What is the state of green research projects in Bulgaria?
What challenges do they face?
How can these challenges be overcome?
We present a summary of the most important data on the state of green research organizations and projects in Bulgaria. The data was collected during the second edition of the national survey of green initiatives in Bulgaria, "Green Solutions from Bulgaria 2025," conducted by MOVE.BG, the results of which we presented in September.
Green research organizations today: the data
Most research projects (62.5%) are implemented by small research teams of up to ten researchers. The typical size of the team ranges between four and ten members (34.4%). In terms of thematic area, the largest number of research projects are concentrated in the field of circular economy and waste management (46.9%), followed by bioeconomy, water and climate (34.4%), energy, agriculture, and food (28.1%), and biodiversity (25%). Besides, there is an increase in interdisciplinary projects combining elements of precision farming, digital technologies, nature-based solutions, and sustainable management of ecosystems.
Over 32% of the green research projects that took part in the study are creating innovations in a new field of application (interdisciplinarity), 17.9% are working on breakthrough innovations, and 14.3% on social innovations. Just over 35% of research projects build on known innovations, making them more effective, cheaper, or more accessible. Problems with scientific transfer remain unresolved this year. Only 25% of market-oriented scientific developments actually reach commercialization. Over half (53.6%) remain isolated in the academic sphere.
The main challenges to the development of green research projects are the lack of capacity and experience in transferring innovations to industry - these two points are cited as the main problem by respondents (46.9%), followed by difficulties with financing, weak links between science and business, and insufficient cooperation with state institutions (all three cited by one-third of respondents).
What are the main challenges for the development of your project? Category of research projects and organisations. More than one answer was possible.
In response to these challenges, the scientists who completed the survey recommend introducing measures to stimulate cooperation with business (the measure is supported by 72% of respondents), the development of research capacity (62.5%), and the development of specific skills for the commercialization of research projects (62.5%).
What do you think needs to be done to improve scientific transfer in Bulgaria? Category of research projects and organisations. More than one answer was possible.
Green Solutions from Bulgaria 2025: the data
The "Green Solutions from Bulgaria 2025" National Survey covers the three key groups for successful green transformation: startups, civil society initiatives, and research organizations working to support sustainable development. Check out the report summarizing the survey data here (in ENG).
