1. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Black Sea Network For Regional Development Kick-off Meeting Varna, 14 October 2011

2. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 CONTENTS 1.North-East Region of Bulgaria 2.Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovations - RAPIV BlasNET

3. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 1.North East Region of Bulgaria The NER consists of 4 administrative districts – Varna, Dobrich, Targovishte and Shumen. It covers 15319 sq. km, with population of 956 000 inhabitants. Eastern border is the Black sea. BlasNET

4. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Regional Economy Regional economy has the following structure: sector of services – 50,7% from region’s GDP, followed by the industry – 41,7 % (almost twice above the average for the country) and the agricusture – 7,6%. Gross production by sectors BlasNET

5. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Infrastructure NER is the eastern border of the European Union and the region is important for the economics of Bulgaria and Europe. Two very important European transport corridors are crossing the NER: Corridor No 8 and Corridor No 9 Via the Varna Port complex, Bulgaria is connected to the Black Sea region. BlasNET

6. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Education 6 UNIVERSITIES Technical University – Varna Naval Academy - Varna Medical University – Varna Varna Free University University of Economics – Varna University of Shumen The total number of students is above 30 000 and the number of lecturers and researchers is above 2 000. BlasNET

7. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Historical Heritage NER has rich cultural and historical heritage. There can be found Thracian, Roman, Byzantine and Bulgarian remains. The first capital of the Bulgarian state, 681 year A.D. Pliska is placed in the region. Near the city of Varna it was found the oldest gold in the world. BlasNET

8. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Tourism The region is famous with its sea resorts on the Black sea: Golden Sands, Albena, Riviera, St.St. Konstantin and Elena, Rusalka, etc. BlasNET

9. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Marine industry BlasNET

10. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 ICT ICT is one of the most prospective and fast developing sectors in the region. Scientific potential is concentrated in Varna and Shumen. 94% of the companies in the ICT sector have 100% Bulgarian capital. BlasNET

11. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Varna Municipality Varna is a contemporary European city-region. It is marine, cultural, academic, transport and tourist center of primary importance and is characterized by sustainable development in vital, healthy and favorable for sport - entertainment environment and preserved cultural heritage. BlasNET

12. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 2. Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovations – Varna (RAPIV) Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovations (RAPIV) is a non- governmental utilitarian non-profit organization, carrying out its activities in public benefit, for stimulating regional economy, through the development of entrepreneurship and innovations. BlasNET

13. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Members of the Association  Local Authorities District Administration – Varna The Municipality of Varna The Municipality of Aksakovo  Universities in the city of Varna  Scientific and Research Institutes;  NGOs  Business  Bank BlasNET

14. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Partnership with the business in the sectors TOURISM MARINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY BlasNET

15. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 RAPIV – Main Activities  High-Technology Business Incubator  Centre for Innovations and Technology Transfer  Establishment of a High- Technology Park BlasNET

16. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 High Technology Business Incubator-Varna PRIORITIES For the admission of companies  Information and Communication Technologies;  Technologies for protection of the environment and the sustainable development (incl. alternative energy);  Advanced marine technologies;  Medical and Pharmaceutical Products and technologies. BlasNET

17. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 There are incubated companies, which already finished their stay in the Incubator with very high results – more than 8 times growth in their income and 5 times increase of employees. These are “3K” Ltd, “Svemar” Ltd, etc. Success Stories BlasNET

18. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre PRIORITIES  Regional Innovation policy;  Technology transfer;  Innovation services for SMEs;  Regional investments. BlasNET

19. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Regional Innovation Policy Project № 014664 NE - BG RIS, “Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS) for the North-East Planning Region (NEPR)” is carried out within 6 th Framework Programme of the EC.  Partners: RAPIV, coordinator of the project; Alliance of the District Governors of NEPR; Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works; University of West Macedonia, Greece; Regional administration of Region Liguria, Italy; Regional administration of Region Abruzzo, Italy.  Duration: 32 months (01.06.2005 – 31.01.2008).  Budget: 466 000 Euro.  43 projects to be realized, 7 of which are pilot projects. BlasNET

20. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Project REGIOCLIMA Regional cooperation towards adaptation to climate change  The project is implemented under INTERREG IVC programme of EC, priority for environment.  GENERAL OBJECTIVE: To assist societies to adapt to the new climate conditions both by minimising the risk of damage and exploiting the new opportunities arising from a changing climate.  DURATION: 36 months. Starts in October 2008 and ends – September 2011.  BUDGET: 1.999.970,00€  DEVELOPMENT OF EUROPEAN STRATEGY FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE.  PARTNERS: Cyprus, Italy, Spain, Estonia, Slovakia, France, Greece, Bulgaria BlasNET

21. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011  The project is implemented under INTERREG IVC programme of EC.  GENERAL OBJECTIVE: To improve the territorial reach of regional innovation policies, through a better connection of peripheral areas with the regional innovation systems, in order to improve the diffusion of innovation and balanced economic and technological development throughout the EU territory.  BUDGET: 1 976 077 €  PARTNERS: Bulgaria, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, UK Project INOLINK Connecting the Territory Through Innovation Network BlasNET

22. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Municipality of Varna and RAPIV collaborate in different projects for stimulating regional economy on the basis of innovations. RAPIV developed: Actualization of the Plan for development of Varna Municipality for the period 2007-2013, Contract: Д-8-9200/1419. Cooperation with Municipality of Varna BlasNET

23. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Regional investments.  Creation of a “Regional One Stop Investment Office”, under PHARE Programme. Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre Innovation services for SMEs.  EOS Project “Euro office services”, under 6 th FP.  Project InnoSME for fostering of the participation in 7 th FP under 6 th FP. Technology transfer.  Creation of “Marine Technologies transfer Centre” with the Naval Academy under PHARE Programme. BlasNET  Project under Law 84/2001 ICE 061966 – Creation of a network for the support of local SMEs in the high technology in Bulgaria and Romania through SMEs from Liguria, Italy.

24. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 High Technology Park - Varna Available conditions for the creation of HTP  Organizational structure –RAPIV.  Centre for development of the regional innovation policy.  Presence of universities and research institutes.  High percentage of regional companies in the sphere of high technologies.  Presence of high qualified specialists.  Access to international transport.  Access to financial resources. BlasNET

25. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Participation in the European Networks INNOVATIVE REGIONS IN EUROPE BlasNET

26. Kick-off Meeting,Varna,14.10.2011 Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovations - Varna High-Technology Business Incubator r.q.“Asparuhovo”, P.O.Box 87 Varna 9003 Bulgaria tel.: +359 52 383700 fax: +359 52 383701 E-mail: office@rapiv.org www.rapiv.org CONTACTS BlasNET