Dr. Michael Wu is currently the Chief AI Strategist at PROS (NYSE: PRO), an AI-powered SaaS provider that helps companies monetize more efficiently in the digital economy. He’s been appointed as a Senior Research Fellow at the Ecole des Ponts Business School for his work in Data Science, and he serves as an advisor and a lecturer for UC Berkeley Extension’s AI programs.
Prior to PROS, Michael was the Chief Scientist at Lithium for a decade, where he focuses on developing predictive and prescriptive algorithms to extract insights from social media big data. His research spans many areas, including customer experience, CRM, online influence, gamification, digital transformation, AI, etc. His R&D won him the recognition as an Influential Leader by CRM Magazine along with Mark Zuckerberg, Marc Benioff and other industry giants.
Michael has served as a DOE fellow at the Los Alamos National Lab conducting research in face recognition and was awarded 4 years of full fellowship under the Computational Science Graduate Fellowship. Prior to industry, Michael received his triple major undergraduate degree in Applied Math, Physics, and Molecular & Cell Biology; and his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley’s Biophysics program, where he uses machine learning to model visual processing within the human brain. Michael believes in knowledge dissemination, and speaks internationally at universities, conferences, and enterprises. His insights have inspired many global enterprises and are made accessible through various contributed chapters (e.g. 60 Leaders on AI, The Commonwealth of Self Interest, etc.) and 2 e-books “The Science of Social,” and “The Science of Social 2.”
Alex is an eminent scholar in the fields of AI/ML, Smart Systems, Signal Processing, and Emotion Recognition. He is affiliated to: Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; Center of Excellence in Informatics and ICT; University, SRH Berlin University as an Academic Head of Big Data and AI; University of California Berkeley as a Lead Lecturer; University of Miami; and University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. Alex has an extensive business background as well. He is a Co-Founder of Innovatia Valley, a Digital Innovation Hub. In the past, he was a Product Manager for Gracenote, Emeryville California, a consultant for Labcyte, San Jose, California, and Stealth Media Labs, Chicago, Illinois, etc. Dr. Iliev has been involved in a number of projects of Virtech, such as: Horizon Europe HealthyW8, H2020 BOWI; H2020 ACTIVAGE, H2020 Cross4Health, EIT Climate KIC TRANSFORM H2020 WE-TRANSFORM, and others.
Georgi is a prominent Bulgarian engineer and academic leader. He holds master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mathematics from the Technical University of Sofia, where he is now Professor and Doctor of Science (since 2019). Over his career he has served in key leadership roles: from 2008-2010 Deputy Dean, then 2010-2019 Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Technology; from 2019 to 2022 Deputy Dean for Research & International Integration in the same faculty; since 2022 Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Technology. He also heads a Centre of Excellence at TU-Sofia. In addition to his academic work, Prof. Todorov is Member of the Managing Board of the Bulgarian Industrial Association, and Chairman of the General Assembly of TU-Sofia. He has authored many peer-reviewed international publications, holds 7 international patents and utility models, plus 19 registered in Bulgaria. He has lectured abroad, including at universities in Chile and China.
Roumen is CEO of Virtech and Co-CEO of Innova Living, a professor and former UNESCO Chairholder. His expertise spans the Internet of Things, Smart City applications, AI, Big Dataand the use of Living Labs methodologies and tools for creating innovative products and services. He has trained in the USA, UK, the Netherlands, among other countries. Roumen is a member of the Management Board of ACTIVAGE.ORG and part of AIOTI, where he serves as Co-Chair of the Health Working Group. He has contributed to over 100 EU Framework Programme, including ENACT, HealthyW8, WE-TRANSFORM, AI4EU and ACTIVAGE. He is author or co-author of more than 100 publications.
