Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, Deputy Prime Minister Donchev and Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Danovsky held a meeting with representatives of the US technology company IBM at the Council of Ministers
“We are exploring the possibility of building an AI gigafactory in partnership with IBM and the European Commission. We will make every effort to implement this project, because attracting high-tech investments is a government priority,” Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said during a meeting with representatives of the US technology company IBM.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev and Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Martin Danovsky also attended the meeting.
The discussions focused on the possibility of Bulgaria hosting one of Europe’s first AI gigafactories, to be built with support from the European Commission. The project includes infrastructure equipped with more than 100,000 advanced GPUs; the initial phase would require at least 70 MW of power capacity, while total electricity demand could reach 500 MW. “This initiative has the potential to position Bulgaria among Europe’s leading technology hubs and to create favourable conditions for innovation, research and the digital economy,” the Prime Minister said.
The project could be implemented through a public-private partnership, with the European Commission potentially investing up to 17% of the capital expenditure, and Member States contributing an equal or larger share. Building the gigafactory will require level land covering 50 to 200 hectares, with scope for future expansion. “The Government will assist in identifying a suitable location with the required infrastructure – fibre-optic backbones, access to the electricity transmission grid, a water supply for cooling, and transport accessibility,” he added.
The European Commission expects the first gigafactories to become operational in 2027–2028. The meeting also discussed IBM becoming a strategic technology partner for the project, providing expertise and solutions for the construction, operation and maintenance of the infrastructure.
“The European Commission’s European AI Gigafactories initiative opens up an opportunity for Bulgaria to establish itself as an active partner in the development of infrastructure for artificial intelligence-based technologies. The country has a strong IT sector, skilled professionals and established capacity, including the Bulgarian AI Factory BRAIN++ currently under development,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev noted. The Deputy Prime Minister added that, to put forward a competitive proposal, it is essential to partner with a global leader in data centre development and AI infrastructure.
The meeting also noted that IBM’s technological edge in quantum technologies could contribute to further strengthening the AI capacity that Bulgaria is set to build.
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IBM is among the leading companies in this field. It is a global leader in artificial intelligence, cloud technologies, and cybersecurity, with over 2,000 employees in Bulgaria and a position as one of the largest U.S. investors in the country. A partnership with IBM would bring advanced technological and expert capabilities, international credibility, and full alignment with European and national regulatory requirements.
