We are continuing our search for the most inspiring and influential female market players, who help in developing the VC and startup ecosystem. As we have already explored Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, and Lithuania, it is high time to take a closer look at Bulgaria! A growing number of VC funds, startups, and IT professionals make it a fintech innovation hotspot.
So in this overview, you will meet the top 25 women entrepreneurs on the Bulgarian VC and startup business scene!
Elina Halatcheva
Managing Partner, BrightCap Ventures
Elina Halatcheva’s vast experience was gathered while working for several years in the investment banking sector. In the past, she held positions as a Board Member in Enview, an AI automation platform for 3D geospatial analytics, as well as in WOOM, an app dedicated to women, that helps them track their reproductive health. Additionally, Elina was a Board Observer at Software Group and LucidLink. Since 2018 she has been holding a Managing Partner position at BrightCap Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focusing on tech startups with the potential to grow globally.
Irina Dimitrova
Partner & CEO, LAUNCHub Ventures
Irina Dimitrova has vast expertise in the investment banking and financial sectors. During the 20 years of her career, she gained experience while working in London as well as in Bulgaria. In the past, she assumed the role of Investment Grade Credit Research at Commerzbank, where she was responsible for client advisory on corporate bonds from the consumer and tobacco sectors. Additionally, she worked as a CFO at NEG.BG JSCo - a company that owns the Bulgarian social platform BG- Mamma. Currently, Irina is working at LAUNCHub Ventures where she is not only a Partner but also the CFO. This early-stage VC fund is focusing on supporting technology startups in the Seed and Series A funding stages.
Zlatolina Mukova
Managing Partner, New Vision 3 Fund
Zlatolina Mukova has been present on the Bulgarian business scene for more than 20 years. In 2001 she started to work as a Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Zlatolina was also a CEO at Sofica Group (acquired by TTEC), a Bulgarian outsourcing company. Moreover, she assumed the role of the CEO and Board Member at EuroIns Insurance Group and became Managing Partner at NEVEQ Capital Partners. In 2019 she became a Managing Partner at New Vision 3 Fund, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage, innovative tech-enabled companies.
Ekaterina Velkova
Partner, Morningside Hill Capital Management
Ekaterina Velkova has graduated from the Colombia University School, where she received an M.A degree from the International and Public Affairs faculty and a B.A diploma from the American University in Bulgaria. She is a very successful entrepreneur gathering her working experience while assuming job positions on three continents. Currently, Ekaterina is a Partner at the Morningside Hill Capital Management. This Sofia-based venture capital fund is focused on investing in liquid securities and private companies at the post-seed stage.
Tanya Ilieva
Investment Manager, Innovation Capital
Tanya Ilieva has graduated from the Business Analytics faculty at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski. Soon after that, she started her career at the First Investment Bank as an Executive Assistant. Additionally, since 2010 she has been working as a Translator. Currently, Tanya holds an Investment Manager position at Innovation Capital, a Bulgarian venture capital company focused on backing innovative pre-seed and seed startups.
Mina Mutafchieva
Partner, Dawn Capital
Although Mina Mutafchieva is currently located in the United Kingdom, as a Bulgarian female entrepreneur, she had to find her spot in this overview. She started her career at McKinsey & Company, and additionally assumed the role of Board Director at Cleanshelf, Eigen Technologies, AccessFintech, and CluedIn. Currently, she is a Partner at Dawn Capital, an B2B software investment company, which focuses on backing early-stage startups.
Mira Mihaylova
Principal, Piton Capital
Mira Mihaylova, currently based in the UK, has dedicated her professional career to supporting the development of the VC and startup ecosystem. She graduated from London Business School, and soon afterwards, she started her career at UBS. Mira also took part in MBA Internships at Hudl and PayPal. In 2017 she assumed the role of Principal at the Piton Capital, a venture capital and growth equity firm that focuses on investing in businesses with network effects.
Blagovesta Pugyova
Managing Partner, Childish
Blagovesta Pugoyova has a vast business experience, which she has gathered while working at multiple companies. Among others, she worked at NOVA Broadcasting Group, Deloitte, and Bulgaria Development Holdings Limited. What is more, Blagovesta was the CEO of JobTiger, a Bulgarian online job board, as well as a Founder and a President of Give a Book, a foundation collecting books and delivering them to the orphanages. In 2018, Blagovesta assumed a role of a Managing Partner at Childish, a software development firm, that won the Forbes Business Awards for Socially Responsible Company in 2022.
Iva Gumnishka
Founder & CEO, Humans in the Loop
Iva Guminshka is an influential social entrepreneur with a mission to further develop startup and social entrepreneurship ecosystems. She is currently the CEO of Humans in the Loop - a company she co-founded in 2017, that provides model training and validation services for Machine Learning, focusing on collecting, annotating, and validating the data needed for bias-free AI. In 2018 Iva was also listed as one of the 30 under 30 Bulgarians on the Forbes list.
