On November 27, 2025, the GATE Institute will host leading Bulgarian and international experts, researchers, and business representatives at the forum “Up To GATE 2025: New Horizons” to discuss the potential of artificial intelligence and data as engines of innovation and sustainable development.
This year’s theme, “New Horizons,” highlights the evolution of AI and data-driven ecosystems, covering the full spectrum from ethical and conceptual solutions to implementation, scaling, and measurable impact. Participants will explore current trends in data processing, digital technology adoption, and AI applications for more efficient management of cities, healthcare, and the public sector. The forum will demonstrate how sustainable and ethical innovations can be translated into real-world solutions that improve people’s lives.
“The goal of Up To GATE 2025 is to show how AI and big data create new opportunities for business, science, and society, with ethics and sustainability at the core of innovation,” says Prof. Sylvia Ilieva, Director of GATE Institute.
The forum will serve as a journey into the world of data and AI, with human-centered technologies, discussion panels, and interactive demonstrations shaping the future of artificial intelligence in Europe.
The first panel, “AI-Empowered Innovation: Shaping Policy, Society, and Implementation”, will bring together leading experts, researchers, and industry representatives to discuss how the new European AI Act is transforming the technological and business landscape in Europe and the path from regulations to real-world solutions. The discussion will focus on how businesses and public institutions can implement ethical and responsible AI principles in practice while building trust and transparency in the sector.
The second panel, “Human-Centric Research: GATE in Action”, will feature GATE researchers demonstrating how their work translates into sustainable and ethical solutions for future cities, digital healthcare, and smart governance. Participants will see how science can tangibly benefit people through technologies that improve quality of life, ease access to services, and support better management of public resources.
The third panel, “Data Sharing as an Engine for Innovation”, will explore Europe’s transformation into a data-driven society. Discussions will cover how digital data-sharing spaces now function as operational frameworks with legal, organizational, and technical dimensions, and how trusted and sovereign data sharing accelerates innovation and cross-sector collaboration.
The fourth and final panel, “Business-Driven Innovation: From Data to Market Impact”, will focus on how companies can turn data and applied research into tangible business results. Startups, investors, and representatives of successful EU-funded projects will demonstrate how AI and big data can drive concrete market successes through partnerships between academia and industry.