The Lodge Turns 3 – Let’s Celebrate Together!

This May, The Lodge Coworking Space in Stara Zagora is celebrating its third birthday – three years of inspiration, shared ideas, new businesses, events, meetings, and casual coffee chats. During this time, The Lodge has grown into more than just a coworking space – it’s become a vibrant community of creative, entrepreneurial, and proactive individuals who believe that work can be a pleasure when done in the right environment.

To mark the occasion, The Lodge is inviting everyone – current, future, and potential members – to join our “Work Birthday” celebration, happening throughout the entire month of May!

🎁 What’s in store?

For Everyone – The chance to book a FREE coworking day in May!
If you haven’t yet experienced what it’s like to work in a coworking environment, this is the perfect opportunity. No commitment, total freedom, and a cozy atmosphere – just come and see for yourself.

For Our Members – A surprise gift: a Guest Pass Voucher to share with a friend.
Invite someone you’d love to spend a productive day with – it’s a great way to expand our community and share the vibe!

Over the past three years, The Lodge has become a favorite workspace for dozens of freelancers, entrepreneurs, startup teams, and professionals from various industries. We’ve hosted events, workshops, trainings, and meetings, and built new partnerships and friendships. This celebration is all about them – the people who make this place so special.

🎉 Reserve your free coworking day today – click here to choose your date: [LINK]

Let’s celebrate 3 years of The Lodge together – with inspiration, like-minded people, and lots of positive energy. We can’t wait to see you at our “Work Birthday”!

The first digital marketing course at The Lodge Stara Zagora has started

This week our space was filled with the incredible energy of young enthusiasts who started their exciting journey into the world of digital marketing.

As the official hosts of the training, organised by IT Academy Stara Zagora, we are extremely excited to see how many locals are interested in developing their digital skills. The course lays the foundations of digital marketing and is also practically oriented with real case studies, direct examples from the business environment and opportunities for immediate application of the acquired knowledge. 

Special thanks to IT Academy Stara Zagora for trusting us to hold this training right in our shared space The Lodge! Every course that takes place with us is an opportunity to support local talent, expand horizons and contribute to the digital transformation of our city.

Would you like to host an event too? If you’re looking for the perfect venue for a course, training, workshop or other event, check out our rental options HERE.

Second Crypto Meetup at The Lodge Coworking Space: A Look at the Future of Web3

On March 6, the second Crypto Meetup was held at The Lodge Coworking Space in Stara Zagora, led by Boyan Klisurov – an expert with years of experience in the digital world and Web3 technologies. The event attracted both avid enthusiasts and people who are just entering the world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies.

During the event, Boyan Klisurov talked about his journey through the digital ages – from mIRC and Facebook to Web3 and AI. The main topic was the evolution of the Internet, examining the differences between Web1, Web2 and Web3, the role of blockchain networks and the importance of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and the Internet Computer for the future of the digital economy.

After the presentation, participants had the opportunity to test their knowledge through a fun Quiz with prizes. The evening continued with informal conversations, exchanging ideas and building new partnerships.

We are happy to support the growing blockchain community in Stara Zagora and believe that events like this help to develop the digital ecosystem in the region. Stay tuned for the next Stara Zagora Crypto Meetup – keep an eye on our website so you don’t miss it!

The new season of events at The Lodge kicks off with an AI theme

The new event season at The Lodge Coworking Space kicked-off with a strong start – Artificial Intelligence (AI). On October 4th, we had the pleasure of hosting a special guest, Boncho Valkov, who shared his experience and knowledge in the field of AI in the event “Artificial Intelligence for Everyone – How to Utilize Some of the Most Popular Tools in Everyday Life.”

Boncho has been a programmer for over a decade. He graduated from Telerik Academy in 2013 and holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Furthermore, he completed his master’s degree at FMI (Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics), specializing in Artificial Intelligence.

Boncho introduced the most well-known tools and applications in the field of artificial intelligence and provided with concrete examples of how we can integrate AI into our daily lives. 

. He demonstrated how to generate car sales contracts, compare products, prepare for successful job interviews, and research specific business scenarios. These were just some of the many examples that he discussed. He also demonstrated how we can generate images based on predefined parameters.

The event was organized with the assistance of our partners from Mentormate, who contributed to the pleasant atmosphere and provided refreshing beverages for the participants.

Many exciting events are coming in the next weeks. If you are also interested in the world of technology, IT, and entrepreneurship, don’t forget to follow our profiles on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to stay informed about upcoming lectures, discussions, and training sessions that we offer. Join our active community and learn with us.

