Each spring semester, there’s a buzz that begins to build long before the official opening ceremony. It’s quiet at first—just a few students gathered around laptops and marketing materials in the ABF Sports Hall, and then, suddenly, it’s here. HackAUBG 7.0.
For the seventh year in a row, The Hub—the student-run tech and entrepreneurship club at AUBG—turned an ambitious idea into one of the biggest student-led tech events in Bulgaria. The journey from the first organizing meeting to the final pitch on the stage of the Dr. Carl Djerassi Theater was packed with planning, outreach, late nights, and problem-solving that rivaled the hackathon challenges themselves.
Setting the Stage: The Topic
The tradition is to keep the theme under wraps until the very last moment so that no one has the competitive advantage. This year, as the teams gathered on March 28 for the opening ceremony, the mystery was revealed: “Space and Aerospace Innovations.”
A topic that was as broad as it was bold. From Mars simulation systems and AI astronaut agents to drone-based rescue technologies, the possibilities were limitless—and so was the imagination of the participants.
The Hub: Students Building for Students
HackAUBG is more than an event—it’s a product of community effort. The Hub at AUBG has been building that community year-round, offering students a space to explore programming, innovation, design, and startups. With HackAUBG as its flagship event, the club becomes a launchpad for young minds to test and present real solutions to real-world challenges.
What makes this so special is that it’s entirely student-led. The organizing team handled everything—from contacting sponsors and inviting jury members to arranging logistics and curating the participant experience. It’s an example of student initiative at its best.
The Participants: Passion Across Borders
This year, HackAUBG 7.0 welcomed 16 diverse teams, each made up of 4 to 6 members. Some were AUBG students, others had traveled from Burgas, Sofia, Plovdiv, and Blagoevgrad—representing institutions like PGKPI Burgas, Sofia University, the Technical University, and South-West University.
What united them wasn’t just technical knowledge—it was curiosity and the drive to build something meaningful in just 48 hours.
Mentorship and Real-World Insight
The weekend was guided by a record 23 mentors from leading tech companies. Some offered guidance behind the scenes, others set up HR booths, ready to meet the next wave of developers, designers, and founders.
Daniel Lidyanov, one of the mentors and a representative of Weband, summed it up:
“The future of technology is being created today – by young, inspired people with big ideas.”
From mentoring to networking, the event mirrored the tight-knit connection between AUBG and the professional world.
The Jury & Mentors: Sharing Expertise
A group of experienced professionals joined as jury members, bringing technical depth and entrepreneurial perspective to the final evaluation.
- Albena Zaharieva, CTO at Digitoll Smart Infrastructure
- Deyan Genovski, CTO and Co-founder at Appolica
- Christoph Straube, tech leader with 15+ years in software and mobile development
- Dr. Narasimha Rao Vajjhala, Chair of the Computer Science Department at AUBG
As Albena Zaharieva shared:
“It was both exciting and rewarding to be in the company of such creative and ambitious participants… a weekend of innovations, technological passion and verve for success.”
At the heart of the event were the 23 mentors who generously dedicated their time and expertise to support the teams throughout the weekend. From technical guidance to strategic advice, their involvement brought real-world relevance and invaluable insight. The club shared their gratitude with Iliyan Kodzhahristov, Martin Savov, Stefan Atanasov, Kaloyan Tsankov, Daniel Lydianov, Orlin Kozarev, Plamen Beshkov, Elena Doncheva, Stanislav Velkov, Desislava Borisova, Toni Marinov, Viktor Yankulov, Yordan Nedelchev, Iliyan Ignatov, Kalina Damyanova, Martin Manchev, Stefan Baychev, Milen Nikolov, Van Vo, Anton Polimenov, Pavel Tarasevich, Carmen Struck, and Todor Katzarov.
Their presence helped make HackAUBG not just a competition, but a meaningful learning experience that participants will carry with them long after the weekend ends.
The Results: A Tight Race to the Top
The competition was close. The jury deliberated carefully, recognizing the depth and creativity of each solution. The final results?
- First Place – The Stackoverflows, AUBG
- Second Place – DROP TABLE Participants, AUBG
- Third Place – A talented team from TUES: Yasen Tsvetkov, Valeri Todorov, Borislav Milanov, Simeon Simeonov, Tomislav Ivanov, and Emil Momchev.
The Stackoverflows (AUBG), who won first place.
DROP TABLE Participants (AUBG), who won second place.
The team from TUES, who won third place.
All teams left the event not only with prizes but with feedback, new connections, and momentum to continue building.
A Community That Comes Back
Perhaps one of the most meaningful parts of the weekend was seeing AUBG alumni returning to support the event—some as mentors, others simply to cheer on the club they once helped build. That continuity is what sets HackAUBG apart. It’s not just about one weekend a year. It’s about building something that lasts!
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Behind every successful HackAUBG stands a network of committed partners who believe in the potential of young innovators. This year’s edition was made possible thanks to the support of monetary sponsors including eFellows, А1, Milestone Systems, Enloc, SAP, Proxiad, ICT Strypes, tbi bank, PCG, HPE, Weband, Аppolica, and Updata One. Their contributions helped ensure that students not only had the tools and space to build but also the recognition their work deserved.
Media visibility was amplified through the support of DEV.BG and NOVA TV, who helped share the story of HackAUBG 7.0 beyond the walls of the campus.
