The executive directors of the Fund of Funds (FoF) - Alexander Georgiev and Alexander Nenkov, together with key experts from the Company's team, were on a working visit to Brussels. During the visit, they participated in the three-day FI Campus 2025 forum, an annual key initiative of the fi-compass platform organized by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank.
FI Campus is a forum that brings together specialists from managing authorities, financial intermediaries, institutions, and stakeholders from across the EU with the aim of exchanging experience and ideas for the successful implementation of financial instruments under shared management.
Key topics were discussed during the edition dedicated to the 10th anniversary of fi-compass. These included achievements and good practices in Member States with regard to credit and guarantee products, as well as the future of cohesion policy after 2027. Topics related to innovative solutions for equity instruments and those for sustainable and affordable housing were also discussed.
The Fund of Funds team had the opportunity to showcase its knowledge on specific topics such as the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), a key instrument for the social economy; the Savings and Investment Union (SIU); energy efficiency; trends in support of green technologies and the role of equity participation, innovation, and clean industrial transition in them, and others.
This year, the efforts of our team and partner network were again positively assessed by the EU. During FI Campus 2025, a record three applications for the Showcase Awards from Bulgaria reached the final selection. In the Growing Impact category, the Urban Development Fund, supported by the Fund of Funds through the Operational Program "Regions in Growth" 2014-2020, co-financed by the ERDF, received an award. We are pleased that there was significant participation from our partners at Sis Credit, Sustainable Cities Fund, Regional Fund for Urban Development, and others.
During the visit, the Fund of Funds held working meetings at which it presented its role and instruments aimed at supporting start-ups and growing companies, innovation, sustainable development, the circular economy, digitalisation, and investments in infrastructure, among others.
A key meeting was held with European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva. The focus of the conversation was the Technology Transfer Fund (TTF), which highlights the Company's commitment to combining European policies with real opportunities for linking business and scientific research.
Participation in FI Campus 2025 confirms the Fund of Funds' position as an active participant in the European dialogue on financial instruments and a key partner for the financial intermediaries with which it works. Together with our partners, we continue our efforts to share the results and impact of the successful implementation of various financial instruments and to reinforce Bulgaria's image as a good practice in this area.
