- 28-04-2026 17:50
- Velizar Petrov
The participation of Assist. Prof. Dr Eng.
Velizar Petrov, Executive Director of the Regional Development Agency with
Business Support Centre for SMEs – Plovdiv, in the scientific conference “Open
Innovation – Science, Entrepreneurship, Artificial Intelligence”, held on
28 April 2026 at the University of Food Technologies – Plovdiv, positioned the
MYSTICAL DANUBE project at the forefront of contemporary academic
discourse as an interdisciplinary model for the transnational valorisation of
natural and intangible cultural heritage through innovation, digital
technologies and entrepreneurial mechanisms. In his scholarly presentation,
Petrov argued that the Danube Region constitutes a complex system of natural,
cultural and socio‑economic layers, where a high concentration of heritage
coexists with demographic decline, limited economic activity and underutilised
innovation potential. Within this context, the project advances a new
paradigm: heritage not as a static repository of the past, but as a dynamic
foundation for generating innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable
development. Petrov’s presentation conceptualised MYSTICAL
DANUBE as a transnational innovation platform that transcends the
conventional boundaries of a tourist route. It integrates natural resources,
legends, myths, rituals, traditional crafts and local identities with digital
humanities, GIS mapping, 3D visualisation, mobile applications and artificial
intelligence algorithms. He emphasised that the project employs a methodology
grounded in field research, digital storytelling, spatial analysis and
interdisciplinary scientific approaches, enabling the systematic mapping of
natural and intangible heritage and its transformation into a basis for new
products, services and business models. Particular attention was devoted to the project’s open
innovation framework, operationalised through collaboration between
universities, businesses, local communities and public institutions. Petrov
demonstrated that universities act as key intermediaries in this process: they
generate knowledge, develop innovation infrastructure (laboratories,
competence centres, living labs), prepare future entrepreneurs and facilitate
technology transfer to the business sector and public administration. In this
regard, MYSTICAL DANUBE illustrates how the academic environment can
function not merely as an observer but as an active participant in the
regional innovation ecosystem. The presentation also introduced several concrete
digital tools developed within the project: an interactive map of mystical
routes, a mobile application offering personalised tourist recommendations, AI
models for analysing visitor flows and seasonality, 3D reconstructions and
digital narratives. These instruments exemplify how cultural heritage can be
reinterpreted through contemporary technologies, becoming a foundation for new
forms of experience, learning and economic activity. Petrov further highlighted the project’s entrepreneurial
potential, which creates conditions for the emergence of university spin‑offs
and start‑ups in the fields of digital cultural products, AI‑based tourism
services, green innovations and creative industries. Through the application
of a living‑lab approach, the project enables the testing of innovative
solutions in real‑world settings, involving citizens, local authorities and
businesses—thus accelerating implementation processes and enhancing the
sustainability of outcomes. In conclusion, the scientific presentation of
Assist. Prof. Dr Eng. Velizar Petrov positioned MYSTICAL DANUBE as an
exemplary integrated model in which science, innovation, digital technologies
and entrepreneurship converge to create new opportunities for the development
of rural areas in the Danube Region. The project demonstrates that when
cultural heritage is approached as an active resource rather than a passive
object of preservation, it can become a driver of socio‑economic
transformation, regional competitiveness and sustainable development. This
approach not only expands academic horizons but also offers a practically
applicable model capable of being replicated across other European regions. The MYSTICAL DANUBE project: "GREEN AND MYSTIC DANUBE ROUTE FOR
STORIES TELL - TRANSNATIONAL VALORIZATION OF NATURAL AND INTANGIBLE CULTURAL
HERITAGE FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS IN THE DANUBE
REGION" is funded by the INTERREG Danube Transnational programme. The
Bulgarian partner in the project is the Regional Development Agency with a
Business Center for Supporting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, and the
associated partner is the Plovdiv Regional Administration. #MysticalDanube #DanubeRegion #RDABSCSME #CulturalHeritage