After exciting final presentations and a strong competition among seven innovative student teams, three made it to the finish line of the Elevate Accelerator program’s sixth season. The prize? Investments, which will help boost the development of their projects.
- Scylla Hydration, creators of an electrolyte drink made with Bulgarian herbs, can already be found on the market; they’re planning to expand towards the international stage.
- Bulgarian Cricket, producers of a sustainable protein made from crickets, are aiming to build partnerships with companies in the organic food industry.
- Hosti, an AI chatbot for universities, are continuing their mission of helping higher ed institutions communicate with prospective students in more than 150 languages.
The final event was conducted on April 30 in AUBG. It gathered leading investors, entrepreneurs, and representatives of the startup ecosystem. Members of the jury, among which were Daniel Tomov (Eleven Ventures), Kosta Yordanov (co-founder and CEO of Wiser Technology and TrillerTV) , and Gergana Stancheva (co-founder and COO of LAM’ON), were impressed by the courage and professionalism of all participants.
“We wanted to create a space for young people to experiment with their ideas. And we succeeded. I saw a lot of courage in the ideas that were presented. That’s important – as important as learning how to fail and stand back up with even more dedication,” Daniel Tomov shared.
Apart from the three big prizes, Elevate’s partners handed distinctions:
- VerTerra received a workspace in Sofia’s Tech park, where they can further develop their product;
- Bulgarian Cricket earned a one-year membership with BESCO – The Bulgarian Entrepreneurial Association and received free passes to the largest startup conference in Bulgaria, organized by StartUP Bulgaria.
Elevate’s Season 6 continued for 18 weeks and offered participants an initial capital, mentor support by leading experts, and practical workshops. The program finale stood not only as a demonstration of what’s already been achieved, but as an inspiration for the next generation of innovators.
The accelerator program is currently accepting applications for the new season, and organizers are calling for all ambitious students with ideas and an entrepreneurial spirit to apply.
