, data and documents protected by blockchain technology. Their advanced AI detects malicious activities and alerts in real time so you can take prompt action. All your business activities are aggregated and displayed on their intuitive dashboard, which gives you full control over your data, combined with advanced business intelligence capabilities.
Payhawk	Payhawk develops a smart company card that does your expense reports. Companies can issue and manage cards for employees while staying in control with real-time expense reports and flexible spend and budget controls.
Аvtoikonom	They digitalize the future customer service and experience ecosystem for Automotive and insurance industries. Save car owners valuable time and efforts for maintaining their vehicles (according to statistics average car owner losses 3-4 days a year with car ownership chores).
Best Smart City Solution
Parknshare	Parknshare connect people who are looking for a parking spot with all off-street and on-street parking spaces such as businesses, municipality parking, airports and etc, providing real-time information via our mobile and web applications. With Parknshare, drivers can find parking spaces of the private owners and reserve them in advance.
Urbanized Bikes	Urbanized is an award winning designer bicycle, engineered for the ultimate urban comfort and ease of use. Inspired by city living, the URBANIZED bicycle comes packed full of thoughtful features for everyday use to seamlessly compliment your lifestyle. Its maintenance is free, weatherproof and portable. It has won two international design awards – 2017 A’design Gold Medal, 2018 Red Dot.
Vhoda mi	VHODAMI’ was created a year ago and is already a fully structured and developed Property management and Maintenance company. The company has developed an online tool that allows residents in buildings to keep track of the spendings and invoices in their block, pay their monthly service and maintenance bills, and communicate with their neighbors.
Investor of the Year
Aeternity Ventures	AE Ventures is an investment company providing initial funding, acceleration and advisory support to Blockchain projects. The company also runs æternity Starfleet – a full-service global acceleration program for seed-stage startups utilizing blockchain technology.
BrightCap Ventures	BrightCap Ventures is an entrepreneur-led, globally-supported, tech-focused early-stage VC fund based in Sofia. Theysupport accelerator- and early-stage technology companies addressing the global market.
LAUNCHub Ventures	LAUNCHub Ventures is an early-stage VC fund, investing in the seed space. Their criteria for investing in a company, including initial traction and founding team composition. As a fund, they have a tendency to invest in digital businesses, but prefer to remain sector agnostic. Their portfolio companies are in the fields of SaaS, Enterprise Software, Health-tech, E-commerce, Mobile, IoT, but they are not limited only to those areas. In terms of geography, they  are based in Bulgaria, but are not hesitant to invest outside of Southeastern Europe.
Best Health Tech Startup
Find Me Cure	Health is the most valuable asset, but not all people have it. FindMeCure are dedicated to the idea to bring it closer to those who don’t. In 2016 FindMeCure.com was created as a portal allowing people all over the world to find innovative treatments in development and potentially a cure. In 2019 the feasibility platform FindMePatients was built. It is designed to help the pharmaceutical industry by combining all relevant data for smarter, faster and easier strategic planning of clinical trials. Last but not least, FindMeCure Ltd supports the FindMeCure Foundation as a clinical trial awareness booster among patients and patient communities.
Iris	Iris Technologies Ltd. is a Bulgarian software company specializing in eye protection and vision improvement software.
NutriGen Bulgaria	NutriGen are a startup company in the field of Nutrigenomics, aiming to facilitate people in Bulgaria in their efforts to improve the quality of life by providing information about their DNA profile. According to them, the more we understand about ourselves and how our bodies function, the better we can follow our individual path to our best health and physical performance.
Printivo	Printivo is young biotech company working in the field of biofabrication and tissue engineering. They are using the cutting-edge technology of 3D-bioprinting to create their products. Their team has developed a unique bioink formula capable of sustaining cellular life and proliferation. Currently,they are developing a multi-organ on a chip, combining 3D bioprinted neurons, bone marrow and liver. Their aim is to provide the pharmaceutical industry with state-of-the art decision for preclinical testing of drug molecules. They believe that their chip has the potential to substitute the animal testing and to make drug discovery process faster, cheaper and most importantly more accurate.
ProsFit Technologies	ProsFit was founded in 2014 to make the lives of amputees better. Suitable prosthetic service provision – providing reliable, affordable and desirable prostheses – is key to the mobility and social integration of amputees and any other persons with limb difference. Prosthetic sockets are the major bottle-neck in prosthetic service provision, as each socket must be custom-made to fit comfortably for the person who needs it. ProsFit’s solution involves a fundamental change in technology and business model, to provide prosthetic sockets using an easily deployed, global and highly scalable solution. ‘First time fit’ rates with ProsFit are 90%+, double that of traditional approaches – and lead to a 5-10x productivity boost for professionals. The ProsFit solution thereby removes the bottle-neck and enables the scale-up of prosthetics provision.
