Bulgarian SME Promotion Agency Delivers Bulgaria’s Six-Month World Expo Participation
The Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency (BSMEPA) under the Ministry of Innovation and Growth successfully delivered Bulgaria’s participation at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Over six months, Bulgaria was presented as an innovative technology hub with significant investment potential.
Over 320,000 people from around the world visited the Bulgarian pavilion at the World Expo, held from April 13 to October 13. Bulgaria also won first prize with Lacto-Chan in the Best Mascot category at the World Expolympics Awards, in competition with the more than 160 countries and organisations taking part in the large-scale exhibition.
Fifty-five years after EXPO 1970 in Osaka, the Bulgarian Pavilion was once again honoured to welcome members of Japan’s Imperial Family. Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado visited the pavilion and posed for a photo with its mascot, Lacto-Chan, even before the character gained global recognition.
In cooperation with the Embassy of Bulgaria in Tokyo, the Agency organised a series of events, and the Bulgarian pavilion hosted high-level government and parliamentary delegations.
More than 100 Bulgarian companies had the opportunity to showcase their capabilities and establish business partnerships with international firms during the Expo’s thematic weeks and at accompanying events organised by BSMEPA. Business forums, networking sessions and B2B meetings held at the national pavilion facilitated strategic partnerships and opened up potential new markets for Bulgarian businesses.
Four trade missions were organized, bringing together companies from the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, innovative healthcare, food processing, architecture, educational technologies, the creative industries, and textiles and apparel, among other fields.
Bulgaria also demonstrated leadership in science by hosting forums and conferences featuring prominent Bulgarian and Japanese researchers. In addition, more than 20 cultural events were held, including exhibitions and film screenings featuring Bulgarian and international artists.
Bulgarian students studying Japanese Studies were also given the opportunity to welcome the many visitors to the Bulgarian pavilion, a gesture appreciated by the Japanese public that further strengthened the friendship between the two countries.
In a remarkable way, visitors to EXPO 2025 experienced Bulgarian music and art at a major gala concert on May 18, celebrating Bulgaria Day at EXPO 2025.
The design of the national pavilion, created by the Bulgarian conceptual team of architect Maria Gospodinova, Iskren Krastev, and MP-STUDIO, in collaboration with the Japanese teams at DAIWA LEASE CO., LTD. and Kobayashi Maki Design Workshop, received recognition from world-renowned architects. These architects are responsible for Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium and EXPO 2025’s Grand Ring, which holds a Guinness World Records title. A central element of the Bulgarian pavilion was a 360-degree audiovisual experience that enabled each visitor, with the help of artificial intelligence, to leave a message for the future. The pavilion was situated in the most prestigious zone, at a key location near one of the main entrances, between the Netherlands and Singapore pavilions. Its construction used environmentally friendly materials.
The pavilion was officially inaugurated on April 13, 2025 by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev, who said: “We are presenting Bulgaria’s new image with elegance and good taste. In addition to being known for unique products such as rose oil and yoghurt, we are also highlighting the strengths of Bulgarian industry.”
At the official closing ceremony of the World Expo on October 13, 2025, BSMEPA Executive Director Dr Boyko Takov said: “Bulgaria’s participation at EXPO 2025 is a success achieved thanks to strong teamwork and the synergy among everyone involved in presenting our country on the global stage.”
The next World Expo will be held in 2030 in Saudi Arabia.
