Invest Bulgaria – a governmental institution, and executive agency under the Ministry of Innovation and Growth – signed today a Joint Declaration of Intent with EIT InnoEnergy, the innovation engine for sustainable energy supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), an institution of the European Union. The common ambition is to accelerate Bulgaria’s involvement in the European battery value chain through several initiatives facilitated through by EIT InnoEnergy. The President of Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev, EU Commissioner Maria Gabriel, Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov,  Minister of Innovation and Growth Aleksandar Poulev and Minister of Economy Nikola Stoyanov attended the ceremony!

This partnership comes as a response to the growing demand for batteries in the context of Europe’s decarbonisation goals, electrification of the transportation and power system, and the need to establish a European battery value chain for clean energy transition and industrial competitiveness.

 

The Joint Declaration of Intent establishes a firm basis for the Parties’ future collaboration, with Invest Bulgaria joining the European Battery Alliance (EBA250), which unites over 800 industrial and innovation actors across the entire battery value chain in Europe. The collaboration aims to enhance the competitiveness and growth of the battery sector in Bulgaria and Europe.

 

Being part of the EBA250 ecosystem will offer access to a network of industry and academic partners from the entire battery value chain (from mining to recycling) including ongoing European research initiatives and will grant Bulgarian stakeholders access to the InnoEnergy Skills Institute (formerly EBA Academy).

The Joint Declaration also emphasizes the Parties’ commitment to cooperate with the InnoEnergy Skills Institute in the skilling and re-skilling of the labour force required for the fast-developing Bulgarian battery value chain. This includes the establishment of a technical expertise collaboration for innovation and technological transfer to implement the know-how of the InnoEnergy Skills Institute in Bulgaria.

 

The collaboration’s main objectives are to increase the competitiveness of the battery, automotive, and other relevant sectors in Bulgaria, and to implement an educational curriculum for the training and re-education of personnel needed to accelerate the battery value chain in the region. Furthermore, partnerships with several Bulgarian universities, industrial associations, and industry partners will be formed to introduce new battery-related curricula with InnoEnergy Skills Institute. The Parties will work towards enhancing cooperation for talent development and knowledge transfer services for local and European stakeholders.