Founder of the Year
Iskren Mitev	Mitec is one of the three co-founders of Escreo, a company that designs and manufactures creativity and collaboration boosting tools. They have specialized in functional paints – magnetic and dry-erase, and solutions for dynamic work environment – modular movable walls.
Ivaylo Hristov	Ivaylo Hristov is an experienced entrepreneur with many years in the field of technological entrepreneurship. He has several startups on his back, but the most notable one is related to the foundation of the Bulgarian-Danish company “Comfo”. Ivaylo and his friends managed to boost the company from a small startup to a successful company with over 70 employees in Bulgaria and Denmark. However, he has extensive experience in the field of Internet Technology. Prior to his entrepreneurial success, he worked at some of the top IT companies, including Microsoft Development Center in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Momchil Kyurkchiev	Originally from Bulgaria, Kyurkchiev graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with an MS in Software Engineering & Management. After graduating, he was a software engineer at Google, where he launched multiple quality improvements to YouTube’s ranking algorithms and built out core infrastructure that dramatically improved revenue. As CEO of Leanplum, he continues to be at the forefront of marketing innovation and multi-channel engagement communication. With $98.3M in funding (Kleiner Perkins, Shasta, etc.), Leanplum has offices in San Francisco, New York, London, Amsterdam and Bulgaria.
Thibaut Taittinger	Thibaut Taittinger is a French serial Entrepreneur with more than 10 years of experience, both as a property developer and an IT startup founder. His core skills are in product and business conceptualization, UI/UX design and finance. He is the founder of Puzl CowOrKing and also became an interior designer to design a coworking that would foster productivity and collaboration. Addicted to innovation and building communities, Thibaut’s work and ethics are unparalleled and well recognized within the Puzl community and beyond. He is passionate about his work and is focused on making Puzl CowOrKing the leading European coworking brand.
Vladimir Davtchev	Vladimir Davchev is one of the founders of HelloHungry – a leading food delivery company in Bulgaria and Romania. Vladi graduated with a BA in Finance from Bryant University and an MBA from Boston College before returning to Bulgaria in 2003. Vladi built BGmenu as a platform for consumers to order from restaurants and soon envisioned a fully integrated BGmenu delivery experience that both generated and executed orders, and in 2014, they launched their idea. They rebranded as HelloHungry, which became market leader in food delivery for Bulgaria and Romania and expiring to takeaway.com
Best Fintech Startup
Colibra	Соlіbrа іѕ а free boarding  раѕѕ wаllеt thаt hеlрѕ уоu gеt аn іnѕtаnt & 100% guaranteed соmреnѕаtіоn оf uр tо €100 if a flight іѕ 1+ hоurѕ lаtе, whаtеvеr thе rеаѕоn.
LogSentinel	LogSentinel is an information security company that keeps critical data safe at scale. Their innovative solutions keep all logs, data and documents protected by blockchain technology. Their advanced AI detects malicious activities and alerts in real time so you can take prompt action. All your business activities are aggregated and displayed on their intuitive dashboard, which gives you full control over your data, combined with advanced business intelligence capabilities.
Payhawk	Payhawk develops a smart company card that does your expense reports. Companies can issue and manage cards for employees while staying in control with real-time expense reports and flexible spend and budget controls.
Paysera	Paysera Bulgaria as a franchise of the Lithuanian e-money company Paysera LT, is one of the first FinTech companies in Bulgaria. Paysera is an online platform that offers money transfers and digital payment solutions at favorable terms, that are faster and with minimal or zero costs for end customers. The platform provides a free digital multicurrency IBAN account (personal and corporate) that supports 30+ at the same time. The account combines all payment solutions one business / individual may need: local and international money transfers, online currency exchange, mobile wallet, payment gateway, online event ticketing system, QR code payments, mass payments and more.
Phyre	Phyre is fintech brand part of the Paynetix group. It has developed a mobile wallet that allows users to pay at any POS terminal around the world via smartphone. Users can also generate cash-back, get vouchers and deals from selected retailers, instantly send money to friends with no fees etc. In the next 12 months, the company will be adding more services to the app –  loans, insurance, local services and features such as utility bills management, parking, and public transportation, cryptocurrencies are on our list.
