Sofia, Bulgaria
Welcome to Champions Factory
Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs
Let us be your intermediary organization in Bulgaria
Cross-border exchange programme that gives new or aspiring entrepreneurs the chance to learn from experienced entrepreneurs running small business in other participating countries.
The exchange of experience takes place during a stay with the professional entrepreneur, which helps the rising entrepreneur acquire the skills needed to run a small firm. The host benefits from fresh perspectives on their business and gets the opportunities to cooperate with foreign partners or learn about new markets.
Who can participate?
- New entrepreneurs with firm plans to set up their own business or people who have already started a business in the last three years
- Experienced entrepreneurs who own or manage a Small or Medium-Sized Enterprise in one of the participating countries.
Success stories supported by Champions Factory
Champions Factory was a member of the Consortium “Entrepreneurship is a Woman 3” (EIW3), which aimed to promote women and social entrepreneurship in Europe by supporting women-led SMEs and potential female founders through experience exchange, business networking, and access to new markets. The project, involving 10 partners across Europe, supported 180 relationships between new and experienced entrepreneurs over three years, focusing on building 21st-century skills and fostering sustainable business opportunities in underserved areas.
Petya Petkova
Petya Petkova is the young founder of Acceler8, a design studio based in Bulgaria, which offers end-to-end web solutions to its clients. In this video, she shares her experience in the EYE program and the impressive business achievements she has celebrated so far.
Sector of Activity
www.acceleratedesignstudio.com
IT, Office and Communication equipment, Services, and Supplies
Host Entrepreneur
Jairo Varela (Spain)
www.apsred.com
IT, Office and Communication equipment, Services and Supplies
Transition
Period of exchange:
10/2020 until 12/2020
Duration of exchange: 2.5 months
Business sector of Petya's exchange
Petya had always dreamed of starting her own business ever since she began her career as a web developer. For this reason, after gaining more than 7 years of experience in this field at two different companies and as a freelancer, she decided that she needed a little push to make it happen. Luckily, thanks to Champions Factory, she came across the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs program and spent three months in Spain with Jairo Varela from Análisis Profesional de Sistemas (APS). Together they worked on different projects, which allowed Petya to learn the basics of how to build a real business, such as how to communicate with clients and attract them, how to offer them solutions to their needs, and how to turn them into permanent clients and partners.
When she returned to Bulgaria at the end of 2020, she immediately started to put her business plan into action and shortly after registered her own company – Acceler8 Ltd, along with a complete website. Petya managed to gain 3 permanent clients (with monthly subscription plans for technical support), build 4 websites, and achieve a turnover of 14,000 Bulgarian leva (about € 7,500) in just 6 months. One of their biggest customers is 3DBG Print Studio – Europe’s biggest 3D printing factory.
Now Petya is recruiting freelancers for her team so that Accelerate Design Studio can expand and become more sustainable. She kept in touch with her host entrepreneur and they even continue to develop joint projects and collaborate for outsourcing services!
To learn more about Petya’s story, click on this link and watch her video.
For more information, please get in touch with the local contact points involved in the exchange:
New entrepreneur’s contact point: Champions Factory (Sofia, Bulgaria)
Host entrepreneur’s contact point: CAMARA OFICIAL DE COMERCIO, INDUSTRIA, SERVIZOS E NAVIGACIÓN DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (Santiago De Compostela, Spain)
Ralitsa Oleva
Ralitsa Oleva is a young entrepreneur from Velingrad, who has an MSc in Civil Engineering and has worked in Bulgarian and international construction companies, where she was responsible for designing and constructing buildings and solar plants around the world. Her desire for a more sustainable way of life led her to the decision to start her own environmental NGO. She enrolled in the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs program because she wanted to learn from someone else’s experience how to start and successfully run an NGO. Ralitsa spent 3 months in Greece for her exchange with The Hives.
Sector of Activity
Company name: (Start-up)
Organic/Bio/Eco products & services
Host Entrepreneur
Galilaia Giannopoulou (Greece)
www.hivesproject.eu
Organic/Bio/Eco products & services
Transition
Period of exchange:
04/2021 until 07/2021
Duration of exchange: 3 months
Business sector of Ralitsa's exchange
Galilaia Giannopoulou is a long-time entrepreneur. She created The Hives project, a non-governmental organization whose aim is to promote green energy, permaculture, sustainability, cultural heritage, and alternative education. She signed up for the program to expand the theme of her non-profit organization and work with NE to expand the non-profit activities with locals and Europeans and also develop profitable activities. Ralitsa Oleva is a young entrepreneur from Bulgaria. She has an MSc in Civil Engineering and has worked in Bulgarian and international construction companies designing and constructing buildings and solar plants around the world. Her desire for a more sustainable way of life led her to the decision to start her own environmental NGO. She enrolled in the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs program because she wanted to learn from someone else’s experience how to start and successfully run an NGO.
