It started with my education and grew with my career in HP. I also contributed to growing the next generation of Entrepreneurs in Junior Achievement Bulgaria where I served as a Board Chair for 17 years. I’ve been also Board Chair of Technical University in Sofia for 7 years helping the STEM education strategy development. My involvement in the foundation and Board Chair of European Center of Women in Technology and its Bulgaria chapter BCWT made me involved in different initiatives for empowering women in tech.

My first female role model was Carly Fiorina, CEO of HP till 2005. She was a visionary and brave leader, and I learned from her what is the blessing to be a trendsetter but also to be ready to carry the consequences for not always being understood.

Today, I get inspiration from the young people that choose the entrepreneurial path and start technological and sustainability businesses that are tracing the path of the razing new world. I feel privileged to be a mentor and investor in such innovative ventures.

All we do is DEIS.

BCWT works since 2012 for encouraging women for a tech career. Few examples:

1. Entrepregirl early competition with mentoring (https://entrepregirlbg.com/) ;
2. SHEleader@digital yearly conference – https://www.sheleader.digital/sheleaderdigital-conference-2020-sofia/ ; https://www.sheleader.digital/ ;
3. 3. SHEleader in a SHELL monthly podcast – https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sheleader+in+a+shell )

In MOVE.BG in last four years we work on the green transformation addenda. Here few projects:

1. Green Restart Coalition – https://move.bg/greenrestart-activities
2. “Mission Green Sofia: Prepared for the Future” – https://move.bg/mission-green-sofia-eng
3. Forum Mission Green Sofia – https://move.bg/mission-green-sofia-eng
4. Mission Green Energy – https://move.bg/mission-energy-report-eng
5. Mission Green Bulgaria Report – https://move.bg/mission-green-bulgaria-eng
6. Green Solutions from Bulgaria 2025 – https://move.bg/green-solutions-bulgaria2024-results-eng

A lot more can be found on move.bg – https://move.bg/

Positioning Bulgaria on the ICT world investment map.

I am the founding GM of Hewlett-Packard Bulgaria. It took me two years to ‘sell’ Bulgaria in HP – in 2005 HP opened first in the country Global Delivery Center that employed more than 7000 people in the next few years. Many digital corporations followed, and this transformed the digital industry in the country. Lot of the today’s startups and scaleups founders grew their professional knowledge in those companies.

Don’t stop upgrading your skills and knowledge. Start your business if you want to be an entrepreneur or go high in your career if you follow the corporate professional path.

The world needs more than ever the feminine attitude in the business and management.

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I work to empower the next generation of conscious and professional business entrepreneurs in the tech and sustainability field. The challenge is to make them fly.

In 2030 I expect many of the companies where I invest in and mentor today to give the economic portrait of Bulgaria and Europe.

During the high school years, when I took my first lessons of biology.

I have read with great interest the stories of some famous female scientists (like Rosalind Franklin, Marie Curie and Rita Levi Montalcini).

At present, some female disseminators ( like Beatrice Mautino) and a psychotherapist (Stefania Andreoli).

The school and colleagues are very attentive to students with learning disabilities or who are experiencing difficult moments, offering them the necessary support and tools. For the employees there are no specific initiatives.

Enjoying the loyalty of the students.

Continue to study in order to train themselves and be prepared, not only in their teaching subjects, but also in student management and searching for innovative teaching methods. Furthermore sharing and teamwork with colleagues is very important.

Do what´s right and fear no one.

I want to motivate students, especially female students, for micro- and nanotechnology and encourage for more international exchange within the Master´s program.

In a place that makes me feel valued, where there is collaboration and sharing.

My interest in STEM sparked before I started school. My father was an hardware engineer and used to work in the computing center in my hometown. I loved spending time at his workplace and especially him taking me to the halls with the big mainframe machines. I was one of the first kids at school that gets to have personal computer at home and that gave me a chance to start coding at an early age.

