In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Dohodno Zdanie
4 Svoboda square
Ruse, Ruse, 7000
Bulgaria

Aleksander Ivanchev

Born in Ruse in 1990. He graduated from the "Professional High School of Tourism" in Ruse with a Chef profile. After that, the culinary academy "HRC Culinary Academy". He interned in a restaurant awarded with 3 stars by the Michelin guide in Napa Valley/ California, as well as in Doha/ Qatar, from where his pastry career began. A few years later, he continues to specialize at the Ferrandi/Paris Culinary Academy and completes an internship with one of the best confectioners in the world, "Pierre Herme". Over the years, he trained with two world champions in Paris and Kiev. Twice winner of the title "Best Pastry Chef of Bulgaria" from the Bulgarian Association of Professional Chefs in 2011-2013. Bronze medal in pastry art from the Culinary Olympic Games in Erfurt / Germany. The first competitor took our team to participate in the toughest pastry competition in the world "Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie". Winner of the "Relais Desserts" competition of the French Chamber of Craftsmen. He is currently a leading confectionary teacher at the HRC Culinary Academy, a consultant at "FICOSOTA" and a chocolate ambassador for Bulgaria at Barry Callebaut's Chocolate Academy.

Emiliyan Enev

Emilian Enev is the chairman of the Management Board of the Startup Factory Association and the initiator of the organization. His personal mission is development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and IT communities in Ruse and Bulgaria. He is one of the founders of the Bulgarian Startup Association (BESCO) and winner of numerous awards. Managing partner in the high-tech company ReCheck. ReCheck is one of the pioneers in the development of blockchain products in Bulgaria and offers access to tools for data protection and ownership, tracking and sovereign digital identity.

Joro Penchev

Technology is a profession and a passion for Zhoro Penchev, and he has also been engaged in activism and public causes in many fields for over ten years - e-government, education, conservation of nature and cultural heritage, leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship, Bulgarians abroad. He currently chairs the "Society.bg" foundation, which creates the Bulgarian community of civic hackers. For many years he was a teacher at the "St. Kliment Ohridski", and to date he gives guest lectures at various conferences. Advises organizations and administration on data, technology, strategic planning and civic engagement tools. His passion is city policies and he has the privilege of leading the economics and management teams in the preparation of Sofia's long-term strategy - "Vision for Sofia 2050". This is where his deep interest in the topic of civic participation and community development, including through the lens of technology, comes from. His life in Japan also left a strong mark on his understanding of community. He believes in the strength of communities, and that their disintegration is the cause of many troubles in Bulgaria. He is currently part of the "Sofia Team", with which he continues to develop this topic at the city level. He has been engaged in amateur and journalism for many years and is among the creators and editors of the largest online Bulgarian media for fiction ShadowDance, which promotes fiction as a tool for social thinking and social change.

Kaloyan Kumanov

Kaloyan Kumanov is an entrepreneur in the AgTech (technologies in agriculture) sector and together with his brother developed NIK as a leading company in Southeast Europe. The company is developing to a team of 300 people, in 10 markets and revenues of nearly BGN 100 million for 2022. Due to the success in the development of their Romanian business, Kaloyan entered the Forbes 30 under 30 selection in 2016

Maria Dimitrova

Maria Dimitrova, a software engineer by education with additional qualifications in accounting, auditing and pedagogy. I currently manage about 1300 people as the regional director for Bulgaria of the international company Foundever. I have taken up the cause of helping young people in their development as a mentor in various entrepreneurship programs, I am also an international debate judge for school and university students. I want to prove to society that young people are valuable and should be given a chance.

Neda Malcheva

Neda Malcheva was born in 1985. in the city of Ruse. Already in her early childhood, she was passionate about drawing and years later she completed her secondary education at the National School of Arts in Ruse. She completed her higher education at the "Angel Kanchev" University of Ruse, majoring in "Engineering Design". After graduating, Neda lost hope that she could develop professionally as an artist, so for several years she tried different professions such as Graphic and Web Designer. For several years, she buried herself in the depths of CSS and HTML, which in no way corresponds to her vocation. During this time, she managed to buy his first graphic tablet, with which she drew digitally in her spare time for a long time, managed to build up a portfolio and gradually returned to drawing - as a freelance artist. Illustrates books, mobile apps, games and portraits. In 2011, she created the Neda Malcheva page in order to use it as an online portfolio, to be more easily accessible among her relatives and clients, users of social networks. Over time, she began to draw and upload small comics depicting his personal life. Gradually, with the appearance of her children, Neda moved the concept of comics to motherhood. The illustrations she shares with the audience are ironic, recreating the life of a mother in a comical way. They often concern social and household issues and are the occasion for a huge discussion among her audience. Comics are gaining a lot of popularity on social networks and in just a few years they have gathered a large number of followers. The popularity she gains from her comics brings her the desired and non-stop work as a digital artist, which she has a hard time managing while taking care of her children and her home. Neda's illustrations are more than life situations, they embody the image of a woman as a parent, a working person and a full member of society. The main characters of the comics are her and her three children. In 2021, the love of drawing leads Neda to the next step in her life – the desire to pass on this emotion and these skills to children. She established a drawing school "Kartinka" in the city of Ruse, where she taught drawing to children. In the same year, he published his first book "You will see when you give birth".

Neven Boyanov

Entrepreneur, teacher and inventor. Creator of the innovative STEM learning platform Tinusaur.

Stanimir Milev

Chase a cloud is an animation studio that brings together a gang of creative daredevils, cinematographers and dreamers to imagine, write, direct and create epic films, series, stories and pictures. And Stani is a creative producer there. Not that there is such a thing as a "creative producer", but since he owns half the company, he can come up with all kinds of titles. This has been Stanny's dream since he was a child, when he would run away from class to play computer games. And they always get him, of course. For the past 15 years, he's been struggling to make it a reality, and he's had a lot of fun along the way. He has done all kinds of work, from 3D films for Airbus, effects for Hollywood films (Speed Racer, Cloud Atlas, The Gangster Squad, The Immortals, Life of Pi) to animated series (Nat Geo Explorer's Academy, Mattel's Rescue Heroes 2019, Best Fiends the 16bit Adventure, Food Detective). However, he is most concerned with his own ideas for animated series that are being developed at the studio. There you can let your imagination run wild, and he very much hopes that one day you will watch them, either on Netflix, or on Disney+ (and in no case – in the world).

Valentin Borisov

Valentin was born in the city of Ruse, married, father of two children. Manager of Progressive Flow Bulgaria Ltd., an international consulting company. He participates in projects to improve education in Bulgaria and is a close expert on the Theory of Constraints.

Vanya Georgieva

Vanya Georgieva is 36 years old, from Ruse. She graduated from Geo Milev English Language High School, and then sociology and urban studies at Sofia University. A social researcher at the "Alfa Research" agency with over 12 years of professional experience, a few years ago he decided to return to Ruse and founded the "Stand Art" Association together with friends and like-minded people, with which he strives to promote and enrich the cultural life in the city. Within the framework of the doctorate in political sciences, he develops research activities in the field of cultural policies. She is actively engaged in creative activities such as playwriting and music.