Bulgaria showcases Healthcare Innovation at EXPO 2025 Osaka

A joint mission with BSMEPA

DHI Cluster in collaboration with the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency (BSMEPA), led a successful international mission to Japan, where Bulgaria took part in EXPO 2025 Osaka.

The goal was to show the world what Bulgaria has to offer in digital health, clinical research, and healthcare innovation. This collaboration also gave five leading Bulgarian health-tech companies the chance to present their work to a global audience.

What Is EXPO 2025 Osaka?

EXPO 2025 Osaka is one of the biggest international exhibitions, bringing together countries, businesses, and innovators from all over the world.
The Bulgarian delegation joined during the Health and Well-being thematic week, where the focus was on new technologies and solutions that can improve people’s lives.

The event gave Bulgaria the perfect opportunity to build connections, explore new partnerships, and position the country as an affordable, high-quality destination for healthcare innovation.

Who represented Bulgaria?

Bulgaria was represented by five innovative companies from the digital health and life sciences sector:

• Tiger Health Technology - Specialized in healthcare data management with a focus on digital pathology.
• VECTOR Labs - Experts in AI-powered custom software solutions.
• BGO Software - Offering healthcare software development and consulting.
• WeLoveDigi - Delivering creative and flexible AI-based digital solutions.
• VertiPay - Focused on smart solutions for clinical trial reimbursements.
  
  

These companies showed the strong potential of Bulgaria’s health innovation ecosystem.

What Happened During the Expo?

Day 1: Presenting Bulgaria’s Healthcare potential

The mission began in Osaka with the Bulgarian-Japanese Business Networking Event at the Bulgarian Pavilion. The event was officially opened by Mr. Georgi Kostov, Director of the Bulgarian Pavilion, who welcomed the international guests and introduced Bulgaria’s growing healthcare sector.

The audience also heard from Mr. Soma, a representative of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), who presented Japan’s Healthcare Innovation Hub (InnoHub).

The Bulgarian companies then took the stage to present their work and their role in shaping Bulgaria’s health-tech future.

Nikola Apostolov (Tiger Health Technology) and Denitsa Bacheva Neykova (WeLoveDigi) led the joint presentation, highlighting:

• Over 180 health-tech startups
• More than 790 active clinical trials
• 57 EU-compliant pharmaceutical manufacturers
• European quality at up to 40% lower cost
  
  

Their main message was that Bulgaria is building a connected, export-ready healthcare ecosystem that offers global partners high quality and affordability.

Later that day, the Bulgarian delegation took part in the EU–Japan Healthcare Conference: United for Saving Lives, where healthcare leaders, companies, and researchers from Europe and Japan came together to discuss collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and building real partnerships to improve healthcare worldwide.

Day 2: Building partnerships in Tokyo

On the second day, the Bulgarian delegation traveled to Tokyo to explore the local healthcare market and build new partnerships.

They were warmly welcomed at the Bulgarian Embassy in Tokyo, where they met H.E. Marieta Arabadjieva, Ambassador of Bulgaria to Japan, and Mr. Georgi Kostov, Director of the Bulgarian Pavilion at EXPO 2025 Osaka.

The discussions provided valuable insights into the Japanese healthcare landscape, including local market specifics, potential partnership opportunities, and practical advice on how to build long-term, sustainable relationships in Japan.

The delegation also met with representatives from the ICVS Tokyo Clinic & Research Institute and Mr. Kokatsu from Yamagata University. These meetings opened doors for future collaboration in digital health and clinical research and offered a deeper understanding of Japan’s innovation ecosystem.

Business meetings and Product showcases

The Bulgarian companies had several business meetings during the EXPO, where they introduced their products and solutions. The WeLoveDigi team showcased AuraInsights, an AI-powered platform for personalized patient education, which received interest from Japanese partners and opened opportunities for development partnerships.

Day 3 and 4: Exploring the Future of Health at EXPO 2025 Osaka

The Bulgarian delegation returned to EXPO 2025 Osaka to explore some of the most inspiring pavilions and technology zones.

They visited:

• The Future of Life Pavilion, which offered a look into global visions for the future of health, well-being, and sustainable living.
• The Belgian Pavilion, showcasing healthcare and innovation from Europe.
• The Healthcare Pavilion, where international solutions for next-generation healthcare were on display.
• The Technology and Innovation Zones, where cutting-edge global solutions were presented.
• The Pasona Natureverse Pavilion, an immersive experience that beautifully connected nature, technology, and community life. The pavilion demonstrated how green thinking and digital solutions can work together to create healthier, more balanced societies.
  
  

These visits provided fresh inspiration and valuable ideas about how digital health, sustainability, and innovation can come together to shape the future of patient care and community well-being.

Bulgaria’s growing Global role

This visit to Japan, made possible by BSMEPA and DHI Cluster, was an important step in putting Bulgaria on the map as a health-tech and innovation hub.

The Bulgarian delegation not only presented high-quality solutions but also made meaningful connections with partners in Japan and across Europe. The mission showed that Bulgaria is ready to grow, connect, and lead in the global health innovation space.