19 Nov 2025
Experts from the municipality in Italy learned useful experience for establishing Stara Zagora as an even more attractive environment for investments and innovations
From September 16 to 20, 2025, a delegation from the Municipality of Stara Zagora visited Rome, Italy, within the framework of the TAIEX-REGIO initiative - a European Union instrument for the exchange of good practices and technical assistance between Member States. The main goal of the visit was to strengthen administrative capacity and improve public policies by adapting successful European models, announced the Department of Investments, Energy Efficiency and Green Transition in the Municipality of Stara Zagora.
The country's industrial strategy, as well as the vision for digital transformation and sustainability of enterprises, was presented at the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy. At the Center for Competence in Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence and Industry 4.0, the delegation was introduced to the Italian laws DL 179/2012 and DL 3/2015. The norms regulate the activities of innovative start-ups, SMEs, incubators and accelerators. Emphasis was placed on incentives for entrepreneurs - tax breaks, interest-free loans and opportunities for combined financing.
At the Directorate for Investment Promotion, the mechanism for attracting foreign capital was presented, including the organization of a special structure for large strategic projects. Particularly interesting was the meeting with Lazio Innova - the Regional Innovation Center, which brings together national and European resources to support business, Invest Stara Zagora also informed. The center provides guarantees, loans and venture capital and develops internationalization programs, the experts explained.
During the visit, special attention was paid to support for young entrepreneurs and women, as well as to the mechanisms for combining loans with grants at the regional level.
The visit to Rome provided valuable experience and showed how the partnership between the state, business and academia can build a sustainable and competitive entrepreneurial ecosystem. For Stara Zagora, this is a chance to implement good practices, expand its partner network and establish itself as an even more attractive environment for investments and innovations, summarized the participants from the investment department.
