WE.Circular Beyond the Project: Turning Ambition into Action in Bulgaria

How Bulgaria is building on WE.Circular results to make circular and digital entrepreneurship more accessible to women.

What does it take to turn a good green business idea into a successful and sustainable company? For many women entrepreneurs in Bulgaria, the challenge is not a lack of ambition or willingness to innovate. It is finding the right knowledge, expert advice, financing and connections to make that ambition a reality.

This was one of the key findings of WE.Circular's research into the needs of women entrepreneurs in Bulgaria. Many women-led businesses already recognise the benefits of reducing waste, using resources more efficiently and adopting digital technologies. Some have even started introducing circular practices into their operations. Yet turning these efforts into more advanced business models remains difficult.

The barriers are familiar to many small business owners: limited finances, lack of time, difficulties navigating funding opportunities and insufficient access to specialised expertise. For women managing small businesses alongside family responsibilities, finding time for professional development can be another challenge.

The research also revealed a broader issue. Bulgaria has a range of organisations and programmes supporting entrepreneurship, but much of this support is linked to individual projects and is not always available in the long term. Meanwhile, existing policies for digitalisation and circular economy rarely address the particular needs of women-led businesses.

So how can we move from promising initiatives to support that lasts?

From project results to a shared direction

This question is at the heart of the Regional Action Plan: Bulgaria developed through WE.Circular.

The Plan builds on the project's research, practical experience and consultations with entrepreneurs, businesses, universities and public institutions. Rather than proposing isolated activities, it brings together several elements that women entrepreneurs need to grow: practical skills, mentoring, access to finance and stronger cooperation between support organisations.

Its approach is deliberately practical.

Women entrepreneurs should be able to access flexible training on circular economy and digital technologies, receive guidance from experienced mentors, explore new business models and find reliable information about funding opportunities. The Plan also envisages the continued operation and future replication of WE.Circular Labs, where businesses can receive support in developing and testing circular solutions.

Another important ambition is to strengthen cooperation between businesses, universities, financial institutions and policymakers, making existing support more accessible and better connected.

The Plan also builds on the Transnational Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs' Circular Transition, linking Bulgaria's priorities with a broader vision shared across the Danube Region.

What makes this approach particularly valuable is that it does not depend on creating entirely new support structures. Instead, it encourages organisations to integrate WE.Circular tools and methodologies into their existing activities, build partnerships and use complementary programmes to reach more entrepreneurs.

Putting the plan into practice

In Bulgaria, this work is already underway.

The Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovations – Varna (RAPIV), which coordinated WE.Circular as Lead Partner, has taken up selected measures from the Bulgarian Action Plan and started implementing them through its ongoing business-support activities.

One of the most visible examples is EWA GROW Bulgaria 2026, implemented by RAPIV in partnership with EIT Food. The programme supports 10 women entrepreneurs from the agrifood sector in developing innovative and sustainable business ideas. Starting with a matchmaking event in Varna, the participants were connected with 8 experienced mentors who provide individual guidance throughout a six-month development journey. Alongside mentoring, the entrepreneurs benefit from practical training on business planning, market research, business models, financial management, marketing and pitching. The programme will conclude with a Demo Day witnin just few days, where participants will present their business ideas and compete for awards of €10,000 and €5,000.

Another important step towards more sustainable business support is developing the skills of those who work with entrepreneurs. Through the IMPACTA project, RAPIV organised an online Train-the-Trainer workshop bringing together 20 participants. The training explored entrepreneurial mindset and idea generation, incubation and acceleration approaches, and cooperation with stakeholders within entrepreneurial ecosystems. Through practical methodologies and shared experience, the workshop helped strengthen the capacity of professionals to guide aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs in developing and advancing their business ideas.

But even the most promising business idea needs resources to grow. Recognising that access to finance remains one of the biggest challenges for women entrepreneurs, RAPIV has also started providing targeted advisory support through the Green Finance Helpdesk approach envisaged in the Bulgarian Action Plan. Eight women entrepreneurs received individual consultations and assistance in preparing applications for supporting programme. Four of them were successfully selected, gaining access to the programme's mentoring and training opportunities and financial support.

To help entrepreneurs make more informed financial decisions, RAPIV also delivered two dedicated online workshops. The first, “Financial Management and Pricing”, focused on financial planning, setting appropriate prices and managing resources during the early stages of business development. The second, “Opportunities for Financing Business, Circular/Green Ideas and Innovations”, introduced available funding instruments and opportunities for developing sustainable and innovative business solutions. The sessions reached 10 women entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners, providing practical information they could use when planning their next steps.

