Business Incubator - Varna was established in 2005 as a result of the implementation of Contract № 328 with the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (MRDPW) for "Establishment of a High-Tech Business Incubator in Varna", after winning a tender for public procurement. As a result of the execution of the contract, 1700 m2 of the building have been reconstructed, which include: common parts for use by the administration of the Incubator and the incubated companies, offices for the administration of the Incubator and offices for incubated companies, located mainly on the second floor of the building.

In 2015, an upgrading of the favorable infrastructural, technological and information environment to support new and/or existing high technology SMEs was carried out by renovating the third floor of the building (totaling 450 m2) in implementation of Project BG161PO003-2.2.01 -0019 "Expansion of the Business Incubator - Varna to RAPIV", implemented under DBF No. BI-02-3 / 02.02.2012. 14 new offices are provided, which are housing incubated companies from Varna and the region.
The applications for incubation, including the business plan, are assessed based on a set of criteria:
• viability of the business with a potential for success in terms of growth in net revenues, number of new jobs created, increase in the capacity of the management team and long-term sustainability of the company;
• relationship between the business and the sector in which it develops, the stage of development and the relationship with existing customers or partners of the Business incubator;
• prospects for strengthening growth and development by providing access to national and European networks, clusters and partnerships.
Based on extensive research conducted by RAPIV when elaborating the Regional Innovation Strategy of the North-East Region (NER) the following priority sectors were identified:
• Energy, energy efficiency and environment.
• Information and communication technologies.
• Mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and electronics.
• Marine industry.
• Manufacturing industry.
• Construction and transport - establishment of transport infrastructure.
• Tourism.
• Services - financial, logistic, etc.
• Chemistry, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.


The Business Incubator - Varna is managed by the RAPIV’s team, which has long experience in the management and development of a favorable and pro-innovation environment, supporting business infrastructure and providing services to enterprises.

The successful combination of young and experienced experts and managers is a result of a well-developed business strategy. The team matches extensive market expertise with professional experience that provides customers with reliable and creative solutions to meet their needs.

A lot of the incubated companies have completed their stay in the incubator with high results. "3K" AD and "Svermar" Ltd. achieved more than 8 times increase in turnover and 5 times increase of the staff. Both companies were nominated by the Business Academy for Business discovery of 2009.

EWC in Varna is a member of European network of Women Entrepreneurship Centres  is a space that can provide both social and economic transformation.Importantly, the impacts are often more long-term, rather than demonstrating short term gains in the regions they target. The potential benefits of a EWC outside of just business-focused statements to the following based on the follow findings:

- the EWC builds collaborative communities that foster both social connectivity and economic change (at the individual and collective level)

- the EWC attracts diverse members with heterogeneous knowledge which can collaborate and exchange knowledge

- the EWC localizes global entrepreneurial culture, supporting the diversification of national/ regional economies

- the EWC facilitates creativity and collaboration in physical and digital space, giving individuals and businesses/entrepreneurs the chance to both learn and engage with digital technology for a range of skill levels.