Galilaia helped Ralitsa learn more about setting up and running a non-governmental organization and the difficulties that an entrepreneur can encounter along the way. Ralitsa had the opportunity to experiment with building with natural materials, optimizing the planning of a guesthouse, and developing strategies to optimize workflows. Ralitsa gained experience in supervising ongoing projects
Galilaia has benefited most from having a supervisor who works closely with the other team members, providing mentoring to the volunteers and bringing new ideas to the team. A good relationship was built that could prove useful for future collaborations. Ralitsa benefited from being in close contact with the stages and experiences that a similar NGO goes through and learning from the host entrepreneur’s expertise and experience on how to structure and run an NGO. Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs gave Ralitsa a real taste of running an NGO.
More about here story: Ralitsa Oleva & Galilaia Giannopoulou – Erasmus entrepreneurs (erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu)
For more information, please get in touch with the local contact points involved in the exchange:
New entrepreneur’s contact point: Champions Factory(Sofia, Bulgaria)
Host entrepreneur’s contact point: Smart Umbrella Management Solutions EE (Thessaloniki, Greece)
Aneta Toncheva
Aneta Toncheva is a 34-year-old entrepreneur from Bulgaria. She joined the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneur program in December 2020 and stayed in Spain for 6 months, where she had the change to learn and experience working in the circular economy sector with her host Katerina Zalamova. Aneta had the opportunity to get to know and test different business models, strategies, tools, activities, best practices and methodologies used by the HE in order to develop, test and validate her own business idea and company. For the duration of the exchange, she was able to carry out marketing research strategies that would help her start her own company, such as competitive analysis, market research, analysis of clients’ information and feedback.
Sector of Activity
Company name: (Start-up)
Innovation, Technology & Circular economy
Host Entrepreneur
Katerina Zalamova (Spain)
www.creaidealab.com
Circular Economy/Smart Cities
Transition
Period of exchange: 06/12/2020 - 03/06/2021 Duration of exchange: 6 months
Business sector of Aneta's exchange
Before becoming part of the Erasmus of Young Entrepreneurs Programme, Aneta Toncheva was already an established figure in Project Management, boasting more than a decade of experience. Fluent in Bulgarian, English, and Spanish, she navigated various roles and volunteered across Europe, including an EVS stint in Turkey, and work experiences in Germany and Spain.
Having a keen understanding of EU programs and their potential to align with her personal and professional aspirations, Aneta saw the Erasmus of Young Entrepreneurs as the ideal platform to nurture, test, and refine her business idea. Eager for a hands-on entrepreneurial experience, she sought to confront real business challenges, learning from both successful and unsuccessful practices. Aneta aimed to use this opportunity to validate and enhance her business plan, crafting better strategies for her own company.
Beyond business objectives, Aneta embraced personal growth goals through the Erasmus program. She sought to challenge herself, enhance her communication skills in another language, and immerse herself in diverse countries and cultures. For Aneta, the Erasmus of Young Entrepreneurs was not just a program; it was a transformative journey that allowed her to integrate professional development with enriching personal experiences.
Once Aneta was able to search for a host entrepreneur, her match with Katerina Zalamova was almost instant. They quickly clicked and were able to see the 2-way potential of their partnership.
When Aneta started her exchange, it wasn’t easy with all the Covid restrictions. However, both Aneta and Katerina worked together to make this a good learning experience in the changing world and work environment. As they worked and learned together, they used new tools for communication, project management and team building. Following the action plan they both worked on and agreed upon, Aneta was able to cover all the steps need to develop and test her own business idea, using the knowledge given by Katerina and the tasks, she was involved in.
In the midst of the pandemic, Aneta successfully crafted a product and online services tailored to customer needs. Her Spanish mentor played a pivotal role in this process, providing guidance on product development, refining strategies, and adapting to the ever-changing business landscape.
Aneta actively communicated with clients, explored customer journeys, and launched her product with a focus on feedback and sales techniques, all while receiving valuable insights and assistance from her experienced mentor. Their collaboration significantly influenced the robustness of her business and marketing plans.
Katerina not only shared expertise but also provided crucial support in project proposals, actively seeking funding opportunities. Their collaboration extended to promoting common business projects and the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Programme.
