UK-Bulgaria co-operation is boosting semiconductor innovation,
investment and skills, strengthening supply chains and supporting
Bulgaria's growing tech sector.
Semiconductors underpin everything from smartphones to electric
vehicles and renewable energy systems. Secure and diverse supply
chains are essential for economic resilience and technological
leadership.
Under the UK-Bulgaria Strategic Partnership, the Science and
Technology Network (STN) and Department for
Business and Trade (DBT) have connected UK expertise with
Bulgaria's ambitions under the EU Chips Act 2023 and its
fast-growing auto electronics sector.
This collaboration is creating opportunities for innovation,
investment, and skills development, strengthening bilateral ties
and supporting Bulgaria's efforts to position itself as a
competitive player in Europe's semiconductor and automotive
technology landscape.
How the Science and Technology Network added
value
The Science and Technology Network (STN) has served as a
trusted bridge between government, academia, and industry in the
UK and Bulgaria – strengthening mutual understanding and
unlocking opportunities for collaboration.
A high-level roundtable in Sofia in 2024 hosted by British
Embassy Sofia brought together UK and Bulgarian government,
academia, and industry leaders to discuss opportunities.
STN followed
this up by organising a study visit to Scotland in March 2025,
where Bulgarian stakeholders experienced the UK's world-class
factories and training models first-hand.
Finally, a UK trade mission to Bulgaria in November 2025
showcased the country's growing semiconductor ecosystem including
both Bulgarian innovators and global players investing in the
Bulgarian market, attracting UK innovators to explore
partnerships.
The impact
As a result of the series of activities, STN has facilitated:
-
development of a €350 million investment Green Silicon
Carbide wafer factory, delivering £10.5 million UK export
wins and advancing next-generation materials
-
a research MoU between Glasgow and Sofia Universities,
enabling joint projects and talent exchange
-
an industry MoU between TechWorks UK and Bulgaria's BASEL,
strengthening sector ties
The next phase will focus on launching the Green Silicon Carbide
factory in Bulgaria, deepening research and development
partnerships, and expanding skills initiatives.
By linking UK compound semiconductor expertise with Bulgaria's
manufacturing capacity, STN has helped create the
foundation for developing longer-term collaboration potential in
both research and development and opportunities for business
investment. By doing so, partnerships can:
-
Supply Chain Security: Diversifying production within Europe
strengthens supply chain resilience and mitigates
geopolitical risks.
-
Innovation Acceleration: Co-located research and development
hubs and factories create an ecosystem for rapid prototyping
and commercialisation of next-generation materials like
Silicon Carbide.
-
Talent Pipeline: Joint training programs and academic
exchanges will help close the skills gap in a sector facing
global shortages.
-
Help facilitate supportive policy frameworks that can advance
international partnerships.
Why Bulgaria?
Bulgaria is a gateway to Eastern markets and key manufacturing
hub in Southeast Europe. The country now produces about 80% of
sensors used in European cars and hosts state-of-the-art research
and development centres and smart factories (for example, Melexis
in Sofia, Sensata and Schneider Electric in Plovdiv).
The electronics sector is projected to grow from approximately
€2.3 billion in 2023 to €2.7 billion by 2028, representing a
compound annual growth rate of 2.9%. Bulgaria's automotive
industry comprises around 380 companies employing over 80,000
people and contributes more than 10% to Bulgaria's GDP, making it
a key driver of economic growth.
The €1 billion EU-backed research and development push and EU
Chips Act 2023 ambitions create strong partnership potential. All
these factors showcase Bulgaria as an important hub in the
growing European supply chain for semiconductors and chip
manufacture.
