Making Waves at the Maritime Innovation Showcase in Varna
Publish Date: October 14, 2026
Today we had the pleasure of joining the Study Visit & Maritime Innovation Ecosystem Showcase at the Planetarium Hall of the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy in Varna
A vibrant gathering of maritime minds from across Europe
The event transformed Varna into a lively hub of maritime innovation, collaboration and fresh ideas. Under the auspices of the Enterprise Europe Network, who shared the impressive scale of their mission: a presence in 60 countries, connecting 450 member organizations – all committed to helping businesses cooperate, innovate and find new partners across borders.
Today’s focus on the marine sector brought this mission to life, creating a space where academia, industry and international experts could meet, exchange ideas and spark new collaborations. From startup showcases to tech demos, from academic insights to business matchmaking, the event was buzzing with energy.
Georgi Iliev took the stage to present three of the company’s leading ventures – the core business, the NGO and the Academy currently in the works:
- 🚢 Sirius Maritime Group
How the company navigates the yacht industry with a mix of precision, innovation, transparency and reduction of the layers that yacht management entails – reducing paperwork and the complexities of operations, finance, compliance, crew and technical topics. - ⛵ Bulgarian Yachting Association (BYA) Yachting Association
Championing the spirit of yachting in Bulgaria — building community, raising standards, and inspiring more people in affiliate work streams to join the network and advocate for a better positioning of Bulgaria on the international maritime map. - 🎓 Euxine Academy
The upcoming educational platform aimed to shape the next generation of maritime professionals.
“We connected, exchanged ideas, discovered new opportunities — and proudly represented Varna as an active part of Europe’s maritime innovation ecosystem.”
- Georgi Iliev, Operational Project & Business Development Manager of Sirius Maritime Group
The showcase featured a series of forward‑thinking presentations that truly brought the future of maritime training and technology to life:
Simulator Prototypes Data-driven Digital Systems Crisis Management Training Tools Intelligent VR Systems Innovative Training Methodologies Biometering Technologies and many more…
These demonstrations added a dynamic, hands-on dimension to the event – showing how technology is reshaping the maritime world faster than ever.
A huge thank you to Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, Enterprise Europe Network, Marine Cluster Bulgaria and ICT Cluster – Varna for the invitation, partnership and the impeccable organization.