Eva Vucheva
Founder & CEO, Impakt_ID & Contento.tech
Eva Vucheva’s heart beats for sustainability, so it is not a surprise that she has co-founded Impakt_ID, a business intelligence platform that provides real-time data to support companies in measuring their environmental footprint. She is also the owner and GM of Contento.Tech, an outsourcing company focused on digital transformation. Eva is one of the pioneers of e-commerce in CEE, having held several other positions, including Co-CEO at Fashion Days Group. Eva serves on the Advisory Board at Taylor & Hart, Endeavor Bulgaria and is an active mentor to number of scale-up companies.
Sasha Bezuhanova
Founder & Chairperson, MOVE.BG
Sasha Bezuhanova has been active on the Bulgarian business scene for over 20 years. In the past, she worked for Hewlett Packard, where she assumed the role of the Public Sector Director. Additionally, Sasha held positions at EIT - European Institute of Innovation and Technology as well as the European Commission. She was also an Angel Investor and Board Member at several companies, including Cupffee, LAM'ON, Evrotrust, and Plan A. In 2013 she founded MOVE.BG, a platform that helps in finding sustainable solutions for the state, economy, and society. Sasha is also one of the Co-Founders of BCTW- Bulgarian Center for Women in Technology.
Tatyana Mitkova
Co-founder, ClaimCompass
Tatyana Mitkova has graduated from the faculty of Law at the Freie Universität Berlin. Since the beginning of her professional career, she has been supporting the growth and development of the startup ecosystem in Bulgaria. In 2019 Tatyana started to work as a Local Director at the Founder Institute, which offers a pre-seed acceleration program. Additionally, she is a Co-Founder and a CEO of ClaimCompass, a company that focuses on helping passengers to get refunds whenever some flight problems occur. Tatyana is also mentioned on the 30 under 30 list published by Forbes in 2019.
Elena Marinova
President, Musala Soft
Elena Marinova is a President and co-founder of Musala Soft, a software company working on the hottest IT areas – AI, Cloud, Big data, IoT, Smart home and car etc. As a President of Musala Soft she is responsible for the company strategy, paying special attention to image, market positioning, company culture and team spirit. In her public activities Elena Marinova is committed to the recognition of Bulgaria as an internationally recognized attractive IT destination for both businesses and IT talents.
Irina Obushtarova
Co-founder & CEO, The Recursive
Irina Obushatarova graduated from the faculty of Mass Media & Communication at the University of Vienna. Soon afterward, she started her career in the sales and marketing sectors. Among others, she worked at organisations such as Trending Topics SEE, Trivadis, and Kratos Technology. What is more, in 2014 she co-founded a company called WelcomeBuddy, a one-stop-shop portal dedicated for expats in Austria. In 2021 she co-founded The Recursive, a Bulgarian media platform, and currently operates as its CEO.
Boriana Manolova
Chairperson of the Management Board, Council of Women in Bulgaria
Boriana Manolova has been present on the Bulgarian scene for more than 20 years, specializing in, among others, general management, strategic corporate development, and governance. In the past, she worked for companies such as Atlas Copco, BBLF, and the Bulgarian Chamber of Mining and Geology. She has also been a Deputy-Chairperson of the Management Board at the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria and the Board Member at the European Business Association. Currently, Boriana is a Chairperson of the Management Board at the Council of Women in Bulgaria, a non-governmental organization aiming to promote and empower women's role in the Bulgarian business sector. She also holds the position of the CEO of Siemens Bulgaria.
Diana Stefanova
Vice President, VMware
Diana Stefanova is a strong supporter of the Bulgarian startup ecosystem. In the past, she was a Financial Controller at Advanced Data Exchange, as well as a CFO and COO at Sciant, where she kept her eye on the strategic development of the company, its finances and business operations. Additionally, Diana has been working as Venture Partner at BrightCap Ventures. Currently, she is a Vice President at VMware, a software solution company.
Elena Nikolova
Co-founder, Escreo
Elana Nikolova’s heart beats for community building as well as supporting female entrepreneurs. Among others, she assumed the position of Programs and Project Experts at The Atlantic Club of Bulgaria, International Project Manager at Advent Group, and Co-organizer of Rails Girls Sofia. Additionally, she was a Mentor at Teenovator, a project dedicated to teenagers starting their first businesses. In 2015 she has co-founded the startup Escreo, which aims to boost business productivity and collaboration by developing special solutions, such as a whiteboard paint. Currently, Elena is also involved in co-organizing TEDxVitosha and holds a Community Manager position at CEO Angels Club.
Lubomiła Jordanova
Founder, Plan A
Lubomiła Jordanova is passionate about sustainability and making a social impact, so it is not surprising that she is the first Bulgarian to be chosen as an Obama Leader of Europe by the Obama Foundation, which mission is to empower and inspire people to change the world for the better. Additionally, Lubomiła is a co-founder of Greentech Alliance, a community for Greentech companies, advisors, VC funds, media, and experts. As she is also keen on developing new innovative solutions, she co-founded and currently is also the CEO of Plan A. This SaaS platform focuses on helping companies with carbon accounting, decarbonization process, and ESG reporting.
