About us – БАИТ

Mission

The Bulgarian Association of Information Technologies (BAIT) is the biggest, most representative and influential branch organization in the sphere of information and communication technologies in Bulgaria.

Established in 1995, it currently has 100+ member companies, employing over 16,600 ICT specialists and generating an annual turnover of 4% of Bulgaria’s GDP. The companies come from the entire ICT spectrum – software, hardware, telecommunications, system integration, fintech, Internet providers, IoT, Game developers, cyber security, etc. Many of them offer their own solutions, products and services and successfully work in foreign markets. The representatives of most of the world’s leading manufacturers in Bulgaria are also members of the association.

The association is the organizer of the annual BAIT Awards – the most prestigious awards in the industry for contribution to the development of ICT, known as the Bulgarian IT Oscars. With this project, BAIT pays tribute to all individuals, institutions and companies who, with their professionalism, innovation and active citizenship, have contributed during the year to the development of information and communication technologies, to popularize good practices, projects and achievements in the sector and to show that Bulgarian ICT companies develop and offer world-class products and services.
Another project of BAIT is the annual “Digital Innovators in Education” Competition. It nominates and promotes good practices in the use of digital content and the wider penetration of information technologies in education, supporting the learning process in all academic disciplines.

The mission of BAIT is to protect the general interests of its members by actively working for the establishing of information society in this country, for the development of the Bulgarian ICT industry and of the ICT market in general.
To achieve these goals, BAIT works with the state government authorities, above all with the Ministry of eGovernment, the Ministry of Innovation and Growth, the Ministry of Education and Science and with the relevant committees in the National Assembly, assisting them with expert opinion in the formation of the state policy in the field of information and communication technologies, in the planning and implementation of major infrastructure projects in the ICT sector.
The association pursues a consistent policy to establish a regular market environment in Bulgaria in the field of information technologies, a policy of transparency and equality among the companies on the market and opposes any attempts at corrupt practices.
Other important topics for the ICT industry on which BAIT works are e-governance, digitalization, Privacy&Security, defense industry and NATO, introduction of the euro, copyright and related rights, e-voting, education and workforce skills, etc.;
To achieve its goals, BAIT cooperates with other branch and employer organizations in the country, which share the ideas and goals of the association. BAIT strives to develop active contacts with related organizations from the region and the EU.

Another project of BAIT is the annual “Digital Innovators in Education” Competition. It nominates and promotes good practices in the use of digital content and the wider penetration of information technologies in education, supporting the learning process in all academic disciplines.

eSkills for Future is a BAIT initiative that aims to attract young people to career development in the ICT sector. On the eSkills For Future platform, you can find up-to-date information about ICT courses, trainings and events in Bulgaria. The eSkills For Future ICT course catalog currently includes nearly 40 training initiatives – free and paid, face-to-face and remote, which are held in various cities across the country. The platform also contains publications in popular language about various ICT professional roles.

BAIT established a National Technology Transfer Office in the area of information and communication technology (TTO-ICT) – to facilitate the process of technology transfer between innovative ICT companies, developers and researchers with the users of innovations and technologies in practice in all spheres of the economy, by promoting communication between them. A virtual office for technology transfer has been created at BAIT’s TTO ICT – a portal through which TTO-ICT provides access to a database with Bulgarian and international organizations and partners, developers and users of innovations, as well as information about the provided or requested of them services, products, developments, financing. Registration is free.