These activities illustrate one of the main strengths of the Bulgarian Action Plan: it connects different forms of support rather than treating training, mentoring and access to finance as separate challenges. By building on complementary initiatives and existing partnerships, RAPIV is already turning the priorities identified through WE.Circular into practical opportunities for women entrepreneurs.

Keeping knowledge and partnerships alive

One of the best ways to ensure that project results continue making a difference is to bring them into places where people learn, work and develop new ideas.

This is already happening at Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”, the second Bulgarian partner in WE.Circular. The university has integrated selected materials from the project's “Smart & Sustainable Business for Women Entrepreneurs” Training Programme into its existing academic courses, making them accessible to students beyond the original project audience.

For example, students studying Digital Transformations can explore how digital technologies support more sustainable business operations through the WE.Circular module Digital Transformation Foundations. The Electronic Business course incorporates materials on Operational Digital Competences, alongside a practical cybersecurity webinar developed within the project. Students in Business Process Automation can access the module Digital Tools for Circular Economy, while Online Business Positioning uses resources from Digital Persona, helping students understand how businesses can build an effective digital presence and communicate their value.

These are practical examples of how project knowledge can become part of regular university education, enriching existing courses with real business applications and sustainability perspectives. They also demonstrate the flexibility of the WE.Circular Training Programme: its learning materials can be adapted and reused by educational institutions and business-support organisations according to their needs.

But knowledge alone is not enough. Lasting change also depends on the people and organisations willing to work together.

This is why the WE.Circular Learning Network was established - to keep the exchange of knowledge, experience and opportunities alive long after the project ends.

Bringing together 34 full members from across the Danube Region, the Network connects universities, business-support organisations, public authorities and other stakeholders committed to strengthening women's circular and digital entrepreneurship.

In Bulgaria, RAPIV and Varna Free University are joined by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Varna, Varna Economic Development Agency and Smart Varna Foundation. Together, these organisations form part of a wider community committed to sharing expertise, promoting practical learning opportunities and encouraging new partnerships.

The Network is designed to continue operating for at least 5 years after the project's completion, providing a framework for ongoing cooperation. Members can benefit from access to WE.Circular learning resources and self-assessment tools, exchange good practices, develop new partnerships and contribute their experience to discussions on improving support for women entrepreneurs.

The ambition is not simply to preserve the knowledge created through WE.Circular, but to keep using and developing it by connecting people, supporting new initiatives and helping more women entrepreneurs benefit from circular and digital opportunities.

Interested in joining the WE.Circular Learning Network?

The Network remains open to new members. Universities, business-support organisations, public institutions, companies, NGOs and other stakeholders interested in circular economy, digital innovation and women's entrepreneurship are welcome to express their interest in joining.

Membership offers opportunities for knowledge exchange, cooperation with organisations across the Danube Region, access to practical learning resources and participation in future joint activities.

The project may be over, but the community continues to grow. Join us and become part of what comes next!

The next chapter for WE.Circular in Bulgaria

The activities already underway are just the beginning. Over the coming months, RAPIV plans to launch further initiatives to help women entrepreneurs develop their skills, strengthen their businesses and explore new opportunities in the circular and digital economy.

The WE.Circular Training Programme will be further updated with new content and practical resources, complemented by a series of webinars on current topics relevant to sustainable business development and digital transformation. Applications for the new training programme will open in December 2026, with all training activities delivered in Bulgarian to make them more accessible to local entrepreneurs.

Two new six-month mentoring cycles are also planned, starting in 2027. Applications will open in December 2026, giving interested women entrepreneurs the opportunity to join a programme offering individual guidance from experienced mentors, practical business development support and opportunities to turn their sustainability ambitions into concrete actions. The mentoring programme will also be delivered in Bulgarian.

At the same time, RAPIV intends to continue applying the WE.Circular Lab approach established in Bulgaria. Building on the experience gained during the project, the Lab will provide a collaborative environment where women-led businesses can explore circular opportunities, work with experts and apply selected elements of the six Circular Business Models developed and tested through WE.Circular, according to their specific needs.

These next steps reflect the main ambition of the Bulgarian Action Plan: to make support for women's circular and digital entrepreneurship a continuous process rather than a series of isolated project activities.

Interested in taking part? Follow WE.Circular web page and social media, as well as RAPIV for announcements about the December application calls and upcoming opportunities to learn, connect and develop more sustainable businesses.

For women entrepreneurs in Bulgaria, WE.Circular is opening a new chapter — with more opportunities to turn ideas into action and build businesses ready for the future.