Looking back at the success of her participation in the Erasmus of Young Entrepreneurs programme, Aneta can’t wait to become a host entrepreneur herself.
For more information, please get in touch with the local contact points involved in the exchange:
New entrepreneur’s contact point: Champions Factory(Sofia, Bulgaria)
Host entrepreneur’s contact point: Crea Idea Lab (Spain)
Trayana Tinkova
Trayana and Fernando discussed startup essentials, including finding investments, securing partners, managing expenses, and addressing challenges. Fernando's team guided Trayana in establishing her new company and demonstrated their work-from-home approach. Quality assurance was performed on Fernando's and partners' platforms for software integration. Trayana gained insights into investor sourcing, partner and employee selection, and practical aspects of new company establishment, learning effective strategies for overcoming startup challenges.
Sector of Activity
Company name: Pro Standard
IT Sector
Host Entrepreneur
Company name: focus360º
www.lanzamiento.focus360.eu
IT Sector
Transition
Period of exchange: 06/10/2022 - 27/11/2022
Duration of exchange: 2 months
Business sector of Trayana's exchange
Fernando Chico, a seasoned entrepreneur and leader with 10+ years in technology and commerce, excels in devising growth strategies, managing product development, and leading teams. Driven by a vision to transform customer-company dynamics, he successfully steered focus360º as CEO, achieving significant growth and market recognition. Trayana Tinkova, a Manual QA Specialist with over 2 years of experience, aspires to launch her software testing services company. Recognizing the need for further development, she seeks to enhance leadership skills, gain startup insights, and receive guidance for young entrepreneurs. Trayana plans to establish a software testing outsourcing company in Bulgaria, focusing on Sofia’s thriving international business scene. Capitalizing on the growing demand for quality assurance services, she intends to initiate operations with manual testing and expand into automation testing within a year. Trayana had insightful discussions with Fernando on start-up essentials, covering finding investments, securing partners, managing expenses, and addressing potential challenges. Quality assurance services were performed on Fernando’s and partners’ platforms, set to integrate into his software.
In meetings and video calls, Fernando and his team guided Trayana through new company establishment and demonstrated their work-from-home approach. These interactions provided her with a clearer understanding of Fernando’s business, methodology, vision, and mission.
Trayana gained insights into investor sourcing, partner and employee selection, and practical aspects of new company establishment. She learned preventive measures and effective strategies for overcoming startup challenges through firsthand experience. Recognizing the significance of fostering a positive attitude towards employees, Trayana also delved into the current landscape of the IT sector in Spain. Notably, with the help of Fernando, Trayana discovered that Quality Assurance is relatively underexplored in the region, presenting a niche market with significant potential. The burgeoning demand for quality assurance services among numerous companies, particularly startups unaware of their necessity, signifies an opportunity for success. By offering her services to meet this need, Trayana anticipates the potential for substantial growth and success within this emerging niche.
For more information, please get in touch with the local contact points involved in the exchange:
New entrepreneur’s contact point: Champions Factory(Sofia, Bulgaria)
Host entrepreneur’s contact point: Crea Idea Lab (Spain)
Ivalina Daneva
Ivalina Daneva has an academic background in Slavic languages and literatures and the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs opportunity came to her life in the right moment, when she was choosing her career and having plethora of ideas to develop. As a result, Ivalina became a new entrepreneur in the field of youth work and spent 5 months in an non-governmental organization in North Macedonia. What made her stay so beneficial was the experience and smooth communication with her host entrepreneur and mentor – Gjoko Grdanovski, who has been working in the NGO field and especially with the Erasmus+ programme for a long time. The main aim of the relationship was enhancing knowledge and potential future partnership. Ivalina was mainly interested in developing her idea to prepare herself to establish an NGO in Bulgaria, while Gjoko supported her with good practices and more insights into project and human resource management, but also gave her the chance to explore the perspectives and challenges in the field of youth work. The highlight of her journey as an entrepreneur was the realization where she could change her business plan and how to adapt the leaning outcomes into the reality and apply them in practice.
Sector of Activity
Sector:
NGO
Host Entrepreneur
Gjoko Grdanovski www.nextgeneration.com.mk
Next generation NGO
Transition
Period of exchange: 05/11/2022 until 05/04/2023
Duration of exchange: 5 months
Business sector of Ivalina's exchange
Ivalina Daneva is a youth worker and ambassador of the Erasmus+ programme for the past 5 years. She has an academic background in Slavic languages and literatures, but her passion is teaching and training young people. The Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs opportunity came to her life in the right moment, when she was choosing her career and having plethora of ideas to develop. As a result, Ivalina became a new entrepreneur in the field of youth work and spent 5 months in an non-governmental organization in North Macedonia. What made her stay so beneficial was the experience and smooth communication with her host entrepreneur and mentor – Gjoko Grdanovski, who has been working in the NGO field and especially with the Erasmus+ programme for a long time.
