The international forum brings leading scientists and experts to the capital to explore technological solutions for smarter urban management and a better urban environment
What will cities look like when artificial intelligence becomes part of the way we plan and manage them? How can data help optimize traffic, create a more sustainable urban environment, and enable more timely responses to natural disasters? Why is it important to test an urban solution virtually before implementing it in the real world?
These and other questions will be among the key topics of GeoSofia 2026 – an international scientific forum that will turn Sofia into a meeting point for global expertise in geoinformatics, spatial modelling, big data, artificial intelligence, and smart cities.
The event will take place from 28 September to 2 October 2026, hosted by the GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. Sofia Municipality is a partner of the forum.
New GATE Institute study shows a significant increase in heat stress in Bulgarian cities, with evening temperatures up to 9.5°C higher during the compared heat periods in 2006 and 2025
The first national attribution study conducted by researchers at the GATE Institute and focused on heat stress in Bulgaria and Bulgarian cities shows a substantial increase in the risk of extreme heat. The analysis looks beyond air temperature alone, combining temperature, humidity, wind, and solar radiation to assess the actual heat load on the human body.
The study analyzes conditions at the national level and in 10 Bulgarian cities – Sofia, Plovdiv, Pleven, Blagoevgrad, Ruse, Vidin, Kardzhali, Sliven, Varna, and Burgas. The cities were selected to represent different parts of the country, terrain and climatic conditions, proximity to bodies of water, and different characteristics of the urban environment.
The GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” unveiled new horizons for science, innovation, and technology during the international forum Up To GATE 2025: New Horizons, which brought together leading Bulgarian and global experts in artificial intelligence and data. Special guest speaker was Prof. Noboru Koshizuka – one of the most prominent figures in the global scientific community in the fields of IoT, smart cities, and artificial intelligence. He presented for the first time worldwide his new concept “Urbanetics”, integrating research domains such as AI, data spaces, smart cities, and the Internet of Things.
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