Best Coworking Space
Campus X	Campus X, a project by the former Telerik co-founders,  is the place where great tech companies come to give life to innovative ideas and accelerate on their path to growth. Labeled as the unicorn factory, the hub is providing all key elements for tech companies’ success under one roof. Hub – stellar office spaces and services. Capital – bridge to funding and leading mentors. Talent – access to Telerik Academy’s master juniors. Community – a melting pot of movers and shakers.
Missia23	Missia23 is an organic idea that wants to disrupt the corporate world we live in. A collaborative model that is inspiring people to fulfill their ambitions, by producing a momentum for creative people to meet, share and embrace one another’s ideas. This is also the only creative tech space in Sofia.
Networking Premium Coworking Space	Networking Premium is a stylish new coworking-coliving space with 4 locations at the city center of Sofia, Bulgaria coming from the downtown area of Tel-Aviv, Israel. – It’s actually a professional social club, event space with a concert stage, a hotel and definitions that take it beyond the “just” coworking term. 70% of the space is devoted to common areas: lounges, open kitchens, meeting rooms, creators room, napping room, and some more cool areas.
Puzl Coworking	Puzl CowOrKing, that has already won the CESA award once, is the tech co-working space in Sofia.  It offers IT professionals and teams the productive environment they need to grow their businesses. Puzl CowOrKing fosters one of the biggest tech communities in the region and built with the mission to support the development of the IT sector in Central and Eastern Europe. The company is currently expanding across the region and has the ambition to build a global network of spaces and members. uzl CowOrKing is home of a thriving IT community with 550+ members from 80+ companies. Its members include freelancers, startups, service providers and investment funds from all corners of the tech industry.
Work & Share Coworking Space	Work & Share is on a mission to create a sustainable, yet dynamic, creative and productive environment of like minded professionals. Bringing under one roof corporations, startups and freelancers, the founders aim to interconnect them, to foster fruitful dialogues and to develop a collaborative culture of sharing and mutual help.
Best Accelerator or Incubator Program
Aeternity Ventures	AE Ventures is an investment company providing initial funding, acceleration and advisory support to Blockchain projects. The company also runs æternity Starfleet – a full-service global acceleration program for seed-stage startups utilizing blockchain technology.
Dare to Scale by Endeavor	Endeavor is a global organization leading the high-impact entrepreneurship movement. Endeavor equips entrepreneurs with the resources needed to succeed through a series of programs and services designed to increase access to markets, talent, and capital. Launched in 1997, Endeavor has established a presence in nearly 40 markets across the world. Endeavor Bulgaria was launched in 2015. Endeavor Bulgaria’s Dare to Scale is a made-to-measure growth program for high potential Bulgarian companies striving to become global players. The 4-month intense program is led by been-there-done-that leaders and features workshops, 1-on-1 mentorship sessions, and networking events.
InvestHorizon Accelerator	InvestHorizon is a programme financed by the European Commission, in association with Eureka, to facilitate series A funding for selected deep tech companies and boosting their investment readiness and investor relations. The Accelerator programme is run by a consortium coordinated by Tech Tour, with the support of the other partners in the consortium BPT, EBN, Meta Grour, EurA, IESE.
SOinventure	SOinventure is an up to three-month innovation program focused on redesigning healthcare, that enhances your product, customer and business development through design thinking principles, access to the newest technologies, cloud services, latest healthcare insights and consumer data. Internal SOinventure: The internal program aims to work with the talents of the company so to allow them to experience the journey from business idea to prototype creation of a solution linked to concrete business challenges.
Best AI/ Machine Learning Startup
Technology Valley	Technology Valley has developed an advanced Conversational AI that automates business processes and saves costs and time.
ScyNet	ScyNet is an autonomous and self-governed decentralized network where all of its participants can act autonomously and in their best interest while making rational decisions without human intervention. The blockchain protocol of ScyNet unites the nodes around a common goal of creating better AI and incentivize them to provide their resources and data for the creation of state-of-the-art supervised, reinforcement, and generative machine learning algorithms.
LogSentinel	LogSentinel is an information security company that keeps critical data safe at scale. Their innovative solutions keep all logs, data and documents protected by blockchain technology. Their advanced AI detects malicious activities and alerts in real-time so you can take prompt action. All your business activities are aggregated and displayed on their intuitive dashboard, which gives you full control over your data, combined with advanced business intelligence capabilities.
Female Role Model of the Year
Elena Nikolova	ESCREO helps people be more creative and productive in the office by transforming the environment around us. They produce whiteboard paint which makes any wall a place for writing and brainstorming. With ESCREO you have an endless canvas where crazy ideas come to life while you wake up your inner child and have fun at work.
