Nikolay Nikolov is the Founder and CEO of Niki Rotor Aviation, a private aerospace and aviation company based in Pravets, Bulgaria, established in 2010. Long before the official launch of Niki Rotor Aviation, Nikolov was actively involved in model aircraft and for 10 years organised the largest air show in Bulgaria, gathering enthusiasts from across the field. The company's roots in aviation go back further still — in 2000 the team designed its first helicopter prototype made of composite materials, and in 2004 began its gyrocopter project, eventually producing the first two-seat gyrocopter manufactured in Bulgaria.
Niki Rotor Aviation has grown to more than 160 employees and currently places its products on markets in the US, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, with ambitions to expand into Canada and Australia. The company's two main models — "Lightning" and "Kallithea" — are built from composite materials combined with aluminium and plywood. Both models are winners of the award for "Best Two-Seater Gyrocopter" at Bensen Days, one of the oldest and most prestigious events for ultralight aviation, held annually in the USA since 1973.
Among Nikolov's ambitions is building the first Bulgarian helicopter with, in his own words, "enviable technical parameters" that would be competitive on the global market. Behind Niki Rotor Aviation's core competence in aviation stands Niki Ltd — a leading manufacturer of bespoke and custom-made furniture in retail and hospitality with 25 years of experience — reflecting the broader entrepreneurial foundation of the Nikolov family