Maya Atanasova
Founder, ATAMIQ
Maya Atanasova strongly believes in developing new innovative products that will help to boost the world’s economy and change the planet for the better. That is why she has dedicated 20+ years to leading more than 5 companies across more than 10 different industries. Among others, Maya is a Founder of Prostream Technik, Co-founder of ProStream Group, and Managing Director of Instalo BG. In 2020 Maya founded ATAMIQ, an B2B platform for sourcing and ordering complex industrial products, focused on the sustainable development and realization of the SDGs.
Iva Tsolova & Joana Koleva
Co- founders, JAMBA
Iva Tsolova is an active female entrepreneur on the Bulgarian business scene. In the past, she worked as a Business Development Lead at Berlle Creative Studio, a company creating web and digital products. Additionally, Iva was a Bulgarian Youth Delegate at the United Nations and Council of Europe. In 2017 she co-founded JAMBA Bulgaria while also holding a position of a Director of Business Development at JAMBA Austria.
Joanna Koleva has vast experience in the Marketing and HR sectors, as she held related positions at Orange Center, Listen Up Foundation, Institute for Nuclear Research, and Nuclear Energy. She is a Co-founder of Lemur Social Creative Studio and JAMBA, a nonprofit organization educating people with disabilities, and connecting them with their potential future employers. Currently, Joanna is the President of JAMBA Bulgaria.
Angela Ivanova & Gergana Stancheva
Co-founders, LAM’ON
Angela Ivanova has graduated from the Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, where she studied journalism. Angela describes herself as an environmental enthusiast so it is not surprising that together with Gergana Stancheva she has co-founded LAM’ON. This startup’s main goal is to reduce plastic usage by developing biodegradable and toxic-free laminating film and packaging foil.
Gergana Stanchevahas studied Animation at New Bulgarian University, and soon after finishing she started working as an Illustrator at Yatoto. Since 2017 together with Angela Ivanova, Gergana has been working on developing solutions to plastic pollution.
Maya Zlatanova
Founder, FindMeCure
Maya Zlatonova has graduated from the faculty of International Business at the New Bulgarian University. After finishing her studies she started working at Sitel and Infonetica. Moreover, she held the position of Business Development Director at BGO Software and was a Board Member of the Patient Empowerment Initiative Committee at ACRES, a non-profit organization creating a network for clinical research. In 2016 Maya co-founded and currently holds the position of CEO at FindMeCure, developer of TrailHub, a platform aiming to help CRO and Pharma companies optimize feasibility and plan successful clinical trials.
Gergana Krusteva & Angelina Krasteva
Co-founders, La Koketa App
Gerda Kruksteva has been present on the Bulgarian business scene for over 15 years. She gathered her vast experience while working, among others, at Ogilvy, Heineken, and NEXT-DC. In 2010, together with Angelina Krasteva, she co-founded Trendsta, a developer of La Koketa App. Moreover, Gergana works at Cupffee as a Marketing Executive in Residence.
Angelina Krasteva has over 15 years of experience in the fields of marketing strategy, digital transformation, and innovation. She used to work as a Media Planner at Round2, Brand manager at Avendi, and Marketing Manager at Starbucks. Angelina has co-founded Trendsta and La Koketa app, and currently, she is working as a Commercial Leader at Phillips.
Elitza Stoilova
Founder, Umni.bg
Elitza Stoilova has more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare and hotel industry. She worked in several leisure locations as a General Manager and in 2017 she co-founded and currently holds the CEO position at Umni.bg, an AI platform aiming to digitize the communication process with clients. This customer service solution was created as a result of Elitza’s previous experiences, where her daily work was filled with answering long and time-consuming, repetitive questions, since then, the solution she had proposed helped to automate CS within healthcare, hospitality, and entertainment industries.
Bilyana Freye
Founder, Orbiit
Bilyana Freye has a diverse career experience, starting from working in Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, and finishing by starting her own business in the United States. Previously, she worked as a Risk Management Analyst at Royal Bank of Scotland, and Associate Director at Coutts. Moreover, she was a Director at Decoded, a company helping in the digital transformation. In 2018 Bilyana set up her own company- Orbiit, aiming to activate leading global VC, startups, and professional organizations in order to create a networking community.
Tatiana Metodieva
Head of Corporate Finance and Investments, Nexo
Tatiana Metodieva leads Nexo’s global corporate finance and investment processes. She is the driving force behind Nexo Ventures — the company’s Web3-focused, VC-type investment arm – developing strategic relationships and identifying key market opportunities for Nexo with over 60 key investments in significant projects in the ecosystem of digital assets. Tatiana boasts more than 12 years of leadership and hands-on experience with a dedicated focus on the commercial banking and fintech sectors. Prior to joining Nexo, she worked in leading banking institutions, as well as the Big Four of consultancy and accounting, where she gained versatile analytical and advisory credentials.
*If you have any insights about the article, drop me a line!
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Top Women From VC and Startup Ecosystem In Slovakia (by Aleksandra Wirth, Vestbee)
Top Women From VC and Startup Ecosystem In Lithuania (by Aleksandra Wirth, Vestbee)
