Bulgarian research institutes have been selected as NATO test centers for new technologies
07 April 2022 News
The Institute "Big Data for the Benefit of the Intelligent Society" (GATE) at the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski ”and the Institute of Defense“ Prof. Tsvetan Lazarov” have been selected as NATO test centers for the development of new technologies in the field of big data and artificial intelligence. This was announced personally by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a special press conference during the NATO Ministerial Meeting in Brussels on 6-7 April 2022.
NATO's New Technology Test Centers are a key element of the Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA), which was set up by Allies in 2021 to strengthen the Alliance's overall technological potential. to respond to new challenges. The Innovation Accelerator will support technological cooperation and the exchange of information between allies, by strengthening the capacity for civic innovation, cooperation between academia and the private sector, incl. with start-ups, as well as the development of the next generation of technologies that meet the needs of security and defense.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with the Ministry of Defense and our Permanent Delegation to NATO, provided support and assistance to Bulgarian research institutes during all stages of application and evaluation at the NATO International Staff. The high assessment received from NATO proves indisputably that Bulgaria is a country that has a huge potential to develop and implement new technologies. For Bulgaria, this is an opportunity in the coming years to contribute through a high degree of sharing and pragmatism with our NATO allies to the military-technological development of the Alliance. Positioning Bulgaria among the leading technologically advanced countries will allow Bulgarian companies and research institutes to fully participate in the development and implementation of new technological products and solutions for transatlantic security.