Boris is a seasoned expert in applied mathematics and modeling with wide international and domestic experience. He has served as CEO of ALIENO Hypercar and KIBERTRON. Today, he is a Coordinator of the Public council of the non-governmental Association in public benefit "Conva;escent plasma for treatment of COVID-19" and leads Social Innovation in the Horizon Europe projects HealthyW8 and ENACT, as well as co-leading Innova Living (products: Active@Home, NutriWell). Boris is also a leader in iNNObizACADEMIA.org, part of iNNOBIZ1 Swiss Global Ecosystem and Partner Support Network developing the “Live Social Cell” methodology to integrate academia, business, and community through innovative infrastructures and user-centered services, piloting holistic approaches to Long Covid condition and non-communicable diseases. He’s also developed frameworks to attract public-private and fintech/blockchain investment into digital social innovation and smart energy and intelligent communities.
Rosalia is the Founder and Developer of the iNNOBIZ1 Ecosystem and Partner Support Network and a Permanent Member of the Secretariat of the iNNOBIZ1 Economic & Social Impact Investment Forum. With an MSc in Innovation and Digital Transformation of the Agribusiness and a strong engineering background, she combines academic knowledge and technical expertise to build sustainable, future-oriented solutions. Dedicated to innovation, sustainable growth, and international collaboration between Bulgaria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, she has shaped iNNOBIZ1 into a global platform connecting inventors, start-ups, and investors. Under her leadership, the ecosystem is expanding with its flagship solution, the iNNOHub-in-Cube, designed to drive innovative investment projects in healthcare, agribusiness, and sport through transformative innovation and long-term partnerships.
Pavlina is the chairwoman and co-founder of the association "Convalescent Plasma for Treatment of COVID-19", registered at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 for public benefit. She has been at the forefront of advocating for and organizing national campaigns to promote convalescent plasma treatment, which has been already recognized as a first-line method in pandemics caused by new and unknown pathogens. She manages all the activities of the association and is a co-author of the Protocol for the domestic treatment of COVID-19 and the Approach to diagnosis and treatment of long COVID. Dr. Michailova is a journalist, MS in environmental protection, the author of 4 books of prose and poetry, and a scriptwriter of documentaries.
Chavdar is a Bulgarian hematologist and public health advocate, known for his expertise in immune response, vaccine science, and post-COVID recovery issues. He has spoken on the necessity of mucosal vaccines that stimulate IgA antibodies and T lymphocytes to better counter the evolving strains of COVID-19. Dr. Botev contributes to health policy discussions and media outreach, helping bridge scientific insights and public understanding. He combines clinical practicing experience with involvement in scientific research and public health dialogue, with a focus on designing strategies that meet the ongoing challenges of COVID-19 and long-term immunity.
Alex is CTO of Virtech with 30+ years of experience in software industry. He has led many industrial projects related to development large enterprise systems operating with databases containing over 100 millions of records, several projects for mobile technology systems, a system for audiovisual digital rights protection, expertise in development of platforms for data acquisition from remote sensing devices, interactive TV, etc. He has been involved also in several European RTD Projects, such as: including ENACT, HealthyW8, WE-TRANSFORM, AI4EU and ACTIVAGE.
Andrey is Co-Founder and General Counsel of EPIX.AI, a startup at the intersection of AI, epigenetics, and healthspan extension. He holds a PhD in Informatics from the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski.” Over a 14-year span he has been a serial entrepreneur in energy and IT, with experience managing over €100 million in renewable-energy projects. Andrey has also worked extensively in international energy project lobbying, founded/ invested in ventures such as Power Drone, served as Director of Digital Transformation at the Digital National Coalition, and was co-founder and significant shareholder in Anthill.one. In June 2025, it was announced that Exadel, a global digital engineering company, signed an agreement to acquire Anthill.
Boyan is an Associate Professor and leading Bulgarian academic and innovation policy expert, serving at the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies (UniBIT/ULSIT) in Sofia. He is also the National Coordinator for Horizon Europe in Bulgaria, bridging research, education, and public administration to maximise national participation in EU research funding. Boyan specialises in information system management, digital transformation, IoT, AI and public policy; he has published over 30 works and contributes actively to strengthening national R&D ecosystems.
