Science and technology have always been at the heart of human progress. From the first wheel to the latest AI advancements, innovation propels us forward. But true progress doesn’t happen in isolation—it’s fueled by education, hands-on experience, and a relentless curiosity to understand and improve the world. Over the past 17 years, we at the America for Bulgaria Foundation have been privileged to support Bulgaria’s next generation of engineers, scientists, innovators, and entrepreneurs by creating opportunities for them to learn, explore, and apply their knowledge in the real world.

Muzeiko: A Decade of Discovery

This year, we celebrate ten years since the launch of Muzeiko, the first and largest children’s science and discovery center in the Balkans. Since opening its doors in 2015, Muzeiko has introduced hundreds of thousands of children to the wonders of science through interactive exhibits, workshops, and hands-on learning. It’s where kids build robots, launch rockets, and experiment with physics in ways that feel like play.

One of our favorite exhibits, The Inventions, highlights real-world discoveries made by children—like the Popsicle, which was accidentally invented by an 11-year-old. Stories like this remind kids that they, too, can be inventors. And thanks to Muzeiko’s Makerspace, many of them already are.

In 2023, Muzeiko took on an even bigger role by becoming a public institution after ABF donated the center to Sofia Municipality, ensuring that generations of Bulgarian children will continue to benefit from its transformative approach to STEM education. And this is only the beginning.

Schools of the Future: Where Learning Comes to Life

Classrooms should be more than just rooms with desks and blackboards. They should be places where students actively engage with knowledge, where theory meets practice, and where curiosity leads to discovery. That’s why we launched Schools of the Future—a program that has transformed 85 schools across Bulgaria into cutting-edge STEM learning environments.

Take Hristo Botev School in Karnobat, where students no longer just read about the laws of physics; they test them in fully equipped science labs. Or Sofia’s 51st School, where biology lessons happen in high-tech laboratories, and students analyze their own DNA to understand genetics firsthand. These schools, and many others, now offer interactive learning experiences that prepare students for real-world challenges.

Beyond new labs and equipment, Schools of the Future also empowers teachers with modern training and methodologies. The program’s success has been so profound that the Bulgarian Ministry of Education used it as a model for its nationwide STEM program.

Telerik Academy: Keeping Talent in Bulgaria

If you want to see how STEM education changes lives, look no further than Telerik Academy School. Founded in 2011, it has given more than 40,000 young Bulgarians access to top-tier digital skills training, and many of its graduates are already shaping the country’s IT industry.

Take Alexander Tsvetanov, who landed his first tech job at 16 and is now a software engineer at Chaos Group. Or Irina Hristova, who commuted from Lovech to Sofia every weekend in high school to attend programming courses—today, she’s a sought-after IT specialist. And then there’s Dimitar Tatarski, who loved his coding classes so much that he started teaching them at 17. Now, in his mid-20s, he has considerable experience training young programmers and corporate clients alike.

Thanks to Telerik Academy School, young Bulgarians no longer have to go abroad for a world-class tech education. And with Bulgaria’s tech sector booming, they don’t have to leave the country to build successful careers either.

Motivated by a desire to extend the benefits of a world-class digital education to every child in Bulgaria, Telerik Academy School and Technokrati created the platform Buki.bg. It offers every school in the country access to top-tier digital learning resources.

Khan Academy: Learning Without Limits

When it comes to quality education within everyone’s reach, few platforms have had a greater impact than Khan Academy. Since 2011, we’ve supported the Bulgarian adaptation of this global learning resource through our partnership with Education Without Backpacks.

Today, Bulgarian students have free access to over 14,000 video lessons and 100,000 interactive exercises in math, computer science, and the natural sciences. Whether it’s mastering long division or exploring photosynthesis, learners of all ages can study at their own pace with video tutorials that are clear, engaging, and fun.

