October 10; It's Fall Y'All 😎
Back to conferencing, and back to the beautiful autumn Black Sea coast... this was my week
Happy Sunday,
In another telltale sign of normality returning, this October is shaping up as one of many social engagements. Next week I’m planning to speak at a real-life business conference, the first time for me since Startup Grind in February last year in California.
In a warm-up to that, this week I enjoyed attending the Forbes Innovation Forum Bulgaria, which was co-produced by Ellie and her launchlabs Sofia colleagues. After which Ellie and I went for another of our beloved traditions; closing the Black Sea beach season in Bulgaria this weekend.
Real innovation stories “from the kitchen” 💡
Such was the theme of the Innovation Forum that Ellie, her team, and the Forbes crew hosted this week in Sofia. Their aim was to go beyond the headlines, one-liners, and soundbites, and to try to decompose the elements that allow companies big or small, with products and services novel or traditional, to innovate and stay ahead of the curve.
I really liked the format, as it wasn’t just for and about corporations or startups, but rather overarching in what unites them in innovative business endeavors and approaches.
Here in Bulgaria we have a very small business community, where everybody knows each other, and everything is integrated. It’s common for successful startups to be founded by corporate executives, and vice-versa; lots of founders or startup employees end up in corporations or government after a less successful startup attempt. And often they get to push the needle substantially in those roles, which wouldn’t have been possible without the startup experience.
Next to seeing Ellie shine and being amazing as an MC and panel host, I was also thrilled to see two of our portfolio company founders on stage, Galin from Econic One bikes, and Assen from Assen Aeronautics. Here are the stories about our investments in these two amazing companies: from my colleague Marin (about Econic One) and me (about Assen Aeronautics).
Beach serenity 🌊
Much like last year, when due to the pandemic travel abroad wasn’t possible at all, this year Ellie and I are enjoying as much as we can of the inter-season natural wonders of Bulgaria, with a beautiful Fall well on its way now.
We decided to spend this weekend at one of the prettiest beaches in the country, the Irakli natural reserve area half-way between Varna and Burgas.
There’s something magical about beaches beyond the sun and crystal clear waters in summer; perhaps because I’ve spent so much time in the Netherlands and California, I also very much enjoy the wild tides, dramatic gray skies, and the mist rolling in over the beach.
And there was plenty of that this weekend. The cool thing about beaching in October in Southern Europe is that even with the skies overcast and the foliage turning yellow and brown, the waters are actually still warm, so despite the dramatic nature, you can still swim in the sea.
Another good thing is the total lack of people around you. We stayed at the rather posh Vaya Beach Resort, and were literally the only guests in the whole compound. I’d honestly pay a premium just for such an opportunity, to be all alone in a beautiful setting.
I’m looking forward to grabbing a few more of these post-season beach experiences together with Ellie in the coming weeks and months, before we can finally get our cross-country skis out of their bag and hit the trails again, hopefully already in December. 😎⛷
Thanks for checking in today and talk to you next Sunday! 😇
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