Yavor Petrov is the fourth person to serve as Chairman and Executive Officer of the company since its foundation in 2007. Yavor became a Member of the BoD in November 2015 and the Chief Executive Officer in January 2018. He began his career at iCard as a Program Analyst and over the next 11 years, he advanced through multiple positions of increasing responsibility in software development, technologies, and management. Under Yavor Petrov’s leadership, iCard AD continues advancing in technology, partnerships and integrations, market share, productivity and human resources. With a rich background in building real-time payment systems and elaborate financial platforms, Yavor drives the company forward with his vision for non-standard solutions.
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Startup Weekend Varna
Friday, September 28 - 30, 2018
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Startup Weekend Varna
Friday, September 28 - 30, 2018
Friday, September 28 - 30, 2018
Event starts at 6:00 pm
Technical University of Varna
st. Studentska 1
Varna,
Varna
9010
Buy Tickets
Your idea in 54 hours
Do you have an idea you'd like to pursue or a problem you'd like to solve but don't know where to start or who to start with?
Techstars Startup Weekend is the place to look for a team, create a prototype of your idea, validate your business idea, and receive feedback from experienced entrepreneurs, all in one weekend.
What do you need to bring?
Lots of energy! You'll pitch your own idea or listen to others, then vote on the most interesting ideas and form teams with diverse skill sets. You can come with friends, but you’ll get the full experience if you participate in separate teams. Remember, it’s all about the team.
Your idea should be something you have not previously worked on. The idea you pitch and the problem you set out to solve can span social, educational, financial, environmental, or other issues. Over the course of the weekend you'll be challenged to create a prototype of your MVP, or minimum viable product, that fits the needs of your target customer. You'll get feedback, iterate, and likely pivot your approach entirely! Important: You cannot have worked previously on your idea.
Techstars Startup Weekend is a full weekend long experience. Your ticket includes:
Watch the video below to see what you can expect, and if you’re feeling inspired click on the “Buy Ticket” button now!
Still have questions, feel free to reach us at “varna@startupweekend.org”.
Don’t wait any longer and join the Techstars Startup Weekend movement!
No talk, all action!
Techstars Startup Weekend is the place to look for a team, create a prototype of your idea, validate your business idea, and receive feedback from experienced entrepreneurs, all in one weekend.
What do you need to bring?
Lots of energy! You'll pitch your own idea or listen to others, then vote on the most interesting ideas and form teams with diverse skill sets. You can come with friends, but you’ll get the full experience if you participate in separate teams. Remember, it’s all about the team.
Your idea should be something you have not previously worked on. The idea you pitch and the problem you set out to solve can span social, educational, financial, environmental, or other issues. Over the course of the weekend you'll be challenged to create a prototype of your MVP, or minimum viable product, that fits the needs of your target customer. You'll get feedback, iterate, and likely pivot your approach entirely! Important: You cannot have worked previously on your idea.
Techstars Startup Weekend is a full weekend long experience. Your ticket includes:
- 7 full (and delicious) meals over the course of the weekend
- Benefits and discounts from our global partners
- One-on-one time with amazing mentors
- A new network of developers, designers, and entrepreneurs eager, like you, to change the world.
- All the internet and coffee you can consume.
Watch the video below to see what you can expect, and if you’re feeling inspired click on the “Buy Ticket” button now!
Still have questions, feel free to reach us at “varna@startupweekend.org”.
Don’t wait any longer and join the Techstars Startup Weekend movement!
No talk, all action!
EVENT SCHEDULE
Friday September 28th
6:00 pm
Registration
Arrive at the venue and get checked in
7:00 pm
Dinner & Networking
Eat food, share ideas, practice pitches, get to know fellow participants
7:20 pm
Welcome & Speakers
Review agenda for the weekend and introduce speakers, coaches, and community leaders
7:30 pm
Organizing Intro
Introduction and Explanation how the pitching will proceed
8:00 pm
Pitches Start
Optionally line up to give your pitch
9:00 pm
Voting
Attendees vote for the top pitches
9:15 pm
Form Teams
Teams start forming and discussing ideas
10:00 pm
Begin Work
Start to formalize teams and take an inventory of skills. Be honest, and direct about what resources and skills are needed for the weekend. You may stay and work as late as the venue will allow
Saturday September 29th
9:00 am
Breakfast
Arrive, simple breakfast & coffee
9:30 am
Begin Work
Teams formed and setting up workspace for the weekend
12:00 pm
Lunch
1:00 pm
Check-In
After-lunch check-in, status reports, call for help
2:00 pm
Coach Meetings
Coaches help teams one-on-one. They are here to help!