Khan Academy’s mobile app is now available in Bulgarian thanks to Education Without Backpacks. Students, teachers, and parents can track progress in real time, while learners benefit from a personalized pace and path. With the support of hundreds of volunteers, experts, and donors—including the America for Bulgaria Foundation—the platform continues to expand with new content and features.

Khan Academy founder Sal Khan’s vision of providing free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere, has found fertile ground in Bulgaria. Thanks to thousands of volunteer hours and generous support, Khan Academy has become an indispensable tool for Bulgarian learners of all ages.

Olympiad Teams: Bulgaria’s Best and Brightest Shine

Bulgaria may be a small country, but its young scientists and mathematicians regularly outperform their peers on the world stage. Since 2010, we have supported Bulgaria’s Olympiad teams in disciplines like mathematics, physics, informatics, and linguistics, helping them bring home nearly 900 medals from international competitions.

One of our proudest moments? Bulgaria has long been a powerhouse in the International Linguistics Olympiad, ranking among the top nations. As of 2025, Bulgaria holds the second position in the all-time gold medal ranking, just behind the United States, demonstrating our students’ exceptional talent and dedication. Our students rank first globally, proving that with the right support, Bulgarian talent can compete with—and beat—the best in the world.

But these achievements are about more than medals. They are about the skills and confidence these young people gain along the way. Many Olympiad alumni go on to study at top universities, and some—like Rumen Hristov—launch groundbreaking startups. His company, Emerald Innovations, is developing AI-powered medical devices that could revolutionize healthcare.

Research Science Institute: Preparing Tomorrow’s Innovators

Each year, the world’s top high school students compete for a coveted spot at MIT’s Research Science Institute (RSI), a summer program where young scientists work alongside leading researchers. Thanks to our support, Bulgarian students have had a place at RSI for years, putting them on equal footing with their international peers.

One of those students was Tania Otsetarova, who tackled a complex math problem at RSI that had stumped researchers for years. Another was Ivan Ivanov, who developed a cutting-edge AI model for text analysis. Both credit their time at RSI with shaping their future careers.

Exploring the Final Frontier

Our passion for advancing the country’s potential has inspired support for programs that give young Bulgarians a front-row seat to the universe.

For nearly 50 years, the Belite Brezi Astronomy Summer Camp has welcomed high school and university students to its open observatory in the Rhodope Mountains. There, under the mentorship of leading Bulgarian and international astronomers, they study celestial bodies by night and attend lectures by day. Many return as mentors themselves, including renowned scientists like Professor Ilian Iliev and Miroslav Ivanov. The camp thrives thanks to volunteers and the dedication of longtime director Agop Uzunbohossjan, as well as support from donors like the America for Bulgaria Foundation.

Another great, star-gazing program we have had the privilege to support is Space Challenges, which is introducing a generation of young Bulgarians to space science and technology through hands-on projects and mentorship from experts at NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Many young inventors took their first steps into science with Space Challenges Junior, where they created imaginative inventions and developed critical thinking skills that continue to fuel their curiosity and inspire their future pursuits.

Science with a Future Grants

Over the past five years, the Foundation’s Science with a Future grants have helped young innovators work on applied ideas in a variety of science and technology fields. With a total investment of 800,000 levs, we have supported the advancement of science in Bulgaria, providing crucial funding for projects that bring scientific discoveries out of the lab and into the real world.

Investing in the Future

STEM education isn’t just about producing the next generation of engineers or scientists—it’s about giving young people the skills to solve problems, think critically, and innovate in any field. It’s about ensuring Bulgaria remains competitive in a rapidly changing world.

We are proud of what we’ve accomplished over nearly two decades, but we know that the work doesn’t stop here. As we look ahead, we remain committed to expanding opportunities for hands-on learning, supporting teachers, and empowering Bulgaria’s brightest minds.

After all, the next great discovery could come from a Bulgarian student tinkering in the Muzeiko Makerspace, coding at Telerik Academy School, or testing an experiment in a state-of-the-art school lab. And when that moment comes, we’ll be here to celebrate it.