Momchil Sabev

I’m excited to share that today I’m starting a new chapter in my career as Director of the @EU_EISMEA, @EU_Commission. 🇪🇺 It’s an honour to take on this role and contribute to Europe’s innovation, competitiveness, and support for SMEs. 🚀

2026 is the year we shift gear. Across 5 blocks of work. 1) Simplification 2) One single market 3) Lower energy prices 4) AI-driven transformation 5) Strong Trade The direction of travel is clear ↓ twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…

First meeting with the new @EUeic Board in Brussels. We are united around clear strategic goals: shorten the time to grant, real scaling and keeping Europe’s deep-tech champions in Europe. Excited to work together to make the EU the home of the most ambitious innovators 🇪🇺🚀

The Scaleup Europe Fund will be the largest pan-European growth fund, providing long-term capital for late-stage rounds in the hundreds of millions. Backed by leading investors, we are already over halfway to our €5 billion target and on track to be operational by summer. (2/2)

In Davos I presented the Scaleup Europe Fund — a decisive step to help Europe’s most promising scaleups grow. Europe’s innovation momentum is strong: more startups, more talent, more investment. But too often, our companies must look elsewhere to scale. This must change. (1/2)

🌾 SMEs: Shape Europe’s sustainable food future! Join the @EU_Commission’s EU Agri-food Platform to: ✅ Access policy & funding info ✅ Connect with peers ✅ Sign the EU Agri-food Code and unlock exclusive tools 👉link.europa.eu/NgMnTD #AgriFoodTransition

We have successfully concluded negotiations on Japan’s association to #HorizonEU. I look forward to strengthening our partnership as Japan joins the 22 countries already associated to Horizon. link.europa.eu/BjvtMG

The European Research Council has announced 349 new ERC Consolidator Grant winners under Horizon Europe! Congrats to all the winners! 🙌 The record €728M budget shows Europe’s strong support for top research. #ChooseEurope

Today the @EUeic Forum published its Position Paper for the future European Innovation Act, calling for an innovation-friendly Single Market, smarter regulation & better access to finance for EU startups & scaleups. Read more: link.europa.eu/4QP3WM

At AITHYRA I saw how AI can accelerate life-science research when the right people work together. This is the kind of environment our AI in Science Strategy and FP10 aim to strengthen across Europe.

My visit in Vienna started with a meeting with Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer. Europe needs stronger investment in research and #innovation. Austria is already showing the way by spending over 3% of GDP on R&D.

Thanks to all at the Austrian ERA Symposium for the thoughtful exchange. The ERA Act and FP10 will be key to strengthening support for researchers and innovators across Europe. #EUResearchArea

ℹ️ With @EUScienceInnov, we are organising an informative webinar on the upcoming call “European Startup & Scaleup Hubs Pilot”! Join us to learn more about the call & the application process! 🗓️11/12, 14:00-15:00 CET Register: link.europa.eu/Kq3h9D #EUInnovationEcosystems

Stream the #SMEAssembly2025 live from Copenhagen, wherever you are! 🗓️ 11–12 November 2025 💻 Connect with fellow participants via the online platform Register for your online access today to explore the agenda 👉 tinyurl.com/yen4525k #EUSMEWeek

Today in Bern I signed with @ParmelinG the agreement on Switzerland’s participation in six EU programmes: #HorizonEU, #DigitalEurope, #Euratom R&T, Fusion for Energy, #EU4Health and #ErasmusPlus. A major step that deepens our cooperation and strengthens Europe’s innovation.

The @EUeic Work Programme 2026 is here! In 2026, its budget will be over €1.4 billion. What's new? -Advanced Innovation Challenges, a new funding scheme -Simplified and faster application process -Support to the Startup and Scaleup Strategy 👉 link.europa.eu/c7q8D7

At the @EP_ScienceTech #STOA event with @LinaGalvezMunoz, I shared a simple truth: Europe cannot lead in research and innovation if half its talent remains invisible. Gender equality is not a slogan — it’s a condition for progress, safety, and competitiveness.

On our way to Copenhagen with @HennaVirkkunen to launch the AI in Science RAISE initiative.

Very fruitful exchange with the Danish science minister Christina Egelund and prof. Yoshua Bengio on the future of AI in Europe. Thankful to prof. David Dreyer Lassen, rector of the University of Copenhagen, for the hospitality.