Mariyana Hamanova

Mariyana Hamanova is the Executive Director of Cleantech Bulgaria – a leading organization in the country dedicated to innovation, sustainable development and the green transition. She has extensive experience in building innovation ecosystems and fostering partnerships between businesses, research institutions and the public sector. As an official partner of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), Cleantech Bulgaria serves as the EIT Community Hub for the country and is actively involved in several KICs including EIT Manufacturing, Urban Mobility, Climate-KIC, and Culture Creativity. Mariyana has strong expertise in translating policy into practical support for startups, SMEs and transnational collaborations. With strategic insight into innovation policies and substantial hands-on experience in their implementation, Mariyana plays a key role in turning ideas into sustainable business models. She actively supports innovative ventures throughout their entire lifecycle – from technology validation and access to funding, to market entry and international expansion. Under her leadership, Cleantech Bulgaria has implemented dozens of successful innovation commercialization initiatives through acceleration programs, pilot projects with industrial partners, and technology transfer between academia and business.