The Lodge will host the second edition of BASE Stara Zagora

Provoked by the interest in the program and the success of the first edition in the city, the organizers from the IT Stara Zagora Association will organize a second BASE cohort in October this year.

BASE program main goal is to encourage people with business ideas and start-ups to develop their concepts and turn them into successful ventures. Participation in the program is free. Everyone can become part of it without any age limit – from teenagers to adults. High motivation and an idea or started small business are the only requirements.

In the first edition of BASE in Stara Zagora, there were numerous great ideas: creating a workshop for the production of herbal cosmetics, developing consulting services in the field of financial and organizational management, a shop for personalized gifts, building a summer STEM camp for students and others.

BASE is sponsored by the “America for Bulgaria” Foundation and the Association of Bulgarian Leaders and Entrepreneurs (ABLE), and so far a total of 36 editions have been realized in various settlements in Bulgaria. In Stara Zagora, BASE is organized by “IT Stara Zagora” – an association focused on the development of the digital and entrepreneurial ecosystem in the city and the region.

The autumn edition of BASE in Stara Zagora will start on October, 26th and will last for the next 12 weeks. There will be lectures led by an entrepreneur or expert, who will share some of his personal experience. The topics are important for every start-up entrepreneur – finance, sales, marketing, human resources, legal norms, presentation skills.

At the end of the training, future entrepreneurs will have to prepare and present a business plan for their project. The winners will receive a financial incentive from the intended prize fund.

Do you want to be part of the second edition of BASE in Stara Zagora – apply by filling out the form HERE until October 24th, 2023.

Additional information can be found on the website of the Business Academy for start-up entrepreneurs – www.baseprogram.bg.

Follow the news on our website, as well as our profiles on social networks (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) to be the first to learn about upcoming initiatives that we are happy to partner with and with which we contribute to the development of the city.

THE FIRST EDITION OF BASE ACADEMY IN STARA ZAGORA ENDED

The first edition of the Business Academy for Starting Entrepreneurs BASE in Stara Zagora, which we hosted, ended successfully. It was attended by 32 participants, and 21 projects competed for the prize fund of 10,000 leva. 

Within 12 weeks 32 participants from Stara Zagora, Kazanlak, Veliko Tarnovo, Razgrad and Sliven with ideas for their own businesses were mentored by experienced entrepreneurs, who shared their knowledge in different areas – finance, sales, marketing, human resources, legal norms, presentation skills. 

At the end of the training the participants had to prepare a detailed business plan for their project or business. At a special closing ceremony the finalists presented their ideas in front of a jury. 

The projects were in various areas. Among them were a workshop for the production of herbal cosmetics, a company for consulting services in the field of financial and organizational management, a tea shop,  a centralized software system that supports the work of car services,  a summer STEM camp for students and others. 

The big winner in the first edition of BASE in Stara Zagora was the project Conestoo by Rositsa Albenova. Conestoo is a workshop for textile products for babies, children and adults from natural materials with main filling of Bulgarian wool. 

Second place was taken by Dimitrina Zhelyazkova, who received support for developing her project – U-gift – a store for personalized gifts. Third place was shared by Miroslava Doseva for her business idea for educational culinary workshops for children and Dian Dankov with his project for Mickey Mouse Children’s Club. Another project was supported as well – Maria Koleva, who makes macrame decorations with her Macrame atelier. 

For us at The Lodge Coworking Space it was a pleasure to host the lectures from the programme and to watch how the ideas of the participants developed. We wish good luck and successful implementation of the projects to all participants!



THE LODGE HOSTED THE ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING ABLE WEEKEND ACTIVATOR

From June 2nd to 4th at The Lodge Coworking Space hosted the two-day entrepreneurial training for people aged between 19 and 35 years ABLE Weekend Activator. It was organized by ABLE (Association of Bulgarian Leaders and Entrepreneurs), together with the Municipality of Stara Zagora and our partners from eDynamix. 

Within 48 hours future entrepreneurs with ideas for social projects or their own business worked on different cases and ideas and with the help of experienced mentors they had the opportunity to improve them to a real working version. 

The 27 participants, divided into 5 teams, had to do their projects, which were presented at a closing ceremony in front of a jury at Zahariy Knyazheski Regional Library.The members of the jury were Rositsa Raykova – Head of the Municipal Investments  Department , Dora Radeva – Compliance Officer at Edynamix, Violeta Nadeva, Program Director for Business Entrepreneurship at the America for Bulgaria Foundation, Rositsa Petrova -Home of Wool Founder  and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atanas Georgiev – Dean of the Faculty of Economics at Sofia University. 