Dessislava is professor and research leader of the Data Management Research Unit at the GATE Institute, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. She holds an engineering degree in Computer Systems & Technologies (2000) and earned her PhD in System Programming (2007) from the Technical University of Sofia. Since 2008 she has served in the Department of Software Technologies, advancing to Associate Professor in 2012. Her current research focuses on semantic data enrichment and interoperability, and she leads the City Digital Twin pilot project, developing an advanced 3D city information model of Sofia to support urban simulation and visualization. She has co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed works and participates in more than 30 national & European R&D projects.
Georgi is CEO & Managing Partner at Crisp Labs, an Applied AI advisory specializing in advanced analytics and custom AI solutions. He has 13 years of experience in advanced analytics research, including leading a pioneering medical-imaging computer-vision prototype for Siemens. Over his career he has worked across domains such as quantitative finance, manufacturing, and business process optimization, bringing both academic rigor and business impact. Georgi combines expertise in reinforcement learning, algorithmic modeling and AI strategy, and is known for guiding organizations to translate data into actionable, high-value solutions.
Hristo is an eminent scholar in the fields of Quantum Computing, AI/ML, Quantum computing: quantum annealing, problem embedding, scalability, performance tuning; Combinatorial algorithms: graph algorithms, discrete optimization, graph partitioning; Machine learning: unsupervised learning, tensor networks, nonnegative tensor factorization; Bioinformatics: protein structure prediction, protein classification, computational genomics. He is also affiliated to: Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; Center of Excellence in Informatics and ICT. Hristo Djidjev received the M.Sc. degree in applied mathematics and the Ph.D. degree in computer science from Sofia University, Bulgaria. He used to be a lead researcher with the Information Sciences (CCS-3) Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Before joining LANL as a Scientist, he worked as an Assistant Professor at Rice University and as a Senior Lecturer at The University of Warwick. He is also currently a Research Adjunct Professor at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.
Ivan is Partner at Crisp Labs, bringing over 15 years of experience in leading AI-powered products from zero to nine-figure scale across gaming, fintech, real estate, and venture capital. He combines strong technical understanding with business acumen, having driven product roadmaps, growth strategy, and market expansion in high-velocity environments. Ilian’s leadership spans building cross-functional teams, designing customer-centred AI solutions, and executing large-scale launches. At Crisp Labs he helps deliver scalable AI & data science solutions for clients, turning complex analytics into measurable business impact.
Kiril is COO of the “PetaScale Supercomputer – Bulgaria” consortium, guiding the operation and development of the Discoverer supercomputer at Sofia Tech Park—a EuroHPC-joint-initiative petascale infrastructure supporting advanced scientific, industrial, and business workloads. He leads internal and external HPC teams, driving high performance computing (HPC) innovation, enabling large-scale simulations and AI model training. Kiril also plays a key role in the AI Factory BRAIN++ project, set to establish Bulgaria as a regional hub for trustworthy, large-scale AI, federated data models, and support for startups and SMEs in AI development and deployment.
Lyubomir is Chief Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies (ULSIT), Sofia. His research spans applied artificial intelligence, deep learning, big data analytics and knowledge discovery, with work in IoT security, GANs/LLMs, requirements engineering and data mining. He has published 15-20 peer-reviewed papers, including on quantum computing applications to climate & pollution, ransomware detection, and COVID-19 CT analysis. Lyubomir earned his PhD in Computer Science. He teaches, mentors, and contributes to building data science curricula at ULSIT.
