A high-level panel discussion titled “Europe for Global Leadership in AI and Data – A Policy and Research Perspective” was participated in by the director of GATE, Prof. Sylvia Ilieva. During her address, GATE’s latest initiatives were highlighted, including the development of a regulatory sandbox that facilitates collaboration between regulators and developers. This sandbox is viewed as a crucial step towards shaping effective AI regulations and ensuring ethical practices in the deployment of AI technologies.

Additionally, an insightful presentation on the implementation of the AI Act was delivered by Ivo Emanuilov, Researcher in AI Law, Ethics & Regulation. Valuable perspectives on the regulatory landscape for AI in Europe were provided through his contributions during the session on “Data, AI, and Interoperability: Shaping the Regulatory Sandbox Ecosystem for Innovation.”

An engaging session on Generative AI for Data and Knowledge Engineering was moderated by Prof. Dessislava Petrova-Antonova, Research Lead at GATE, with support from notable projects such as enRichMyData, Dynabic-eu, HUMAINE, and INTEND. The complexities and challenges associated with generative AI were the focus of this session, with key issues like transparency and fairness in AI deployment discussed.

The recognition from BDVA is seen as a foundation for future collaborations and impactful projects that will contribute to sustainable development in Bulgaria and beyond.

With this award, BDVA honors hubs that support data-driven innovation and AI development across Europe. Each year, candidate hubs are evaluated based on criteria such as provision of high-tech infrastructure, scope and innovation of the services offered, participation in international projects, including coordination, and overall impact on the data ecosystem. Hubs are classified into five categories — start-up, bronze, silver, gold and platinum — depending on their degree of maturity and potential to drive innovation.

“The Silver i-Space award is a recognition of quality and trust that establishes GATE as a leading center for research excellence and innovation. It highlights our commitment to using data to solve complex problems and support informed decision-making in various application areas,” said Prof. Silvia Ilieva, Director of the Institute. “For us, this distinction is not only an achievement, it is a responsibility. We believe that the GATE Innovation Space (GATE i-Space) will support the implementation of projects with high social and economic impact that are aimed at addressing global societal challenges, support smart industries and contribute to sustainable development,” she added.

“Although GATE is a young organization, with your first application you have already achieved the medium, silver level of development of the Innovation Space. Continue to build on your achievements, we are waiting for you in the gold and platinum level,” emphasized Thomas Hahn, the president of the BDVA, when presenting the award.

GATE i-Space was created to support the development and implementation of high-tech solutions based on big data and artificial intelligence, and to provide resources and services to external users and third parties. It enables easy and rapid prototyping, validation and experimentation in real-world environments, demonstrating the value of technology and data in a variety of scenarios. It supports SMEs from traditional sectors for experimentation and demonstration, as well as innovative start-ups that use the data space for their development and pre-investment activities. The main services of GATE i-Space are based on a high-tech infrastructure, integrating a palette of software tools and a data platform that cover the entire life cycle of data (collection and structuring, processing, analysis and visualization) and three innovation laboratories – a city living laboratory, digital twins lab and visualization lab. Among the additional services are training programs to increase competence and expertise in the field of data, technical support and consulting for the development of new business models and data management, as well as initiatives for joint projects with business and public administration.

GATE i-Space aims to promote data-driven innovation in Bulgaria and Europe. It is also a major driving force in national and international initiatives related to the creation of data spaces in the field of mobility, healthcare and urban development.

With its Silver i-Space status, GATE i-Space cements its key role in realizing Europe’s data-driven digital future.

The first plenary session establishing the Code of Conduct on General Purpose Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) will take place on Monday 30 September from 15:00 to 16:30 CET. A wide range of stakeholders are invited to develop it – including representatives of academia, independent experts, industry, the non-governmental sector.

The contribution of the GATE Institute as the First Centre of Excellence in Big Data AI in Eastern Europe will be to the development of concrete practices and policies in the development and use of AI models. This will also happen within the framework of GATE ERPL – the latest Laboratory of the Institute for Experimental Regulation and Digital Policies, an innovative opportunity for interdisciplinary technology development and testing (sandbox), as well as prototyping and modeling of new legal and ethical solutions.

In this way, ERPL provides both a hybrid combination of technology analysis, legal and ethical services to research organizations, as well as the first of its kind for Bulgaria and one of the few in the EU controlled environment to test the feasibility, effectiveness and potential of new solutions, including general-purpose AI models.

The European Commission is expected to finalise the Code of Conduct on General Purpose Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) by April 2025, a year after the entry into force of the AI Act in August 2024.

“GATE itself is an innovation. Our team’s efforts are focused on creating a new generation of scientists and experts in the field of big data and AI. In this sense, young people and their development are at the center of all our efforts. We create practical science and at the same time educate and work with industry and organizations from various spheres of public life,” said Borislav Bankov.

