В Digital New Era Our daily lives revolve around web technologies, digital products, automation, and business development.

We work online. Our clients may be hundreds or thousands of kilometers away from us. A good team is no longer necessarily limited to the city where it is located.

And that raises an interesting question:

If business can already be global, does it matter what the environment around us is like?

According to Vasil Garbov, founder of Digital New Era, the answer is an emphatic yes.

After returning to his hometown of Gabrovo, he laid the groundwork for Gabrovo Informal – a new community with the goal of connecting entrepreneurs, professionals, employers, freelancers, specialists, and people with ideas from Gabrovo and the surrounding region.

Not just to have yet another event.

And with the long-term goal of fostering more dialogue, more connections, more joint projects, and, gradually, a stronger business environment.

A city can have many good people, and yet they may not know each other

One of the reasons Gabrovo Informal was created is extremely simple.

Gabrovo is home to enterprising people, specialists, business owners, young professionals, and people with interesting ideas.

The problem is that many of them never had a reason to meet.

They might live just a few blocks apart. They might have businesses that complement each other. One might be looking for exactly the kind of specialist the other knows. One might have an idea, while the other has the experience or resources to bring it to life.

But if they never talk, that potential value remains untapped.

Gabrovo Informal starts right here—by creating an opportunity for these people to come together in one place.

A business ecosystem isn't built solely on infrastructure

When we talk about the development of a region, we naturally think of infrastructure, investment, education, jobs, and institutions.

All of this is important.

But there is one more element that is difficult to implement administratively— relationships between people.

A strong business environment means that entrepreneurs know one another. Employers have access to specialists. Experienced professionals can connect with young people who have ideas. Local companies can partner with one another. Newcomers to the city can find their professional niche relatively quickly.

Sometimes it all starts with a single conversation.

These are exactly the kinds of conversations Gabrovo Informal aims to spark.

A Conversation with Vasil Garbov: Why Does a Digital Entrepreneur Invest Time in the Local Community?

Instead of repeating the story we’ve already told about Vasil’s career, this time we’re talking about something else— What could a more connected business community in Gabrovo actually change?.

Digital New Era can operate from anywhere. So why does it matter to you what’s happening in Gabrovo?

Precisely because we can work from anywhere these days, the choice of where to live becomes even more interesting.

I want to live in Gabrovo. This is my city, and I feel at home here.

But if you choose to live somewhere, it's only natural that you start wanting the environment around you to develop as well.

It's not enough for me that my business is doing well. I want to meet interesting people here, and I want there to be more companies, more opportunities, more well-paying jobs, and more reasons for active people to stay or come back.

Ultimately, the environment affects all of us.

What problem is Gabrovo Informal actually trying to solve?

I wouldn't say we're trying to solve a specific problem.

Rather, we want to build the missing connection between different people.

Once I started spending more time in Gabrovo again, I realized just how many interesting people there are here who simply don't know each other.

And that's a missed opportunity.

One person is looking for an employee. Another is looking for a job. A third has a business idea. A fourth has experience in exactly that field. A fifth is looking for a partner.

We can't know in advance which two people are meant to meet.

However, we can create a place where the likelihood of this happening is much greater.

Isn't that just networking?

To start with—yes, networking is an important part of it.

And I don't see anything wrong with the word.

Business is conducted between people. Jobs are found through people. Partnerships are formed between people.

What we don't want is the classic format where everyone stands around formally, exchanges business cards, and two hours later, no one remembers who they spoke with.

We want a normal environment.

To be able to talk about what you're doing, but also to share a problem you're working on. To ask for feedback. To share an idea. To meet someone outside your usual professional circle.

Networking is just a tool.

The bigger idea is community.

What does the success of such an initiative look like? The number of people attending an event?

No.

Of course, it's nice to have an audience and for people to come. But a full house in and of itself doesn't mean much.

For me, the real result will be when, some time from now, someone says:

„I found someone for my team at Gabrovo Informal.“

Or:

„That's where I met my future business partner.“

„I got my first client.“

„Someone helped me solve a problem.“

„I heard an idea that changed the course of my life.“

This isn't something that can happen overnight, which is exactly why I'm taking a long-term view of the initiative.

How can a local business benefit from a stronger community if it already has customers and a team?

In my opinion, there’s never a point at which you can say you know everyone who might ever be useful to your business.

You might not look for anyone today.

In six months, you might need a new person, partner, supplier, office space, investor, expert, or simply a different perspective.

And not every professional relationship has to lead to a deal tomorrow.

Sometimes you meet someone today, and two years later you end up doing something together.

What's more important is to have an environment in which these relationships can even begin.

Where do you see the connection between the Digital New Era and this philosophy?

Digital New Era is, to a large extent, an example of the opportunities that technology offers businesses.

You don't have to be in Sofia, London, or Berlin to work on major digital projects.

You can create value from Gabrovo and work with clients outside the city and outside the country.

And I would like to see more people and companies like that here.

More professionals working remotely. More entrepreneurs choosing to build businesses in the region. More people returning because they see an opportunity to pursue both professional growth and a good quality of life.

But the Internet alone isn't enough for that.

You also need to have a supportive environment around you.

Can such a community actually help attract new business and investment?

This is one of the more long-term ideas.

Imagine that one day we could say to a company that is considering an investment:

„We have a specific number of professionals with these skills in the region. We have companies that can be your partners. We have people ready to work. We have an active community.“

This is already a much stronger position than simply waiting for someone to happen to choose Gabrovo.

It's a long way to get there.

But every ecosystem begins with the people in it getting to know one another first.

We talk a lot about young people. Is Gabrovo Informal an initiative for young people?

No, and I don't want it to be.

In my opinion, one of the most valuable combinations is the one between generations.

A young person may have energy, technical knowledge, and a bold idea. Someone with 20 or 30 years of business experience can point out a problem in ten minutes that the young person hasn't even noticed.

And vice versa.

An experienced entrepreneur may meet a young professional who can introduce him to a technology or way of working that could completely transform his processes.

If we divide everyone into groups, we lose precisely that exchange.

That's why the community is for active people, not for a specific age group.

If Gabrovo Informal develops the way you envision it, what would you like to see in a few years?

I want to see people who know each other better and help each other more.

There should be more joint projects between local companies.

There are professionals who have found jobs through the community.

There are people who have started a business because they met the right partner.

So that we can invite interesting entrepreneurs and professionals from all over the country and give them a reason to come to Gabrovo as well.

And on a larger scale—I would like the community to gradually be able to help attract business and investment to the region.

It won't happen with just one event.

But it doesn't have to happen all at once.

It just needs to get started.

From a Conversation to a Stronger Environment

At Digital New Era, we are strong believers in technology, automation, and the opportunities that the digital world creates.

But behind every website, product, company, or business idea, there are ultimately people.

And the better connected these people are, the more opportunities they can create together.

Gabrovo Informal starts with informal gatherings. However, the ambition is greater—a more connected, active, and competitive business environment for Gabrovo and the region.

And we at Digital New Era look forward to being part of this process.