Ekaterina Zaharieva

Ekaterina Zaharieva is the European Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation in the 2024–2029 term of the European Commission. In this role, she is tasked with placing research, innovation, science, and technology at the heart of the EU economy, promoting investments and collaboration, and creating favorable conditions for the successful development of researchers and innovators. Zaharieva is a former Deputy Prime Minister for Judicial Reform and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria. She has served as a Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria and held various senior government positions, including Minister of Justice and Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works. As Commissioner, Zaharieva focuses on reducing bureaucracy in the funding of research and innovation, creating a unified European startup ecosystem, and developing strategies to stimulate European research infrastructure and innovation.