1. Competitiveness Initiatives in the Europe and Eurasia Region Sofia, Bulgaria June 8 - 10
Presentation
Bulgarian Competitiveness Initiative
Development process, implementation and results

2. PHASE 1 – The Bulgarian Competitiveness Exercise (1)
Approximately 70 presentations (mixed and industry specific groups) to over 2000 people all over the country
Over 40 appearances on TV and radio throughout the country
Interviews and articles have been published in all daily, weekly and monthly newspapers and magazines, and more specifically several series in all leading business newspapers and magazines
Web site developed –
Video developed and widely disseminated (includes interviews with Garrett Fitzgerald, former PM of Ireland, several Bulgarian business leaders, and former President Stoyanov)

3. PHASE 1 – The Bulgarian Competitiveness Exercise (2)
Competitiveness Benchmarking Report for Bulgaria developed and disseminated to representatives of the business community, Government, Parliament and donors
Competitiveness Questionnaire has been prepared by the IME / Bulgaria, based on a questionnaire of the Monitor Company and a previous poll of the World Bank conducted in five Balkan countries. (Over 160 responses)
Six case studies and five overviews developed (Overviews - Factor Conditions; Domestic Demand Conditions; Tourism 2000; Wine Industry and Financial Sector; and Case Studies - Canning Industry, Unimasters Logistics, Vinzavod Assenovgrad, Sirma, EPIQ, Wooltex)
Short study on geographic clustering of industry in Bulgaria developed by FED / Bulgaria, which was in fact the first try at cluster mapping

4. PHASE 1 – The Bulgarian Competitiveness Exercise (3)
National Competitiveness Conference – Key note speaker: Joe Maria Figueres, former President of Costa Rica
In-depth round tables and working groups organized with 6 sectors: textile / garments, wine, tourism, shipping / transport, fruit and vegetable processing and IT
Final Competitiveness Report developed and disseminated to the widest range to the business community, Government, Political parties and donors
At the end the BCE, the topics of competitiveness and
cluster development were part of the vocabulary and
activities of all political parties, Parliament, Government,
business community, as well as the rest of the donors,
which, since then, have started and continue to implement
competitiveness or cluster development projects.

5. Before continuing on to PHASE 2…
After the massive media coverage, reports,
surveys, seminars and conferences, the
Project decided to pull back and wait for the
most interested, organized and forward
looking sector(s) to approach the Project and
decide to go forward as a full partner in the
process and not just a participant

6. PHASE 2 – The Bulgarian Competitiveness Initiative (BCI): IT
The IT sector approached us and the Project decided to support their initiative.
The IT sector was chosen because:
Only ones that organized themselves (all leading associations, small and large Bulgarian and foreign companies came together)
Came with a concrete proposal, to develop a National IT Strategy
The new Government, at that time, established the first ever IT position (Deputy Minister of Transport and Communication) and an ICT Agency
Last but not least, we believe that IT is the catalyst for the economic growth of all other economic sectors in Bulgaria

7. PHASE 2 – BCI: IT
Working group on the Strategy was established and the true leaders came forward, which became the core IT group.
The core group was supported by USAID on a study tour to the Silicon Valley
A study tour to Bilbao was organized by BASSCOM and co-sponsored by the association and participants
After extensive discussions and analysis, the core group and a wide number of business and Government supporters with local and international experts – a first draft was developed, disseminated for comments and then finalized.
The core IT group got the strategy accepted and supported by the Prime Minister, President, all economic Ministers, the CEG, the whole IT community and finally was officially accepted by the Council of Ministers.

8. Implementing the IT Strategy
ICT Cluster Center established
Public – private dialogue on ICT issues constant and very professional
Branding Bulgaria – ICTalent
ESI Center / Bulgaria established (one of 6 in the World)
Toolkit for Technology Parks developed
IT solutions for business brochure developed and disseminated
Education working groups; LaSalle, Stevens University
iBulgaria Program by the MoTC – Computerization of schools, Tele-centers, Virtual University
Investment Delegation to the US

