13 Feb 2026
The Municipality of Stara Zagora has been recognised in the prestigious Investment Impact Awards 2026 by fDi Intelligence, the Financial Times’ specialist publication on foreign direct investment.
In 2026, fDi Intelligence launched the inaugural Investment Impact Awards to recognise Europe’s most impressive foreign investment projects with the potential to deliver significant economic, social and sustainability benefits. The awards consider not only investment value and job creation, but also each project’s contribution to innovation, productivity, sustainability and strategic integration. An expert jury assessed the projects against criteria including the quality of their impact, job creation, contribution to national priorities and sustainability.
The recognition of the Municipality of Stara Zagora is linked to the investment project of Smart Solar Technologies AD, which ranked second in the “Announced mid-sized projects” category. This category covers investment projects in Europe for 2026 with total committed capital of between USD 50 million and USD 500 million. Stara Zagora secured second place among major investment projects in Western European countries, including Ireland, the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland), Belgium and France.
Smart Solar Technologies AD manufactures solar panels, solar cells and batteries. The company is part of Smart Energy, one of Europe’s leading investment and engineering companies in the renewable energy sector.
The investment project that earned Stara Zagora second place in the prestigious ranking includes:
A total investment of BGN 240 million / EUR 122 million;
The creation of more than 800 new jobs;
Implementation in Zagore – Elenino Industrial Zone, within the Municipality of Stara Zagora;
Certification as a priority investment project.
This international recognition highlights the project’s importance for the region’s economic development and reinforces Stara Zagora’s position as an attractive destination for strategic investments with long-term impact. It provides further evidence that Stara Zagora competes successfully at a continental level with Europe’s leading investment destinations.
