Theme: EXPANDING MINDS

We decided to make this event because our community needs events like TEDx. We want the people from Stara Zagora to be a part of this community. To inspire and be inspired. Because no matter what career someone has, TEDx talks can be the kind of thing that remind as why we do and what we do professionally – or help inspire what we should be doing. EXPANDING MINDS is for thinking beyond the box! Thinking inside the box is restricting your self to coming up with everyday like ideas and solution. There's really nothing new about it. Nothing game changing. Nothing that impacts things greatly. But thinking outside the box is to dare to risk something valuable to come up with remarkable new approaches and ideas.

State Puppet Theatre - Stara Zagora
46, General Gurko St.
Stara Zagora, Stara Zagora, 6000
Bulgaria

Bogi Beykov

Bogy Beykov is a comedian and host of the online late-night show Bogus Laugh Show.

Chris Zahariev

Filmmaker, graphic designer, founder of the Up To Us Project. Chris studying "Film Directing" at the National Academy for Theater and Film Arts.He is mainly involved with documentary cinema.

CHRISTO POPOV

Hristo Popov has over 20 years of experience in senior positions across the world with McKinsey, Shell and Sab Miller. He is also the founder and CEO of over 20 European companies in retail, consumer goods, strategy consulting. At present, Hristo is CEO of Fast Track, Senior Rockefeller Coach and works together with Verne Harnish helping companies throughout the world to scale up their businesses. Fast Track is actively involved with over 60 companies in Europe, Africa and Asia on strategy and execution assignments. Hristo is a frequent guest speaker in international forums, university events, TV and radio appearances and has a number of publications, including Forbes, HBR and others on entrepreneurship and management. He is a mentor and coach to over 50 start-up companies and young entrepreneurs. Hristo is an active YPO member since 2003 and part of the European board. He holds an MA from Sofia University, an MBA from Cambridge, UK, and has attended executive programs at Harvard Business School, LBS, Babson College, Chicago University and others.

Darin Madzharov

Darin Madzharov is the creator of Ucha.se - educational site №1 in Bulgaria. Darin has been awarded in the Forbes ranking for 30 leaders under the age of 30, as well as Darik's ranking of 40 inspiring, innovative and brave people under the age of 40.

Dimitar Petrov

Dimitar Petrov is a Bulgarian born animator, graduate of The University of Westminster in London, UK. Dimitar has worked for companies such as Cartoon Network Studios Europe, HUTS JWT and Strata advertising. He is the lead writer of the show and head of visual development. He is the creator and art Director of the Golden Apple. The Golden Apple is a fantasy animated series based on the vastly unknown Balkan legends and folklore.

Elitsa Kostova

Elitsa Kostova is a transformational coach, creative thinker and innovator in the field of education.Her specialty is to coach and help people achieve their dreams, improve their lives and fulfil their potential.

INDRANEEL SEN

Indraneel Sen is a scientific innovator and CEO of Wasabi Innovations Ltd. He was born in Calcutta, India and graduated from Jadavpur University, Calcutta with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1999 after which he joined Crompton Greaves - an electrical engineering MNC. From 2002 to 2007 Indraneel pursued a doctorate program from Materials Science and Engineering Department at University of Tennessee. After his PhD Indraneel continued his research endeavours at UT (Nuclear Engineering Dept.) as a Post Doc Fellow where he led a multidisciplinary research group to develop thermal neutron scintillator material for nuclear security. In 2011 November, Indraneel returned to India to contemplate on his future directions. He had brief nine months tenure as a fellow at the Variable Energy Cyclotron Center, (Department of Atomic Energy, India) before joining Institute of Polymers- Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, where he worked as an experienced researcher from 2013 to 2015. In 2015 Dr. Sen had a short tenure as an assistant research professor at AGH University in Krakow following which he returned to Sofia Bulgaria and started Wasabi-Innovations Ltd. Dr. Sen has co-authored of 9 peer reviewed scientific publications, 3 published patents (US and international) and 3 patent applications.

Ivan Lekushev

Ivan Lekushev is 34 years old from Stara Zagora - He graduated from the American University in Bulgaria with a degree in Business Administration and Politics. Over the past eight years, Ivan has been the CEO of BGO Software and LoveBulgaria.bg.

Ivelina Aleksandrova

Ivelina Aleksandrova is a speech therapist. She has Bachelor's degree in Logopedia at the Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski and Master's degree in "Communication Development Disorders". Member of the International Society for Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Medicine. Chief еditor of the Bulgarian Logopedia - logopedia.bg. Author of numerous publications related to childhood development violations.

Nikola Sivkov

Nikola Sivkov is the chief organizer of Kapana Fest in Plovdiv. He is one of the creators of the creative urban brand for street apparel "What A Monster".

Paolo Ruggeri

Business consultant

Paolo A. Ruggeri is a founding partner of OSM International Group, a USA based management consulting company with existing offices in Europe, Latin America and Asia, offering unique analysing tools and business development methods with proven results for over 25 years. OSM International Group can sustainably improve any kind of business operations, no matter the market, economy conditions, or business cycles. Paolo is an expert in leadership and people development. His books on the subject have been translated into several languages and have become best sellers in Europe and the Americas. One of his books, The New Leaders, a Leadership Manual for the Third Millenium Manager, has sold over 50,000 copies and is a best seller both in Europe and in the United States.

Pavel Kounchev

Managing Director in TimeHeroes. He managed the biggest platform for volunteering in Bulgaria.

Petar Mitev

Petar Mitev is CEO of V-Ray Chaos Group. Chaos Group is a worldwide leader in computer graphics. They are create the technology that helps artists and designers create photoreal imagery and animation for design, television, and feature films. The company has created one of the most successful 3D visualization products - V-Ray. In February 2017, Chaos Group received an award for a full technology contribution in the category “Science and technological achievements” of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Simeon Keremedchiev

Simeon Keremedchiev comes from a legal background, but his interest in different scientific disciplines and human consciousness led him to attaining a degree in Psychology. He is currently involved in the development and launch of a comprehensive online informational platform, directed at self-development, human consciousness and conscious living. Simeon's work gravitates around the genetic potential which lies within the human genome and our innate ability to unlock it.

Svetoslav Ivanov

Svetoslav Ivanov is a graduate of FJMC at the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski ". He joined the bTV News team in 2007 and is the author of dozens of documentaries, interviews and reports from the hot spots of the world, including Iraq, Iran, Libya, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and many others. Winner of many prestigious guild awards. His articles have been published in some of the most authoritative editions, including the British newspaper "The Independent". Winner of the Robert Schuman Award of the European Commission for his Corona Moon Investigation for the Islamic Movement in London. In 2016 he received recognition from the Union of Bulgarian Journalists with the Golden Pen Award. Today he is the host of the 120 minutes show, which starts on the birthday of his daughter Joanna and is broadcast every Sunday on bTV.

Yani Dragov

Yani Dragov founded Smart Organic at the age of 28. From the small bio shop it launched in 2009, today it is the largest distributor of organic food in Bulgaria, with a team of more than 100 employees and a turnover of more than 20 million lv. Superfoods and innovative bio products unlock the company's success and international markets. In 2012, Yani co-founded Roo Brands. Today, its leading product, Roobar, is sold in 50 countries around the world and has been award winner on three continents .