The founders of Microsoft, then Google, Apple, Amazon were the first that I admired and read a lot about growing up. When I started working as software engineers I was fascinated by women like Diane Green, one of the founders of VMware. Sheryl Sandberg and other women who successfully combine the role of executive in tech and being a mother are my biggest inspiration. We also have amazing examples of female leaders in Bulgaria like Diana Stefanova (Managing Director of VMware Bulgaria since it was founded) who have tremendous impact on growing the Bulgarian IT ecosystem.

VMware Bulgaria is renowned for fostering culture of diversity and inclusion. Through the years we have participated in multiple local and global initiatives like Women Who Code, Rail Girls, etc.

In our industry you can never achieve much if you are not a team player. As a manager my biggest achievement is building and growing a team or more precisely a group of smaller teams that have successfully delivered key features for our cloud management portfolio.

For me the two most important lessons are:

1. “Do not compare with boys” – By nature boys and girls have different “superpowers” and your job is to acknowledge them and use them to the best of your advantage.
2. “Do not wait for the perefect timing, it never comes” – Whether it’s about changing career tracks, taking new job opportunity or starting a family and taking time off you career, perfect time will never come and you will never be prepared enough.

• Be kind, transparent and don’t judge
• Try to guide and inspire rather than instruct and command
• Don’t stay in your comfort zone
• Invest in your development but also well-being
• Give back or pay forward whenever possible

For the forseeable future one of the biggest challenges I guess will be:

• The expanding role of AI and Automation.
• Talent acquisition and retention will always be a theme no matter how the landscape changes.
• The continuous innovation and disruption will keep on creating challenges, but also opportunies.

I don’t have such a long term career plan but the IT industry is not only transformating itself but the global economy and every day life so I am sure great opportunities lie ahead.

Ever since my school years, I was intrigued and attracted by mathimatics and physics. At first, it begun as mind games or quizzes, solving problems and equations. Then after university, I realized how science can explain and solve the problems we face in everyday life, business and economy and deeply appreciated their impact, in a different way.

The truth is that I never had very specific role models. I always liked reading biographies and interviews of successful people (i.e., people that made an impact), but also looked relaxed, happy and in control. These could be actors (like Steve McQueen), jornalists (like Maria Rezan), businesspeople (like Steve Jobs) and sometimes scientists (like Dimitris V. Nanopoulos). But today, I have come to highly admire any person who follows his or her fulfilling purpose, creates an impact in his/her field and finds balance between an apiring career and a gratifying everyday life.

In our company, we are notorious for selecting new collaborators mostly on their personality, attitude and enthusiasm, rather than just their pure CV and technical skills. This means that vibrant people, with strong personalities, very different to each other, come together and create things. I believe that this is a true example of diversity that produces beautiful results.

On a company level, I am proud of having created a team and infrastructure, that allows high quality research to be done and at the same time (usually) for people to enjoy doing so. On a personal level, I am proud of having made all the professional choices, that today make me feel that every day, I can work on the things that I want, like, and choose and not the things that I must or should.

Work hard, but without making a fuss about it. Mind your own business, don’t listen or be influenced by people you do not admire. Be creative and have confidence, show your work in a respectful and elegant way. Create a strong network of people you admire and learn how to communicate with data. Having a strong network will give you access to more opportunities and knowing how to exploit and work with technology and data, will give you higher chances to win these opportunities.

If I had to choose the most important values for me, I would say attention to detail, courtesy with good humour and data-driven decisions and discussions. These are values that I communicate in my everyday life and always try to find collaborators that share these sincerely. I am lucky enough to be working with people that see these values eye-to-eye with me and often these create a go/no-go decision for new collaborations.

I feel that the biggest challenge will be to not stop learning and find the way to maintain a clear view of the cutting-edge scientific progress, so I can be part of the most innovative and promising solutions in the drug discovery field. Also, to keep growing the team and the company and maintaining the quality of products and services, along with the culture and values of the people that started the company.