Mariyan is Development Manager - Global Analytics at Louis Dreyfus Company (since May 2023) where he leads analytics development for global operations. He also lectures part-time in SQL & Power BI at Skillo IT Academy, sharing hands-on data visualization and business intelligence skills. Mariyan is pursuing a PhD in Computer and Information Sciences at ULSIT, building on his Master’s in Data Science and Bachelor’s in International Relations. Before his current roles, he gained experience as a BW/BI Consultant at KPMG, SAP / Hybris consultant and business analyst at firms such as Atos, developing both technical and domain expertise. He is a results-driven analytics professional with proven expertise in leading global analytics initiatives, designing enterprise reporting solutions, and driving digital transformation.
Miglena is the Founder & CEO of LawMindedAI, a deep-tech venture dedicated to bridging law and technology for trustworthy, compliant AI. She is a seasoned corporate, IP & regulatory lawyer and mediator since 2005, with dual backgrounds in competition and innovation law. She obtained her law degree from the University of National and World Economy, Sofia, and an LL.M. in European Law from the University of Hamburg. Over two decades she’s advised startups, scale-ups, SMEs, and large companies—including in digital, media, financial services & tech—on regulatory compliance, IP/IT law, M&A, and competition law. Her current focus is on EU AI regulation, RegTech & building audit-ready frameworks that help organizations embed trust, accountability and governance into innovation.
Milena is a Bulgarian molecular biologist, genetics and epigenetics expert, and Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer at EPIX.AI. She is a full Professor at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, where she heads research in molecular biology, aging, and epigenetic regulation. At EPIX.AI she leads R&D efforts, managing interdisciplinary teams aiming to understand the molecular drivers of aging, develop tools for measuring biological age, and design interventions to slow or reverse age-related decline. Milena has co-authored 100+ peer-reviewed publications, serves as editor/reviewer for high-impact journals, and is active in multiple international projects and academic societies.
Nikolay has long experience with European healthcare. His PhD from the University of Copenhagen focused on Court of Justice of the European Union adjudication in patients' rights cases and on the application of the Cross-border Patients' Rights Directive in Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, the Netherlands and Denmark. He also worked at DG SANTE at the European Commission on several health-related dossiers and published a report on Antimicrobial Resistance in Europe. As a policy officer at the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Nikolay was in charge of enhancing the measures for stable iodine distribution in case of nuclear emergency. Since returning to Bulgaria in 2018, Nikolay has worked at Sopharma Trading as a Project Manager for the strategic projects in both Bulgaria and Serbia. Since February 2023, Nikolay has been Chief Operating Officer at EPIX AI getting the company ready for its market launch.
Sergey is co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Crisp Labs, leading advanced AI research and development with a focus on transformative and scalable solutions. He has successfully implemented 15+ ML projects for business enterprises and public sector clients across a wide range of domains. An active researcher, his work includes contributions in large language models (LLMs), text-to-SQL systems, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and LLM agentic behaviour. Sergey is final‐year PhD candidate at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, specializing in bridging theory and application, harnessing frontier AI to deliver real-world impact.
Sylvia is a professor and academic leader. She earned her M.Sc. in Electronics and a Ph.D. in Informatics – Computer Systems and Technologies from the Technical University – Sofia. Since 2002 she has been Associate Professor, and since 2012 Professor, in the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski.” In September 2019 she became Director of the GATE Institute and head of the European project GATE. Her research areas include software platforms, software engineering for AI, data management, and software development processes. She has led over 30 European research and educational projects, supervised more than 200 master’s theses, and publishes widely. Recognized among Bulgaria’s top IT leaders, she has received awards for her contributions to Big Data & AI, and works also.
Martin is a Data and AI Engineer, whose path into biotech began in an unlikely place—building large-scale data systems for e-commerce. Inspired by a passion for longevity and the “code of life,” he transitioned into genomics at 23andMe and epigenetics at Grail. Today, Martin applies that journey at Epix.ai, developing AI-driven epigenetic clocks for polygenic risk score pipelines to advance human healthspan.
