Meet The 8th BIH Cohort Of #FutureUnicorns Through The Startups’ Eyes
Since 2019, we have devoted ourselves to creating an extra-intensive program to help startups accelerate their journey towards global markets. With a network of over 150 mentors with hands-on experience in scaling to the US and an experience adapted to their needs, we are ending 2023 having celebrated the graduation of our 8th cohort.
The acceleration experience was hybrid and divided into two sections. One took place online, throughout one week, where startups participated in different courses and workshops. The other consisted of a trip to Silicon Valley, where startups met with global mentors and serial entrepreneurs who shared their experience in scaling in the US market.
The program was hyper-intensive, with a packed curriculum and global experts and partners that facilitated 25+ workshops, one-on-one mentorship, pitching opportunities in front of high-impact investors, and in-person networking events in Silicon Valley.
This batch of startups featured 4 #FutureUnicorns, whose experience is detailed below:
Releva
Releva is an award-winning deep-tech personalization solution that gives eCommerce businesses the tools they need to forecast and grow predictably.
‘BIH was very helpful for us in various aspects. We were able to streamline our sales process, demonstrations, and investor relationship processes. I was also impressed by the level of seniority we have seen on the team.’ - Georgi Georgiev
‘BIH presents founders from Bulgaria with a unique opportunity to learn from some of the most successful founders and investors in Silicon Valley and take their company to the global stage.’ - Yavor Stoychev
Icanpreneur
Icanpreneur is the first Accelerator-as-a-Software designed to increase the odds of success for tech entrepreneurs and product managers.
‘Joining the BIH Accelerator program has been a game changer. I've gained insights into pitching VCs, fundraising in general, and building GTM strategies. The biggest benefit by far is the people you meet as part of the program - from mentors to the fellow founders, simply amazing.’ - Christian Tsanov
‘I have been aware of BIH since its inception and have closely observed their development. Since day zero, even before founding my company, for me, it wasn't a question of whether we would participate, but more of when - the team behind it is just phenomenal! While I wasn't 100% sure what is the best company stage you should be in to join the program, now after experiencing it, I would strongly encourage everyone with as early as initial traction or close to such to join. The program, dear founders, will help shape and strengthen your foundation!’ - Vesko Kolev
Havelock
Havelock represents a mindset shift in work management, embodying a patent-pending methodology complemented by proprietary software.
‘I've had the privilege of being involved with Bulgaria Innovation Hub, and it has been an extraordinary journey. BIH bridging Bulgarian tech companies with the global market. Their commitment to fostering growth, providing access to invaluable resources, and connecting entrepreneurs with industry experts is unparalleled. The insights and support I've received have been crucial in navigating the complex landscape of international business. BIH is not just an organization, it's a vibrant community driving the future of technology and innovation. I am proud to be a part of this journey and excited to see the continued impact BIH will have on the Bulgarian tech ecosystem.’ - Marin Kasabonev
Structuraize
Structuraize empowers enterprises to unlock hidden insights from unstructured data by seamlessly constructing knowledge graphs.
‘BIH helped us by introducing our company to a lot of great minds in Silicon Valley, which was crucial in helping us understand what we were doing wrong and how to fix it. All of the mentors are willing to go the extra mile to help you and as a Bulgarian founder, you cannot find that anywhere in Europe, let alone Bulgaria.’ - Atanas Dobrev
Onward and upward!
2023 has been a year of change, of adding depth and value to our services, and our growth continues along the growth of the startups whose journeys we facilitate. We are beyond impressed with this cohort’s performance and the high value they provide to their respective industries.
The possibility for Bulgaria Innovation Hub to achieve these milestones is achieved with the support of America for Bulgaria Foundation (ABF) - an independent, nonpartisan, and nonpolitical American grant-making foundation working in partnership with Bulgarians to strengthen the country’s private sector and related democratic institutions. For more information, please visit: https://us4bg.org/