Things are evolving very fast, both for our company and the drug discovery field, so this is hard to say. I know I want to remain in the drug industry and keep working towards better therapies and also be able to have business partners that I admire and gain pleasure from our everyday collaboration and co-creation. If I have these things, I will consider my plans achieved in 2030.

My interest in science began in high school. I was particularly drawn to mathematics and physics, which led me to pursue engineering studies.

Oprah Winfrey has been a great source of inspiration, especially her ability to interview the President of the United States. Florence Lambert, whom I met during my PhD, also inspired me with her simplicity, human richness, and intelligent leadership.

At the Directorate, there is a fair balance in terms of diversity. I started here at the age of 26, and my youth has never been a hindrance. It’s my skills and the value I bring that have been recognized. I’ve never felt treated differently due to my age, only assessed based on my abilities.

What would you like to happen when it comes to DEIS in the microelectronics sector by 2030?

I would like to see equal numbers of men and women trained in this sector, all aware of the climate challenges. My wish is for these issues to be addressed naturally in education and in the workplace, with a strong connection to environmental challenges.

I’m particularly proud of the project I started working on in 2015, which continues to grow today. This project represents millions of euros in investments, and last year, I even collaborated with the government thanks to this expertise. It’s like my “baby,” and I’m proud to see how it has grown.

Don’t be afraid to enter this field. If you love what you do, you will overcome any obstacles. It’s a growing sector with many opportunities for specialization and career advancement. And more global: it’s important to know how to assert yourself and say “no” when necessary, while finding compromises. You must manage your responsibilities while remaining humane and maintaining balance in professional relationships.

I firmly believe in the importance of equity, inclusion, and diversity in all sectors. It’s crucial to encourage young women to pursue careers in science and technology.

My greatest challenge will be continuing to evolve in my field while staying true to my personal and professional values. It’s important to remain passionate and to keep learning throughout your career.

President of the Republic! No, I’m joking! Seriously, in 2030, I see myself still in the same field, with even more responsibilities. I will continue to develop the projects I started and aim even higher in my career.

My passion for science was nurtured from a young age. Both of my parents were mathematicians, and they instilled in me a love for mathematics and science. Their influence, particularly my mother’s, played a significant role in guiding me towards a career in STEM. While my mother provided an example of independence and confidence, I also pursued music at the conservatory, which fueled my creativity and complemented my scientific path.

My first role model was undoubtedly my mother. Her independence, both financially and professionally, was a source of inspiration. Presently, I continue to be inspired by women in STEM who successfully navigate both personal and professional challenges, showing that it is possible to find balance and make significant contributions.

Yes, one initiative that stands out is the “Women in PV” event that I am involved in organizing. This event, part of the 41st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC 2024), promotes gender diversity and inclusion in the photovoltaic sector. It highlights women’s contributions, addresses the challenges they face, and suggests strategies to improve their representation.

I am proud of the various roles I have held throughout my career, from being a researcher to leading a laboratory, to my current position as a senior expert in photovoltaic cell research. My ability to contribute to both technological advancements and gender diversity initiatives has been a highlight of my journey.

To those who aspire to a career in this sector, I would advise them to embrace who they are and to remain strong in the face of challenges. It’s important to accept that a career is not about conforming to molds or expectations but about finding a personal balance between work, family, and other passions. Never hesitate to reach out for support when needed.

My core values are independence, creativity, and perseverance. These principles guide my approach to both my personal and professional life, allowing me to navigate challenges with confidence and to make meaningful contributions in my field.

One of my future challenges is to continue advancing my research in photovoltaics while also fostering diversity and inclusion in the field. I aim to lead by example and to create opportunities for the next generation of researchers, particularly women, to thrive.

In 2030, I hope to be at the forefront of innovative photovoltaic research, contributing to both technological advancements and the global push for renewable energy. I also hope to have played a significant role in fostering a more inclusive and diverse environment in the STEM community.