
INSAIT and Sofia University Announce the Second Edition of the “EXPLORER” Program with €500,000 in Funding

Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics (FMI) have launched the second edition of “EXPLORER” – an innovative four-year program aimed at supporting young talents in artificial intelligence and technology. The program is backed by an initial funding of €500,000.
The official announcement took place in the presence of the Minister of Education and Science, Krasimir Valchev, the Rector of Sofia University, Prof. Georgi Valchev, the Vice-Rector, Assoc. Prof. Parvan Parvanov, the founder and Scientific Director of INSAIT, Prof. Martin Vechev, INSAIT’s Executive Director, Eng. Borislav Petrov, representatives of the tech companies supporting the initiative, as well as media and official guests.

The program offers scholarships to some of Bulgaria’s most talented young minds in computer science, artificial intelligence, and high technology. Its primary goal is to create an environment that nurtures the country’s future technology leaders by providing them with the necessary resources and research opportunities.
This year, up to 10 students will receive a scholarship of €1,000 per month for four years. The program is open to newly admitted first-year students at FMI, as well as to current first- and second-year students. The expanded eligibility criteria provide more opportunities for young talents to continue their education in Bulgaria while working on globally significant scientific and technological projects.
“EXPLORER” scholars will have the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge projects at INSAIT, participate in seminars, discussions, research, and internships.
The program is funded by the “Lead by Example” foundation, established by SiteGround’s management team – Ivo Tzenov and Tenko Nikolov, as well as leading tech companies such as “Ampeco,” “Alcatraz AI,” the 200-year-old British company Man Group, the venture capital fund LAUNCHub Ventures, and Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria.
The results from the first edition of “EXPLORER” have already been impressive. Thanks to the program, talented young Bulgarians have chosen to stay in the country instead of accepting offers from top universities such as Oxford, ETH Zürich, and TU Munich. One of the most remarkable success stories is that of first-year student Maria Drencheva, who recently became the lead author of a research paper accepted at ICLR 2025 – one of the most prestigious AI research conferences.
Applications are open until March 16, 2025. More information and application link here.