After a tense and lively discussion the jury selected the winning team – Blacktrace Security. They presented a project aimed at combating cybercrime. 

The team will be supported with 5 consultations from professional experts to continue successfully developing the idea. 

 

We are glad that we were part of this entrepreneurial adventure and managed to support another wonderful initiative in our city!

RAILS GIRLS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN STARA ZAGORA

On May 19th and 20th The Lodge Coworking Space hosted the first edition of the free workshop that targeted women with little to no experience in the field of programming and technology Rails Girls Stara Zagora. It was part of the first big technology festival in Stara Zagora – Zara Tech Spring. The organizer of the edition in Stara Zagora was IT Stara Zagora Assosiation, and the general sponsor of the event was the company Siteground. 

The main goal of Rails Girls was to encourage women to take their first steps in technology, by giving them basic knowledge of programming and showing them that it is an exciting, fun, interesting and very useful skill. 

During the edition in Stara Zagora 20 ladies of different ages made their first contact with technology and learned the basics of web programming. With the help of the experienced mentors Vladislava Karataneva, Plamena Manolova, Vladimir Radkov, Dimitar Papazov, Ivan Gyokov, Ivan Dinchev and Plamen Kostov they created their first web applications. 

On the first day the participants learned more about the main building blocks of a website and learned the basics of HTML and CSS. 

On the next day they discussed the basic terms and concepts in programming and web applications and with Ruby code they made their first web applications. 

In the course of the event the ladies learned more about the work of programmers and received valuable tips on how to start a career in the field. 

The next edition of IT training for ladies is coming in autumn. This initiative has already been implemented in over 200 cities around the world.

THE LODGE IS A PARTNER OF ZARA TECH SPRING

For the first time in Stara Zagora, a big technology festival will be held – Zara Tech Spring, which we have the pleasure to be partners of. Its main goal is to promote and popularize technologies and to focus on the development of the IT sector as a key factor for the local community and economy. 

Within almost two months, various lectures, discussions and workshops in the field of digitalization and entrepreneurship will take place. They are free and open to everyone with an interest in these spheres. They are aimed at students, young people and adults who are about to choose a career, as well as specialists from other sectors who want to retrain, teachers in information technologies, business people  and others. 

We are happy that such an initiative will take place in Stara Zagora and that we will host two of the events – the first edition of the workshop that targets women with little to no experience in the field of programming and technology Rails Girls Stara Zagora and the two-day entrepreneurial training for people aged between 19 and 35 years ABLE Weekend Activator. 

Rails Girls Stara Zagora will take place on May 19th and 20th. The goal of the workshop is to encourage women to take their first steps in technology, by providing them with basic knowledge of programming and showing them that it is an exciting, interesting and very useful skill. During the event, the participants will learn more about the work of programmers and will receive valuable guidance on how to continue to develop in the sector. 

More information about the event can be found on the website of Rails Girls Stara Zagora, as well as in the profile of Rails Girls Stara Zagora on Facebook. 

From June 2nd to 4th at The Lodge Coworking Space will also host the ABLE Weekend Activator. Within 48 hours future entrepreneurs with ideas for social projects or their own business will work on different cases and ideas and with the help of experienced mentors they will have the opportunity to improve them to a real working version. More information can be found HERE.

Details about Zara Tech Spring, as well as the whole programme of the festival and the participants in it can be found at www.zaratech.bg.

WORDPRESS MEETUP IN STARA ZAGORA

On February 16th, at The Lodge Coworking Space we took the first step towards creating the WordPress community of Stara Zagora! 

On a special evening dedicated to the most used content management system in the world, we managed to gather various WP enthusiasts not only from the city, but also from Sofia, Plovdiv, Kazanlak and Dimitrovgrad. 

The guest lecturer at the event was Nikolay Krastev, who is closely related to the platform – he supports the community with organizing events, translations of core, themes and extensions and more. 

The topic he presented was “Everything about WordPress – history, community, ecosystem, opportunities and ways to contribute”. He talked about the history of WordPress from the birth of the platform to the present day, as well as about the ecosystem behind it. Nicky also shared what the possibilities to contribute to the development of the open source platform are and at the same time outlined what is ahead of us in the future. 

After the lecture we had a discussion about specific projects and businesses. 

Our friends from SuperHosting.BG were partners of the event again and contributed a lot to the pleasant atmosphere after the meeting. 

It turned out to be a really great event, which we hope is just the beginning of many more upcoming Meetups. 

 

If you are interested in WordPress or have friends who want to become part of the community – follow us on social networks and stay tuned for upcoming events of the local WordPress community.