9. University-affiliated Talent IT Companies in Bulgaria
Overview of ICT Cluster System
USA
GER
FRA
Government
Business
Associations
NGOs
National
IT Policy
(IT Body)
Global Outsourcing Marketplaces
(e.g. elance.com, rentacoder.com)
Virtual
Incubator /
Business
Accelerator UK
UAE
Online Opportunities Exchange
national portal for credential-building projects
PPP IT Promotion
Networks Abroad
University-affiliated Talent
(includes startup IT entrepreneurs)
Regional
Users
“Quick start”
eCenter
Facilities
Tele-centers
Incubators
Business Centers
Learning Centers
E-Gov Portal IT
COORDINATION
CLUSTER
CENTER
Bulgarian-
Owned
IT Firms
Technology
Scholarship
Fund
International
IT Companies in Bulgaria
Business
and
Technology
Parks
Innovators /
Inventors
Bulgarian SMEs
from all economic
sectors
Virtual
Centers of
Excellence
European
Software
Institute
Global “guru”
network
Basic IT
Education,
Training,
Re-Training
International
IT Companies
in Bulgaria
Bulgarian-
Owned
IT Companies
Municipalities
(offer lands, buildings
to PPPs)
Private
Developers
(invest in PPPs)

10. Bulgaria ICT logo

11. European Software Institute – Regional Center Bulgaria
ESI Center Bulgaria is the Regional Software Engineering Excellence Center of the European Software Institute. ESI Center Bulgaria founders are the European Software Institute (ESI), the Bulgarian Association of Software Companies (BASSCOM), and the Information and Communications Technologies Development Agency (ICTDA) at the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport and Communications. ESI Center Bulgaria implements leading strategic management and software engineering methodologies (CMM®I, BITS, SPICE, PEPIT, SPI, REUSE) to increase industry maturity in Eastern Europe.
ESI Center Bulgaria is responsible for all SEI/ESI Eastern Europe
Transfer of new technologies
Independent methodological and monitoring assistance
Long-term projects with greater social impact
Industry – education links
strengthening

12. Investment Delegation
Participants – Minister of Finance; Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications; President of the Invest Bulgaria Agency; over 40 leading companies, associations and NGOs
Visited the Silicon Valley; Seattle and Tacoma, Washington; Washington D.C.; Fairfax County, Virginia; New York
The Delegation was co-sponsored by the Project, GoB and the companies themselves

13. Investment Delegation Results
6 events promoting Bulgaria in 5 locations (Sillicon Valley - Stanford University, Palo Alto, California; Seattle, Washington; Tacoma, Washington; Fairfax County, Virginia; Washington D.C.)
5 of the largest IT companies visited (HP, Siebel, Cisco, Intel, Microsoft)
4 CEOs met with the Delegation in two days (Carly Fiorina - HP, Siebel, John Chambers - Cisco, Craig Barret - Intel)
Over 200 US companies visited the different events
Delegation met with Governor elect and Lietenant Governor of Washington State, as well as the Center for Strategic and Internation Studies in Washington D.C.
Around 20 potential investment leads have been established for follow up and trips to Bulgaria, including HP, Siebel, Cisco, and Intel

14. Investment Delegation Results
Each company established up to 8 good leads for partnerships
With preliminary work 3 companies signed 4 contracts during the delegation, one of them with the State of Georgia for security solutions for their drivers’ licenses
BASSCOM signed MoU with the Washington Software Alliance and became a member of the organization.  The WSA is the oldest Software NGO in the US and has over 3,000 members
The Bulgarian Commercial Office at the Embassy in D.C. became a member of the Northern Virginia Technology Council, giving the Bulgarian software companies the linkage to 1,300 members of their members
The Bulgarian Associations had the opportunity to meet over 10 US Associations and NGOs throughout the trip

15. PHASE 2 – BCI: CEG
Council for Economic Growth (CEG) established as the National forum for public – private dialogue on economic issues
Chairman – Minister of Economy
Government Members – Deputy PM and Minister of Transport and Communications, Ministers of Finance, Social Affairs, Regional Development and Energy
Private Sector Members – BIBA, BIA, BCCI, Employers’ Association and Business Club Vazrazhdane

16. PHASE 2 – BCI: CEG 76 decisions, 46 registered as implemented
51 meetings held
89 issues looked at, including 6 National Strategies (IT, Investment Promotion and Innovation), 16 Draft Laws and 18 Regulations
Some of the other most important joint decisions – Labor Code, Reform in the Commercial Register, Agreement of ecological requirements of industry and Assigning Commercial Attaches abroad on the PPP model

17. Lessons Learned HAVE to HAVE business leadership
Time factor – initial expectations, WILL NOT HAPPEN as QUICK as YOU THINK or WANT
HAVE to USE World renowned leaders to build interest
EVOLVE to partners and leaders, NOT ONLY participants and followers
HAVE to HAVE real contribution
HAVE to WORK on a concrete task
ORGANIZE and PARTICIPATE in as many retreats and delegations abroad with partners