6:30 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm
Check-In
After-dinner check-in, status reports, call for help
10:00 pm
Wrap-Up
Finished for the day. You may stay and work as late as the venue will allow
Sunday September 30th
9:00 am
Breakfast
Arrive, simple breakfast & coffee
10:00 am
Check-In
Coaches arrive. Final opportunity to ask questions
12:00 pm
Lunch
12:30 pm
Coach Meetings
Coaches arrive… ASK QUESTIONS
3:00 pm
Presentation Prep & Tech Check
Final hours of worktime should be focused on perfecting your presentation, tech-check for final presentations also takes place
4:00 pm
Dinner
5:00 pm
Final Presentations
7:30 pm
Judging & Awards
8:30 pm
Wrap-Up
9:00 pm
Go Home!
Speakers
Ralitsa Zhekova
Executive Director
Dr. Ralitsa Zhekova (female) holds a PhD in Political Science.
She is an Executive Director of RAPIV since 01.02.2017. She has academic
experience as university professor for more than 20 years working in
Bulgarian and foreign universities.
Ralitsa Zhekova leaded more than 10 national and international projects
under different programmes: FP6, FP7, INTERREG EUROPE, JOP Black Sea
Basin 2007-2013, EEA Financial Mechanism, LLP, Erasmus+, etc.
She provided advisory and training services to some of the governmental
and private institutions with particular emphasis on project management
and negotiations.
She has been external evaluator of some European programmes.
She is an author of 17 scientific publications.
She is an Executive Director of RAPIV since 01.02.2017. She has academic
experience as university professor for more than 20 years working in
Bulgarian and foreign universities.
Ralitsa Zhekova leaded more than 10 national and international projects
under different programmes: FP6, FP7, INTERREG EUROPE, JOP Black Sea
Basin 2007-2013, EEA Financial Mechanism, LLP, Erasmus+, etc.
She provided advisory and training services to some of the governmental
and private institutions with particular emphasis on project management
and negotiations.
She has been external evaluator of some European programmes.
She is an author of 17 scientific publications.
Event Judges
Nikolay Petkanov
CEO
Experienced Regional Operations Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the retail, sales, insurance and government administration industry. Skilled in Negotiation, Business Planning, Customer Service, Sales, and Strategic Planning. Strong operations professional with a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) focused in Leadeship in Global Enviroment from VFU.
Dilian Popov
Education Manager at Bulgaria Entrepreneurship Center
Founder of IT companies in cloud infrastructure, cloud integration and migration, telecom, internet marketing, BPO and consulting sectors.
Financial exec with broad experience in all aspects of financial management. Direct experience with Cloud, VoIP, SIP, real estate, derivatives, financial consulting and alternative forms of funding.
Specialties: cloud, telecom, internet marketing, alternative funding, new financial structures.
Financial exec with broad experience in all aspects of financial management. Direct experience with Cloud, VoIP, SIP, real estate, derivatives, financial consulting and alternative forms of funding.
Specialties: cloud, telecom, internet marketing, alternative funding, new financial structures.
Plamen Popov
Social Entrepreneur / CEO
Plamen Popov is a bulgarian entrepreneur, Sales master, Author, Co-founder of "The University for Personal Development & Entrepreneurship" and "I Awake Bulgaria" - a national information-education campaign in the field of social entrepreneurship.
Plamen has over 15 years of experience and more than 13 business projects under his belt. He make his first BGN 1,000,000 sale at the age of 25 years. During the last three years he has been developing a successful company for trainings in personal development, entrepreneurship and sales, as for that period, he achieved an economic growth of nearly 40000%. Has written the first practical entrepreneurship manual for Bulgaria - "The Entrepreneur" where he reveals his practical business experience of the last 15 years, with the success and the challenges on his way.
"I'm not a man who likes to discuss theoretical things that I have not tried myself, or through which I have not gone directly. I am here to pass on the experience, both successful and unsuccessful, in the businesses I have developed. The most valuable lessons in business are taught by the mistakes we have made.