Irina Encheva	Irina Encheva is a Manager at Endeavor Bulgaria, a non-profit supporting scale-ups with access to global markets, talent, and capital. Irina is responsible for identifying Bulgaria’s high-impact entrepreneurs and helping them scale more efficiently and effectively. Additionally, Irina leads Endeavor’s local mentorship program as well as the Growth Program for earlier stage companies. Irina is passionate about the evolution of Bulgaria’s entrepreneurial scene and in supporting women-led companies.
Pavlina Dzhartova	Pavlina is the Chief Operating Officer of HyperAspect, a Bulgarian software company founded in September 2017, today with offices in Berlin and Washington. She oversees the business development planning, team development and sales operations within Hyper Aspect
Desislava Bunardzhieva	Desislava has grown in an entrepreneurial family and has graduated with Bachelor hons of Agricultural Business management. While completing her MSc in Crop Protection, she simultaneously worked full time as a marketing manager with role overflow to support the sales team of her  parents’ business. She’s currently the founder of an online shop for women period boxes.
Petya Lipeva	Petya is the Chief Navigator of Puzl CowOrKing. She is actively involved in the development of the IT community in the shared workspace and local entrepreneurial ecosystem. Petya strategically combines operational tasks, technological meetings and management issues with various extreme sports.
Best Blockchain Startup
Evedo	Evedo is a blockchain based platform, consisting of B2B & B2C Marketplaces. It unifies all businesses and participants involved in organizing events. Their aim is to build a marketplace and a true ecosystem that will help the $850+ Billion event industry grow by connecting all parties without unnecessary middlemen.
LogSentinel	LogSentinel is an information security company that keeps critical data safe at scale. Their innovative solutions keep all logs, data and documents protected by blockchain technology. Their  advanced AI detects malicious activities and alerts in real time so you can take prompt action. All your business activities are aggregated and displayed on their intuitive dashboard, which gives you full control over your data, combined with advanced business intelligence capabilities.
Recheck	ReCheck is one of the pioneers in the development of blockchain products with real world application in South-East Europe. The company develops and markets software solutions based on decentralised technology for businesses and end users. ReCheck brings the promises and advantages of blockchain technology, such as security, trust, privacy, data ownership and transparency, within reach for companies and consumers. By securely forming a bridge between existing processes and blockchain, ReCheck creates a platform with higher added value. The functionalities of the platform will give digital life of products and enable secure and private exchange of documents.
ScyNet	ScyNet is an autonomous and self-governed decentralized network where all of its participants can act autonomously and in their best interest while making rational decisions without human intervention. The blockchain protocol of ScyNet unites the nodes around a common goal of creating better AI and incentivize them to provide their resources and data for the creation of state-of-the-art supervised, reinforcement, and generative machine learning algorithms.
Wetonomy	Human-Centric Capitalism on the Blockchain
Best Software Development Partner
CodeCoda Ltd.	CodeCoda is a Custom Software Development provider with delivery centres in Bulgaria and Ireland and over 150 expert Software Engineers. They partner with technology businesses globally helping them to build successful engineering teams and create innovative software products. They  offer offshore, nearshore and bespoke software development services to Small and Medium Size companies and Fortune 500 enterprises.
Dreamix	Dreamix is a software development company located in Sofia, Bulgaria with more than 13 years track record of successful projects. They provide quality end-to-end software product development services following the highest enterprise standards with even higher devotion. With 98% retention rate they have been recognized as a reliable partner from enterprises, institutions and startups. Stability, quality and security are guaranteed in a partnership as to only take part in projects that are in their  field of proficiency and always strive to provide the most effective solutions. The adept knowledge of their developers helps them provide services that are classified beyond technology. They can guarantee quality in Custom Software Development, Machine Learning & Industrial IoT, Enterprise Integration and Business Analysis & Architecture.
MaxSoft	MaxSoft is a  software company dedicated to quality and precision in managing the ideas and needs of the clients. Their developers and consultants are certified specialists and have experience in managing, development and integration of small and large scale projects.
ScaleFocus	ScaleFocus is a technology, R&D and advanced software engineering company. Bringing a wealth of technologies to the international commercial community, the company has positioned itself as a regional leader in the technological realm. More than 800 employees in 9 locations are determined to act according to the mission to provide premium service and innovation partnership.
Soft2Run	Soft2Run designs, develops and maintains software that will actually run and make a difference to their partners and end-users. Some of these systems are custom built high transaction volume enterprise systems. They also work with market-leading technologies such as Salesforce, ServiceNow and SAP among others. The main office and development center is in Sofia, Bulgaria with a branch office in Plovdiv, Bulgaria and sales offices in Zurich, Munich, Stockholm, Belfast, and London.
Best IoT Startup
Develiot	A corporate spin-off from Telelink Group, established as a separate venture in January 2019. A thrifty innovator, specializing in the development of world-class Industrial IoT products and solutions that deliver true value to customers. Their focus is the development of the most practical and optimal industrial-grade devices to gather data, while developing the complete customer journey and the business case for the end-customers. Then they empower partners to provide end-to-end solutions and replicate them globally. As of today they have three business cases and hardware devices that fit that description: Air Quality Monitoring Station, Remote Water Meter Reader, Remote Water Level Monitoring Station (in validation process)
Playground Energy Ltd.	The Bulgarian company motivates kids to play more on the playgrounds by transforming kids energy into electricity and using it for kid’s entertainment and benefits.
Best Social Impact Startup
Cupffee Ltd.	Everything in this world in its very beginning is just a simple idea … But when this simple idea is the one you blindly and unselfishly trust in, the one that doesn’t give you even a moment of rest, the one that becomes everything to you, and when you find proselytes who do not only like the idea but start building it up with you, then this simple idea becomes an IDEA which breaks the norms and has the potential to change the world! Cupffee is such an IDEA!
I Rise Mechanics 357 LTD	Rise Mechanics 357 is a high-tech company engineering and manufacturing OMNIBOT – robotic verticalization mobility device for people with motor disabilities. It will improve their health, independence and social inclusion.
LAM’ON	LAM’ON is a 100% biodegradable laminating film for print. It is derived from renewable resources like corn. The glue layer that they developed specifically for the needs of the industry is completely toxic-free. It is also water soluble in order to ease the recycling process. On top of that their production method is simplified in a way that saves time and money. LAM’ON offers the same results, is used on the same machines, and is offered at the same price range as the currently used laminating films.
Playground Energy Ltd.	The Bulgarian company motivates kids to play more on the playgrounds by transforming kids energy into electricity and using it for kid’s entertainment and benefits.
ProsFit Technologies	ProsFit was founded in 2014 to make the lives of amputees better. Suitable prosthetic service provision – providing reliable, affordable and desirable prostheses – is key to the mobility and social integration of amputees and any other persons with limb difference. Prosthetic sockets are the major bottle-neck in prosthetic service provision, as each socket must be custom-made to fit comfortably for the person who needs it. ProsFit’s solution involves a fundamental change in technology and business model, to provide prosthetic sockets using an easily deployed, global and highly scalable solution. ‘First time fit’ rates with ProsFit are 90%+, double that of traditional approaches – and lead to a 5-10x productivity boost for professionals. The ProsFit solution thereby removes the bottle-neck and enables the scale-up of prosthetics provision.
Digital Nomad / Freedompreneur of the Year
Maggie Nazer	Maggie Nazer began her “career” as a social entrepreneur when she was only 9 years old, and organized charity campaigns for a sick boy from her neighborhood. In the 9th grade she founded a youth-led nonprofit to promote volunteering, and empower her peers through multicultural exchange. Maggie has been in charge of tens of international projects, and has represented Bulgaria as a youth delegate at many world forums (incl. the World Bank Youth Summit, UN Global Youth Forum, etc.) In 2017 Maggie graduated Magna cum Laude from Middlebury College (VT, USA) with a degree in sociology after receiving a full-ride scholarship and countless merit awards. Maggie is the founder of the social enterprise called “Immersion Academy Bulgaria” which offers one of a kind residential language programs which bring together individuals from diverse backgrounds, and offer 24/7 English immersion through diverse activities which help participants not only improve their English skills, but also their critical thinking and leadership skills.
Yana Yaneva	Yana graduated from the American University in Bulgaria with a double major in business administration and journalism and mass communications. In 2006, she started working for Procter & Gamble Bulgaria as an account handler focusing on a career in sales. In 2011, she left as a result of experiencing burn out symptoms due to intensive schedule and being demotivated to pursue a career in the corporate world. In 2013, she opened a gallery for contemporary jewelry and ceramics offering a platform for famous and emerging young artists from Bulgaria and the region. In 2014, she got trained as mindfulness and meditation coach in Thailand and started traveling extensively to serve different projects, starting a community-building platform assisting people in their self-growth and self-development journey through cultivating a mindful way of living and practicing meditation.