The Action Plan of the Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization (ISSS) of Sofia in the ICT priority was discussed on July 14, 2015, in the Institute of Information and Communication Technologies (IICT) at the Bulgarian Academy of Science. The event was organized by GIS Transfer Centre Foundation under the "Quintuple Helix" project in implementating the strategy for smart specialization of Sofia Municipality, with the financial support of Sofia Municipality Europe Programme, jointly with the Fund for Innovations in Culture.

The discussion was opened by the Mayor of Sofia, Yordanka Fandakova, who greeted the participants and expressed her gratitude for the collaboration with the Bulgarian Academy of Science and the support of academics on the Science, Technology and Innovation Expert Council to the Mayor of Sofia Municipality, in order to improve the quality of life in the capital city and the establishment of Sofia as an innovative and smart city.

The discussion was moderated by Prof. Kostadin Kostadinov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science. Prof. Nikolay Denkov, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Education, presented the concept of centers of excellence and competence as a tool for the realization of market-oriented research. Presentations were made by Prof. Svetozar Margenov, director of IICT at the BAS, Prof. Galia Angelova, IICT-BAS and project coordinator of AKOMIN project, Prof. Dimitar Karastoyanov, IICT-BAS, Manager of Smart Lab (SmartLab), who presented a number of demonstrations using advanced equipment (scanners, 3D printer), which are intended for digitalization of cultural heritage, speech processing in the Bulgarian language, a study of microstructures, linguistic and semantic technologies. The discussion was attended by other representatives of IICT, who presented the development of innovative strategy and own innovative results and achievements in the field.

The Executive Director of Sofia Development Association, Svetlana Lomeva, presented in addition the initiative to open the data in the administration, the management process for opening public information and the need for active participation of local government.

The aim of the project under Europe Programme 2015 is to develop a plan for implementing the Strategy for Smart Specialization of Sofia Municipality, to promote sustainable urban development through the implementation of innovative activities in the public sector, carried out in cooperation between citizens, public organizations, enterprises and local authorities.