When we sat down to organize the 2026 Academy of Economics, Finance, and Entrepreneurship (AEFE), we had one simple question: Why should Bulgarian high school students have to wait until they are 20 years old and living abroad to get access to world-class education?
The answer is: they shouldn’t. The “For Intelligent Growth” Foundation was born out of a profound desire to eliminate the geographical gap between ambitious young minds in Sofia and the top academic institutions across the globe. But turning that vision into a reality requires a massive logistical effort behind the scenes.
The Global Logistics Challenge
Organizing this academy wasn’t just about sending a few emails and setting up a Zoom link. It meant coordinating across extreme, conflicting time zones. It meant late-night calls synchronizing schedules between Prof. Feng Vince in Hong Kong, Terry Kramer in Los Angeles, and our local team here in Bulgaria. Every lecture block, Discord channel structure, and seminar was meticulously engineered to feel completely seamless for the 24 participants sitting at home.
Recruiting the Ivy League Mentors
We didn’t just want any mentors; we strictly wanted Bulgarian students who had already successfully navigated the exact path our participants want to take. Reaching out to bright minds at Columbia, LSE, UCLA, and Bocconi was inspiring. Almost all of them immediately said “Yes.” They remember exactly what it was like being an ambitious, stressed high schooler in Bulgaria, desperately looking for reliable guidance and high-level networking.
The Vision for the Live Finals in Sofia
Online lectures are highly efficient, but the real magic of AEFE happens in person. We specifically designed the live finals on July 4th and 5th to simulate a real-world corporate boardroom or startup pitch room. When a participant stands up to deliver their 7-minute presentation, answers rapid-fire questions from an international jury, and defends their logic, they are doing exactly what startup founders, financial analysts, and consultants do every single day.
This academy is much more than just a two-week summer program. It is tangible proof that Bulgarian talent can confidently compete on a global stage when given the right tools, the right academic framework, and the right mentors. We cannot wait to see what brilliant research this year’s participants bring to the table.
Foundation “For Intelligent Growth”