Bozhidar is Head of Strategic Development at The Revenues Factory, a role he assumed in March 2025. He focuses on growth strategy, market positioning, partnership development, and scaling AI-powered sales solutions. Previously, he was Senior Wealth Advisor (Jan–Sep 2024) and Chief Expert in Strategic Analysis and Development in the public sector. Known for combining analytical precision with strategic vision, Vidinov helps Series A & B startups accelerate go-to-market efforts through enterprise sales consulting and AI-driven execution. He is also part of the core team behind StartUp Bulgaria’s flagship Crossroads conference, which brings together entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to shape the future of the Bulgarian startup ecosystem.
Denislav is a DevOps Engineer at the Discoverer Petascale Supercomputer in Sofia, Bulgaria, having joined the team in December 2021. He oversees the health, performance, configuration, and monitoring of Discoverer’s large-scale computing infrastructure. With earlier experience in web development, Denislav brings both software and systems perspectives to his current role. He earned a diploma in Systems Programming from the National High School of Computer Technologies & Systems in Pravets, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Systems and Networks from New Bulgarian University. He is a key contributor to Discoverer’s operations, ensuring robust, scalable, and resilient supercomputing services.
Professor Ivo Petrov, MD, PhD, FACC, FESC, is Medical Director and Head of the Cardiology & Angiology Department at Acibadem City Clinic Cardiovascular Center in Sofia, Bulgaria. A graduate of Sofia Medical University (1992), he earned specialties in Internal Medicine (1999), Cardiology (2003), and Angiology (2014). He completed advanced training in echo stress-testing in Wiesbaden, Germany, and held a fellowship in invasive cardiology and radiology at the Favaloro Foundation, Buenos Aires. Prof. Petrov is recognised for pioneering endovascular therapies in Bulgaria, including the first child treated endovascularly for aortic dissection, and early adoption of treatments for carotid stenosis, stroke intervention, renal denervation, and complex coronary and aortic pathology. He is professor at Sofia University and holds leadership roles in national and international cardiology and endovascular societies.
Kamen graduated from Sofia Medical University in 1997. In 2002 he completed USMLE-board-level courses at UC Davis, California, and in 2003 he founded a company conducting research and representation in pharmaceuticals and natural health products. From 1998-2006 he served as medical director of DKC “Dr. J.S. Greenberg,” and he has acted as consultant for the World Bank in labour-adjustment strategy for Bulgaria, and hosted the TV programme “Medical Review.” Since 2014 he has been co-owner and manager of Membrain Technologies, a company developing and distributing sports supplements; from 2018 he also co-owns and manages Inkmed Ltd. He holds a vice-presidential R&D role with All American Pharmaceutical & Natural Foods Corporation (USA), and consults in New Zealand with Canbhealth Ltd. Dr. Stoychev has extensive experience in clinical trials, entrepreneurial healthcare innovation, dietary supplements, and improving life quality through therapeutics.
Teodor is a nephrologist based in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, with over 31 years of medical experience. He graduated from the Medical University of Plovdiv in 1994, later specializing in Toxicology (1998), Internal Medicine (2014), and most recently Nephrology in 2024. In 2023 he also earned a Master’s degree in Medical Management. His qualifications include Level 1 and Level 2 ultrasound diagnostics (2014–2015) and proficiency in dialysis equipment and procedures (2018). He is a member of the Bulgarian Medical Association and participates regularly in both national and international congresses and seminars in his fields. Dr. Atanasov’s career has included service at the Plovdiv Emergency Medical Center (1994), the Toxicology Clinic at St. George University Hospital (2000), Hippocrates Medical Center (2012), Spetsial Clinic Hospital (2014), and the Hemodialysis Center at UMBBAL Plovdiv (2018). In 2023 he served as a representative to the UN and WHO via the Ukraine – Support & Renewal Foundation. He maintains private practice in Plovdiv, serves as official representative of Biruni University Hospital in Istanbul, and is currently part of the specialist team at the Sv. Georgi Diagnostic-Consultative Center in Plovdiv. He speaks German and Russian, and treats patients in those languages.