Sonya Nikolova
Procurator
Sonya joined iCard in 2017 and took the role of a Procurator of the company. She is focused on the corporate recruitment practices and all activities on the employees' well-being and nourishment agenda. The high-level management of all customer support services also falls within the scope of her authority. Sonya has more than 25 years of experience in the banking industry. She spent 11 years at the head office of Société Générale Expressbank and 9 years at Alpha Bank Bulgaria as a Regional Manager and a Deputy Branch Network Manager. In her career, she also has a rich background in Risk and Business Valuation. Behind her professionalism stands her degrees in the areas Microelectronics, Accounting and control, Business Administration and last but not least her qualification in Business Valuation from the Chapman University, Southern California.
Coaches and Mentors
Julian Sapundzhiev
Software Engineer
Юлиян има повече от 10 години технически опит като софтуерен разработчик
с богат опит в разработването на софтуер под Windows с помощта на
езиците C++, C# и платформата .NET. Той е съосновател на фирма Микродор
ООД, която се занимава с разработването на CAD система за дизайн и
изработка на облекло. Дълги години работи в областа на разработка на
системи за текстиланата промишленост по проекти на едни от най развитите
международни компании в областа. Започва да се занимава с езика C# и
платформата .NET веднага след излизане на версия 2.0 и до ден днешен
работи интензивно по проекти в областа на настолните, мобилни и уеб
приложения. Ръководи проекта спечелил първо място на Startup Weekend
Varna 2014, където отново залага на C# и .NET за изработката на начален
прототип и развитие на идеята
Tsvetelina Yordanova
Master's degree in Communications and Business Development. Inspired by the ever-changing and colorful world of new media and technology, her passion is graphic design. Leader of the groundbreaking group that gathers all creative people in one place - Raster Minds. Organizer of local and international initiatives such as TEDx, StartupGrind, StartupWeekend and more. Mentor for startups and events like Startup Weekend Cluj.
Svilen Todorov
CEO
Свилен има няколко години опит в корпоративна среда с главен фокус продажби и бизнес консултации. Съосновател е на Coolтия - абонаментна кутия с Nerd/Geek насоченост. Любовта към животните го подтиква да основе и втората си компания Ribelle, която произвежда легла и аксесоари за кучета.
Siyka Demirova
Associate professor
Доцент в Технически университет - Варна, експерт по специалностите „Инженерен мениджмънт”
и „Индустриална логистика“. Има зад гърба си 47 научни труда, 2 учебника, 3 учебни пособия и 1 монография. Председател на на Научно-техническото дружество,
секция „Индустриален мениджмънт“ при Териториална организация на НТС-Варна
Veselina Spasova
Assistant professor at Varna Free University
Assist. Prof. Veselina Spasova, PhD Scientific Secretary Faculty IEA @ VFU, Head of Master Programm "Digital Marketing & Web design", expert in EU Project Management
Areas of research interests:
Certified Data Protection Officer, Databases modeling and processing, Business Intelligence, Software Architectures. Certified in CMMI, TSP, Software Architectures
Certified Data Protection Officer, Databases modeling and processing, Business Intelligence, Software Architectures. Certified in CMMI, TSP, Software Architectures
Nickolay Nikolov
General Manager
Николай е възпитаник на Математическа Гимназия Д-р Петър Берон - гр.Варна, а след това продължава обучението си във Великобритания, където прекарва 6 години. През половината от това време успешно завършва образованието си в Birmingham City University, специалност Media and Communications, а през другата половина работи в една от най-големите банки на Острова - Royal Bank of Scotland Group.
Завръща се в България преди малко повече от година, за да работи по собствени проекти, а веднага след прибирането си се включва и в екипа на Innovator - най-новият co-working space в града със зона за изобретатели.
Event Sponsors, and Partners
The Startup Weekend Varna team is grateful for the support of local community partners without whom this event would not be possible.
Learn how to become a sponsor here.
Signature Sponsors
Venue Partner
Main Organizer
Organizing Team
Techstars Startup Weekend Varna is 100% led by volunteer community leaders.
Learn how to get involved here
Facilitators
Simone Demelas
CEO of ARMNet.co
Sardinian, currently based in Rome. Degree in Natural Sciences, GIS and Satellite Remote Sensing expert, after working as an analyst in the GIS field decides to begin to understand how to do business and was thrown in the startup universe. It all started in 2013 with the participation at Startup Weekend Cagliari, from there it was swallowed into the black hole, participating in a lot of startups weekend, working on his own projects. He is currently CEO of ARMNet, a company that deals with integrating augmented reality to the management of infrastructure networks. Passionate about technology in every aspect, music, fitness, new trends. There is always a different way to see things and solve problems