Startup Grind lands in Sofia It’s official – Sofia is on the global entrepreneurial and startup map! To reaffirm the fact, Startup Grind (the global startup community with presence in more than 20 countries and 50 cities, in partnership with Google for Entrepreneurs) is launching its newest charter in our city. We are to enjoy some thoughtful insights; open, frank and uncensored sharing of what it takes to fail and restart –…and to be an entrepreneur and create a business from scratch. Future speakers will be the established or the newly emerging pioneers of the growing IT entrepreneurial society and the leaders of the broader business community, art and science. The first event will be held on 19th September from 18:30 at Essence Center – a conference center located in the very heart of downtown Sofia. We will enjoy the story of Theodore Zahov, one of the pioneers of the BG IT industry, with broad interests in business development and investments. He will share about his early years and endeavors, latest challenges, hot topics and interests. Entrepreneurs and doers - people with ideas, the ones looking for support (and sometimes cash) from any field, or just the curious about exploring new ventures, are our welcomed guests. To reserve a seat and become part of the inauguration event, please book online here. If you ask yourself – why now and why, the hell, we need another entrepreneurial format – the answer is that each event makes us more integrated in an entrepreneurial community that has never been larger than now. We boast our ego by having the second fastest broadband internet connection after South Korea and by being the Communist “Silicon Valley”. But, hey – we are still lagging behind in overall internet penetration and some of our “silicon”-ed communist memories aren’t worth 5 stotinki as they are 30-40 years old. Yet, lately we see flourishing of various entrepreneurial initiatives, businesses and ideas that bring a wave of fresh air among skilled Bulgarian tech geeks. Unemployment and life challenges force people to start caring for themselves without expecting much support from government. At the same time software outsourcing to USA, Canada or Western Europe, education and travel abroad have brought in hell of a knowledge about digital technologies and business. So, brace yourself. The grind is always rough but the Startup Grind is the journey some of us are to tackle for the rest of their life anyway. Businesses and lifestyles have changed forever.