The European Day of the Entrepreneur /EDE/, traditionally organized by Sofia Municipality and Sofia University "St.Kliment Ohridski" will be carried out for the sixth time on 23 - 24 of November 2008 at the Inter Expo Center, Sofia. All the relevant Ministries and more than 20 important public, non-governmental and private structures are co-organizers of this significant forum.

This year the European day of the Entrepreneur will be held under the motto "INNOVATIONS – THE EUROPEAN MODEL FOR SURMOUNTING ECONOMIC CRISIS". As usual the event will provide a unique environment for promoting innovation and technology transfer activities. In plenary and panel sessions topics on European and National programs supporting innovation process will be presented in order to foster economic development and growth of the country. Newly established technology transfer offices in Bulgarian universities will meet together to present their results and challenges.

As each year in the concomitant events focus will be on the opportunities for deepening the cooperation between research and business in the establishment of a knowledge based society.

The main themes of EDE 2009:

• Science-business relationship for applying of the innovation policy of EC;
• Commercialization of scientific results in the social sector;
• Intellectual property – resources and opportunities for economic development;
• Innovations and presentation of social services by SMEs;
• Invasion of the new technologies and innovations in the social and economic sector of the municipality;
• Sharing of best practices for successful entrepreneurship;
• Exhibition of technological products;
• Publication of the results of students’ competition for innovative entrepreneurship idea etc.

EUROPEAN DAY OF THE ENTREPRENEUR, PAST EDITIONS

The first EDE event (October 2003) was held under the motto "INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT". More than 300 participants had the opportunity to get acknowledged with successful practices of European networks in support to the innovative entrepreneurship. Foreign partners from Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxemburg, Spain, Serbia and Macedonia, as well as representatives from the European Commission exchanged their experience and actively participated in the different discussion sessions. The event was highly evaluated by foreign and Bulgarian guests.

In 2004 the EDE had the slogan EU MARKET: "OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES". In two plenary, 16 panel sessions and 3 concomitant events again key stakeholders from Bulgaria and Europe discussed successful models and effective solutions in the implementation of the innovative development of the country and outlined the paths for harmonization of the entrepreneurial activities to the European standards.

In 2005 the forum was held under the motto "INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP ENCOURAGEMENT AT LOCAL AND REGIONAL LEVEL" and was oriented directly towards the local and regional authorities in Bulgaria.

The 2006 event was focused on "EUROPEAN FUNDS AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT" and the main discussions were on challenges in front of the business and local authorities for planning and implementing projects under the EC Structural Funds.

EDE 2007 motto was "INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP" and was focused on new technology transfer as catalyst of quality entrepreneurship and business growth.

FOSTERING THE ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH INNOVATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER will be the slogan of this year EDE 2008 initiative.