For the second time Bulgarian companies received awards for their successful use and commercialization of innovative products. Prizes were given by a jury of the Council on Innovation and Technology Development at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce. According to members of the jury, the great interest of companies to participate in this competition is evidence of the important role innovation products play in the economic development of a country.

The evaluation criteria are related to originality of ideas, economic efficiency and contribution to environmental protection. A recent study has shown that less than 10% of companies are ready to give their own funds for research and development of new technologies. Bulgarian and global businesses can not develop well if they turn their backs on innovation. This belief of the members of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has led them to establishing awards in the categories of „Most Successful Innovative Company" and "Best Innovative Project." The aim is to draw attention to those who are not afraid to use new ideas and through them to reach new markets and to optimize productivity and quality.

"Mobile Systems" Ltd based in Sofia is the company that grabbed the price for the most successful innovative company. The company has developed a mobile office package for modern devices that has been selling well on the international market. Thus the Bulgarian company actually competes with companies like Google and Microsoft. The team of this medium enterprise is not large, but thanks to its products the company is partner of technology giants in the field of mobile communications. Millions of customers worldwide use the Bulgarian software every day as it comes preinstalled on devices manufactured by leading international companies.

The Institute of Metal Science at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences grabbed the award in the "Best Innovative Project" category for the production of thermal insulation material (foam glass) from glass waste. Representative of the scientific team that developed the innovative method of production is prof. Luben Lakov. He told us about the ways this innovation would contribute to the Bulgarian economy:

“We use recycled waste glass. This innovation has a positive economic effect because the cost of energy to obtain the product is very low. Profits depend on the volume of production. The new type of foam glass will be used for renovation of buildings, for heat and sound insulation and for preventing fires. The Bulgarian contribution to the technology is the machine that creates the foam glass. 7 cubic meters of the material are produced from a ton of glass. Glass does not absorb water, does not burn and does not age. Unlike other types of insulation, foam glass does not age and does not contract as a material. We have already been looking for serious companies to start production. We strive to quickly enter the market. We have enough experience and we can build a production facility to prove the industrial application of this material. We have established contacts with the Department of Building Materials of the University of Architecture, Construction and Geodesy in Sofia, who are waiting for the product to emerge on the market in order to teach their students about its application and use.”

English: Alexander Markov