The community made the news 71 times ... and counting

Reuters / France said companies pledged €93 billion at the 2026 Choose France summit, setting a new high for the event. The largest single commitment came from SoftBank, which plans to invest €45 billion in three data centres in Hauts-de-France by 2031 as France pushes to position itself as a European base for AI infrastructure.

Reuters / SoftBank Group says it will invest €45 billion over five years to build AI data centre capacity in France, starting in Hauts-de-France. The plan, announced ahead of the Choose France conference, positions France as a major destination for European AI infrastructure investment.

SeeNews / Bulgarian listed ICT group TBS has approved a cross-border acquisition plan covering five companies in Romania, the UK and Sweden. The proposed transactions would total 42.3 million euro, but the targets remain unnamed and no binding commitments have yet been signed.

SeeNews / IFC is considering investing up to €20 million in BlackPeak Capital’s SEE Growth Equity Fund II, a new regional private equity vehicle with a €150 million target. The fund is designed to back SMEs and lower mid-market companies across Southeast Europe, with Bulgaria among its core markets.

Forbes Bulgaria / StartupBlink’s 2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Index values Bulgaria’s startup ecosystem at $7.3 billion and ranks the country 40th globally. The report also shows stronger city-level performance in Sofia, Varna and Plovdiv, while pointing to the system’s continued concentration around the capital.

PR Newswire / Bulgaria's Information Services has announced a strategic collaboration with Google Cloud to strengthen national cyber defense. The project centers on a federated Security Operations Center model intended to cover 54 government entities and is presented as one of the first Google Cloud Cybershield implementations in Europe.

Economic Policy Institute / The Economic Policy Institute has presented a new report on how AI is being adopted across Bulgaria’s public and private sectors. The study looks at regulation, business uptake, research activity and future scenarios, then turns that analysis into a set of policy recommendations.

National Audiovisual Institute / La Revue des médias reports that Le Monde captured 25.9% of ChatGPT referrals to media sites in France in 2025, far ahead of The Guardian and Reuters. The analysis links that lead to OpenAI partnership dynamics and points to a highly concentrated new distribution layer for news.

БТА / The French-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry used its CCIFB Stars gala in Sofia to showcase a wide mix of companies shaping bilateral business ties. The awards covered established French investors, Bulgarian firms with international reach, and younger cross-border players.

Vagabond Bulgaria's English Magazine / French ambassador Marie Dumoulin uses a new interview with Vagabond to describe Bulgaria through a diplomatic and cultural lens. Her remarks focus on Sofia’s energy, the country’s heritage, and the intensity of artistic and historical ties between France and Bulgaria.

Tech.eu / Quillon, a Sofia-built AI startup focused on technical accounting and financial reporting, has raised $1.5 million in pre-seed funding and rebranded from Acclara AI. The company is positioning its product around traceability for accountants working under audit and disclosure pressure.

European Innovation Council / Eurostat has released the 2026 edition of Digitalisation in Europe, an interactive publication tracking how people and businesses across the EU use digital technologies. The report shows digital adoption moving forward at EU level, but Bulgaria still trails in several business indicators even as it stands out on the share of women working in ICT.

SeeNews / Bulgarian cargo drone developer Dronamics has announced a formal step into Japan. The company is opening Dronamics Japan Holdings and said Asia Air Survey has become its first Japanese investor.

Brussels Times / An extended EU-backed financing scheme is set to put about €210 million into Bulgaria's high-tech ecosystem. Under JEREMIE Bulgaria, the European Investment Fund will oversee the programme through 2035, with a stated focus on SMEs and strategic technology areas.

The Recursive / INSAIT, the Bulgaria-based AI research institute, and Netflix have released VOID, an open-source model for video editing. The tool is designed not only to remove objects from footage, but also to rebuild the scene in a way that accounts for motion, interactions, and environmental change.

EU-Startups / Sofia-based Mandel AI has raised a €3.6 million seed round backed by Y Combinator, Category Ventures, Ritual Capital, e2vc and other Silicon Valley investors and angels. The company builds AI software for supplier coordination and procurement workflows.

European Investment Bank / A new EIB story looks back at how EIF support under the JEREMIE programme helped launch Bulgaria’s first venture funds, including Sofia-based LAUNCHub and Eleven. The piece positions that early public backing as a key factor in Bulgaria’s rise as a regional VC hub.

The Recursive / BESCO says it is entering a new phase as Bulgaria's startup ecosystem matures. In an interview with The Recursive, co-CEOs Alexander Nutsov and Mario Milev point to regional expansion, capital access and stronger university-business links as the next priorities.

The Sofia Globe / SOF Connect, the operator of Vasil Levski Sofia Airport, officially opened the renovated multi-storey covered car park at Terminal 2 on February 10. The project adds capacity, accessibility features and another tangible investment in Sofia’s airport infrastructure.

The Recursive / French Tech Sofia positions itself as an open hub linking Bulgaria and France. It focuses on practical introductions, and argues startups must go international early to overcome a small local market.