“Student Company” Program – Practical Entrepreneurship Training for Youth!
The “Student Company” program is a unique and widely recognized course that gives students the opportunity to go through the entire process of creating and managing their own business. The program is internationally established and is considered a best practice in entrepreneurship education by the European Commission.
Participants go from generating innovative ideas to implementing them through a product or service. They learn about financing, marketing, resource management, and sales, applying these skills in the creation of their company. Student companies have the chance to participate in regional and national competitions, with the best continuing on to European forums like Gen-E.
The student company “BioBliss” wins 12 awards in the “Best Youth Startup in Bulgaria 2025” competition!
The competition aims to support young entrepreneurs by providing access to mentorship, funding, and professional networks. The event’s final was held in front of investors, experts, and business representatives, who personally evaluated the potential of each startup idea.
The student company “BioBliss” from “Prof. Ivan Apostolov” Private English Language Secondary School, Sofia, ranked among the brightest stars of youth entrepreneurship in Bulgaria after winning 12 awards at the prestigious “Best Youth Startup in Bulgaria 2025” competition, organized by the Fund of Funds and Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski.” The team deservedly walked away with 12 awards provided by a total of 55 event partners, including Junior Achievement Bulgaria and Beyond Pre-Accelerator.
🔹 Trophy – Best Youth Startup in Bulgaria 2025 (SDG Dragons category), Fund of Funds in Bulgaria – FMFIB
🔹 Special award from Cleantech Bulgaria – mentoring session
🔹 Dell laptop from Fund of Funds in Bulgaria – FMFIB
🔹 Package from Sofia Tech Park – workspaces, consultations, and professional photo session
🔹 Mentoring session with the Innovation Council board at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI)
🔹 Diploma from BCCI for project with the highest export potential
🔹 Certificate from Sofia Municipality for innovative urban project
🔹 Visit to the European institutions in Brussels
🔹 Mentoring meeting with Innovation Capital Fund
🔹 Prize of BGN 3,000 from the Bulgarian Stock Exchange
🔹 Book from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) for all finalists
🔹 Special award from “St. Kliment Ohridski” Sofia University
The Road to Success: sustainability, ambition, and drive
Sofiya Nikolova (11A), Viktoria Koleva (11A), and Alexandra Klyaneva (11C) began their entrepreneurial journey in September 2024 when they enrolled in the “Entrepreneurship” program and formed their team. Inspired by the idea of sustainability, they initially focused on battery recycling in partnership with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), but soon decided to set a more ambitious goal — to create eco-friendly batteries that do not rely on cobalt and lithium, which harm the environment. This is how “BioBliss” was born.
In March 2025, they won the “Best Innovation” award in Vienna, and in April they qualified for the national round of Junior Achievement Bulgaria and took first place in the “Best Youth Startup in Bulgaria 2025” competition in the SDG Dragons category. Next up for them are registering the company and participating in international competitions such as AmCham EU Youth Entrepreneur and EIT Jumpstart.