More data experts will certainly be needed to make informed decisions, knowing that one source is not enough. But this leads to the more general point. We just have to learn to learn new things. This is what I look for in the selection of young people who want to join our team as a NATO test center. It’s a skill we all need to develop in order to be truly successful and open to new opportunities and create new opportunities ourselves,” he added.

And this year, GATE welcomed and delighted many curious young people with interesting prizes at its stand at Tuk-Tam Kosher 2024. Through exciting demonstrations, the GATE researchers presented the nature of their work and the activities in the institute’s various scientific and applied areas – Cities of the Future, Digital Health, Smart Government, Smart Industry.

As is tradition, GATE will also be presented on the Kosher stage. Borislav Bankov, who leads GATE’s involvement in NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA), will be among the speakers this year. In addition to his personal professional journey from NATO headquarters to the first Center of Excellence in Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in Eastern Europe, he will also talk about how GATE as a NATO test center generates opportunities for innovative entrepreneurs and how every young a person with interest, qualities and skills can become part of the team of the prestigious institute.

Q: What are the main factors that create conditions for the development of innovation? What cannot innovation do without?

Golaleh Ebrahimpur: Every innovation process starts with creativity. Once you have a creative idea, it’s crucial to have a supportive context to nurture it. This context should include key elements such as a strong network, the right competencies, and, of course, sufficient funding and investment. However, one of the most critical aspects is culture—a culture that not only allows creativity but actively promotes and encourages it. Without creativity, innovation simply cannot happen.

Q: How do innovations based on big data and artificial intelligence change the way businesses work, and how do they affect people’s lives?

Golaleh Ebrahimpur: Big data has already had a profound impact on business, and from what I see, we are only scratching the surface. It has revolutionized decision-making processes, automation, efficiency, and even enabled entirely new business models. When business operations transform, it naturally affects society and people’s lives. For instance, AI-driven solutions in healthcare are changing how services are provided, improving both the efficiency and effectiveness of care.

Q: Chalmers Industriteknik is one of the founding organizations of the GATE Institute, the first Eastern European center of excellence in big data and artificial intelligence. What does your organization bring to the Institute and to Bulgaria in general?

Golaleh Ebrahimpur: Our organization has been deeply embedded in the innovation ecosystem since the early 80s, giving us extensive experience in navigating the complexities of innovation processes. In Bulgaria, there is a wealth of talent, and the tech ecosystem is already quite robust. What we bring to GATE is the know-how in managing the uncertainties inherent in innovation. Flexibility and adaptability are crucial—these are skills you can’t just learn from a book. We hope to transfer this knowledge to GATE, helping it become a hub for knowledge transfer that benefits the broader Bulgarian society.

Q: In your opinion, what is the potential for the development of innovations in Bulgaria, and how can GATE Institute, in partnership with your organization, contribute to turning scientific achievements into a driving force for improving society’s life?

Golaleh Ebrahimpur: Bulgaria has immense potential for innovation, driven by talented individuals and creative research projects. GATE Institute, although relatively new, has already shown promising results and is just beginning its journey. I see GATE as a pivotal point for learning and innovation, not just in Bulgaria but potentially across Europe. The impact of AI and big data will undoubtedly be significant locally, and GATE has the potential to drive meaningful change in the innovation ecosystems of Bulgaria and beyond.

This certification distinguishes the GATE Dataspace Connector as one of the few globally to meet IDSA’s rigorous data security and governance standards. GATE’s Level 1 certification represents a foundational step the institute intends to build upon, ensuring that the Bulgarian and broader Eastern European data landscape remains at the forefront of global innovation.

“Our goal at GATE is to build an ecosystem that leverages advanced Big Data and AI technologies to drive research, foster innovation, enhance public administration efficiency, boost industry competitiveness, and improve the quality of life for citizens,“ said Sylvia Ilieva, Director of GATE Institute, who was also awarded the title IDSA ambassador in 2024

The GATE Dataspace Connector is more than just a technical achievement; it is a key milestone in the institute’s broader strategy to promote the adoption of data spaces throughout the region. As an IDSA hub, GATE is committed to driving the implementation of data spaces by addressing both the business and technological aspects, fostering trust, and encouraging collaboration. In 2022, GATE initiated the first Urban Data Space in Bulgaria and implemented several pilot projects within its Urban Data Space, including air quality prediction and the planning of social infrastructure. Since then is involved in European projects and initiatives for creating European mobility data space (deployEMDS project) and Regional smart health data space (VELES project).

“We see data spaces as key drivers of the future data economy,“ explained Iva Krasteva, a leading researcher at GATE. “ IDS Certification for our connector proves its technological maturity and compliance with industry standards. It also provides a testing environment for experimentation and innovative use cases.“

The certification brings tangible benefits to the GATE Dataspace Connector by enhancing security and interoperability within the data ecosystem. By offering an IDS-certified connector, GATE aims to attract participants to the Bulgarian Urban Data Space, as well as to be recognized as a valuable partner for future data space initiatives and implementations.