The main aim of the relationship was enhancing knowledge and potential future partnership. Ivalina was mainly interested in developing her idea to prepare herself to establish an NGO in Bulgaria, while Gjoko supported her with good practices and more insights into project and human resource management, but also gave her the chance to explore the perspectives and challenges in the field of youth work. By being part of NGO Next Generation, Gjoko and the staff members benefited from the new and fresh ideas that Ivalina as a new entrepreneur came up with, as well as her willingness to organize local events and campaigns for promotion of the Erasmus+ opportunities for youth workers and leader in the local community. She was also involved into the daily activities in the organization, which included applying for and executing short-term mobilities for youth, regular communication and negotiation with partners, social media management and content planning.
The highlight of her journey as an entrepreneur was the realization where she could change her business plan and how to adapt the leaning outcomes into the reality and apply them in practice. During the exchange, Ivalina had the opportunity to be part of a youth exchange as a logistics and technical support person from the host organization and see how does such short-term mobility preparation, execution and dissemination look like. She also presented the NGO and the Erasmus+ opportunities in local schools and the voluntary center in Skopje and even has the time for networking and volunteering with other young people who were sharing similar values and plans for the future.
For more information, please get in touch with the local contact points involved in the exchange:
New entrepreneur’s contact point: Champions Factory(Sofia, Bulgaria)
Host entrepreneur’s contact point: BUSINESS CONFEDERATION MACEDONIA
Dimana Markova
Dimana Markova graduated in London a digital marketer and since graduation she knew she wanted to work for herself. Dimana applied for Erasmus Young Entrepreneurs hoping to find someone who is where she would like to be in a few years’ time. Someone who would show her how to grow, find new clients, build lasting relationships and expand her business. Dimana came across the profile of her host Maïna Charaudeau who is a Freelance Art Director and provides support to brands in crafting their visual identities and implementing them across various printed and digital communication channels. Dimana stayed for 3 months in Paris, working closely with Maïna and at the end of the exchange, Dimana walked away more confident in pursuing her business, growing it and understanding the ins and outs of it.
Sector of Activity
Sector:
Freelancing Digital Marketer
Host Entrepreneur
Maïna Charaudeau (Paris)
Freelancing Digital Marketer
Sector of activity: Digital Marketing
Transition
Period of exchange: 01/04/2023 until 30/06/2023
Duration of exchange: 3 months
Business sector of Dimana's exchange
As a Freelance Art Director, Maïna Charaudeau provides support to brands in crafting their visual identities and implementing them across various printed and digital communication channels. Having worked as a consultant in Dubai and lived as an expatriate in Italy for three years Maïna is proficient in both English and Italian languages.
Dimana Markova always knew she wanted to work for herself. After graduating from her master’s studies in London, she spent some time in the industry working as a digital marketer still based in the United Kingdom. In 2020, after returning to her home country – Bulgaria, Dimana decided to embark on the self-employment journey.
While she knew her social media tacks, SEO toolkits and the ins and outs of a good content marketing strategy, there was much about running a business that Dimana still lacked from an operational point of view. When she applied for Erasmus Young Entrepreneurs, Dimana was hoping to find someone who is where she would like to be in a few years’ time. Someone who would show her how to grow, find new clients, build lasting relationships and expand her business. When her documents got approved, she was visiting some friends in Paris. It was her second to last day and she quickly scanned the internal database for Host Entrepreneurs. The name of Maïna caught her attention because she was in the same sector and coincidentally also located in Paris. After a quick Google search, Dimana felt like this could be a great partnership. She emailed Maïna and they met the next day, hours before Dimana had to leave for the airport.
Maïna had also embarked on a self-employment journey and had a very similar outlook towards it. With calm, grace and resilience she was building not just the role she wanted for the life she aspired to live. They decided to work together a couple months later and meet yet again in Paris. Maïna had a lot of valuable insights to share, many interesting points of view and a whole village worth of exciting contacts to introduce Dimana to. In return, Dimana helped Maïna to showcase her work more actively online to attract new clients.
At the end of the exchange Dimana walked away more confident in pursuing her business, growing it and understanding the ins and outs of it.
For more information, please get in touch with the local contact points involved in the exchange:
New entrepreneur’s contact point: Champions Factory(Sofia, Bulgaria)
Host entrepreneur’s contact point:
