Boyko Takov, PhD presented the special award at Dare2Scale 2024 – the growth program by Endeavor Bulgaria | The Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency (BSMEPA)

Boyko Takov, PhD, Executive Director of the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency (BSMEPA), presented the special award at the final event of Dare2Scale – the four-month growth program by Endeavor Bulgaria. For the sixth consecutive year, BSMEPA has been an institutional partner and supports the large-scale event, which is aimed at entrepreneurs and businesses focused on expanding their activities.

Thirteen companies presented their businesses during Demo Day. This year, the event reached a new stage in its development, with not only participants from Bulgaria but also companies from the Western Balkans (six companies from North Macedonia and Kosovo) operating in industries such as software, transportation, media, and entertainment.

The special Momentum Award went to Epix.AI, with the prize presented by Boyko Takov, PhD, Executive Director of BSMEPA. This award honors a company that successfully applies feedback from the Endeavor network and establishes new key connections and improvements. Epix.AI offers comprehensive personalized prevention packages based on biochemistry, genetics, and epigenetics, which include the biological age of individuals and their risk of age-related diseases.

The expert jury, consisting of established leaders, evaluated the companies based on several criteria: potential for global growth, clarity of strategic goals, and presentation skills. The jury included: Boyko Takov, PhD (BSMEPA), Angel Mateev (Postbank), Milena Radeva (PwC Bulgaria), Manuela Nesal (EBRD), and Diana Stefanova (BrightCap Ventures).

The participants went through an intensive program, which included group workshops in Sofia, Skopje, and Pristina. Each company received access to 10 individual mentoring sessions with consultants from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and leaders from the Endeavor network. The events helped foster the exchange of best practices and laid the foundation for future partnerships.

BSMEPA has been actively supporting Endeavor since the first edition of the initiative. During the event, Boyko Takov, PhD emphasized that the Agency will continue to be part of the development and growth of the project, which plays an unifying role in creating a unified entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region. The seventh edition of Dare2Scale will begin accepting applications in the spring of 2025.