CROWDSTREAM FINAL CONFERENCE IN BULGARIA, hosted by ubbsla
The international conference “CROWDfunding to mainSTREAM innovation“, hosted by the Bulgarian partner – Union of Bulgarian Black Sea Local Authorities (UBBSLA) was held in Varna on 28.05.2019. Planned as a project final event, the conference was the meeting place of many European and local experts and stakeholders in the field of crowdfunding.
The international conference was officially opened by Mr. Peter Manchev, Deputy Regional Governor of Varna and by Mrs. Mariana Kancheva, Executive Director of UBBSLA.
In his welcome speech, Mr. Manchev said that Varna is one of the leading cities in Bulgaria in the field of crowdfunding activities. “In our city there are 6 universities and about 28,000 students. There are also a number of organizations that provide training and support for start-ups. The main focus in Varna are digitization, smart applications, tourism, social services, etc. There is a base, human resources and support from local and regional authorities. What is a challenge for us is attracting relatively large international partners and investors. That is why the CrowdStream project is particularly interesting for the community and the region. I hope that in today’s event we will create good contacts and new opportunities for common project’s ideas that will attract investors and developers in Varna”, concluded Mr. Manchev.
In front of a wide audience of representatives of local business associations, Varna University of Economics, Varna District Administration, Municipality of Varna and Municipality of Devnya, Varna Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Scientific and Technical Union – Varna and many young people interested in business development with the help of crowdfunding, the project partners shared their experience and achievements in the frame of CrowdStream.
The event was launched with a short presentation of CrowdStream by Mr. Dragan Kovacevic of the Agency for European Integration and Economic Development (AEI), the leading organization of the project and a review of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, presented by Mrs. Claudia Singer (EUSDR). An Open Discussion Panel followed by Ms. Brigitte Hatvan of the Austrian consultancy company ConPlusUltra, Mr. Alexander Yanicic of the Technopolis Innovation Center (Montenegro) and Mrs. Silvia Stumpf of Business Agency Varna, . They all shared their experience of innovative services and group funding.
At the second session on „Quality framework for alternative finance”, Mrs. Ivana Mišetić, ZICER, Croatia, joined by Mr Daniel Horak – CONDA and Mr Rudolf Kinsky – AVCO, Austria addressed topics such as relevance of crowdfunding as a new instrument in the context of alternative financing options, ensuring high quality for cross border crowdfunding, alternative financing and crowdfunding experience. Their discussion were followed by a third panel titled “Capacity building”, chaired by Mrs. Brigitte Hatvan, ConPlusUltra. The panelists Stefano Guardat i– STP, Slovenia; Mr Robert Nemeth – PBN, Hungary; Ms Alexandra Pintilie – CPU, Austria and Mr Jan Jares – JAIP, Czech Republic shared their views on increasing knowledge and capacity of relevant actors on qualitative crowdfunding, alternative financing for energy projects and impressions from CrowdStream pilot trainings and field missions.
The panelists of the final session “Innovation frameworks and next steps to follow-up”, Mrs Silvia Shtumpf – Business Agency Varna, Bulgaria; Ms Lilyana Savova– ITERA Institute – Varna, Bulgaria and Mrs Polina Antonova – Institute for Youth Initiatives and Innovations, Bulgaria shared their experience on innovative services provided by the Business Pre-Accelerator of the North-East of Bulgaria, European Digital Bootcamps and starting successful business.
Presentations:
Overview of CrowdStream project work, Dragan Kovacevic, AEI
EUSDR presentation, Claudia Singer, EU Strategy for the Danube Region
The relevance of crowdfunding as a new instrument in the context of alternative financing options, Rudolf Kinsky, Austrian Private Equity and Venture Capital Organisation
Ensuring high quality for cross-border crowdfunding – building and sustaining the trust in the alternative finance industry, Ivana Mišetić, Zagreb Innovation Center
From national alternative finance laws to legal frameworks for crowdfunding in the Danube countries, Daniel Horak, CONDA Crowdinvesting
Business Pre-Accelerator of the North-East of Bulgaria – innovative services provider, Silvia Stumpf, „Business Agency” Association
CrowdStream Training and Capacity Building Package, Digital training course, Stefano Guardati, STP
CrowdStream Training and Capacity Building Package, Robert Nemeth, Pannon Business Network Association
Alternative financing for energy projects, E-FIX, Alexandra Pintilie, ConPlusUltra
CrowdStream Pilot Actions, Jan Jares, South Bohemian Agency for Support to Innovative Enterprising
Business in action: how to start successful business, Lilyana Savova, ITERA Institute – Varna
Focused on the challenge of creating new innovative support services for small businesses, CrowdStream has conducted a number of trainings, and transnational and regional strategies have been developed to improve access to alternative financing for businesses. More about the achievements of the project, you can find here: >>>>>