The winner of the third edition of the social entrepreneurship competition organized by Nova Broadcasting Group and the American University in Bulgaria – the NOVA EMBA Scholarship – has been announced. Vanya Trendafilova received a scholarship covering 50% of the tuition fees for the university’s Executive Master of Business Administration program.

She plans to create an online platform that bridges the gap between farmers and consumers. The main goal of her project is to support small producers while enabling consumers to choose and purchase environmentally friendly food products at preferential prices. The platform will provide information about the location of farms, the fruits and vegetables available for purchase, as well as details on upcoming seasonal campaigns at various Bulgarian farms.

Vanya Trendafilova received her award from Dr. Jay Daniel Mininger, President and Vice Rector for Academic Affairs at the American University in Bulgaria, and Marta Evtimova, Executive Producer of News and Current Affairs at Nova Broadcasting Group, at a special event.

“Education and the media have the power to build an informed, responsible, and active society,” said Dr. Jay Daniel Mininger, President and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at AUB. “Our partnership with NOVA proves that when these two pillars work together, they can inspire leadership, engagement, and sustainable change. This is precisely what our joint scholarship is based on.”

“At NOVA, we greatly value our partnership with the American University in Bulgaria. For three consecutive years, we have been working together on this inspiring initiative, united by our desire to support socially responsible ideas that can change society, shape the way we think, and connect people,” emphasized Marta Evtimova, Executive Producer of News and Current Affairs at Nova Broadcasting Group.

“I applied for the NOVA EMBA Scholarship because I believe it is a great opportunity to continue my professional development and build on what I have learned so far. The project came about spontaneously, and I believe it is the missing link that will connect Bulgarian farms with people of all ages who believe in a healthy lifestyle,” said the award-winning Vanya Trendafilova.

For the third consecutive year, NOVA and the American University in Bulgaria are offering the NOVA EMBA Scholarship for study in the university’s Executive MBA program. It is awarded through a competition in which future or current entrepreneurs present projects addressing significant social issues in Bulgaria.

The first scholarship for the Executive MBA program was awarded in 2023 to Boyan Nedelakov for his project offering free screening to detect serious diseases early. The second scholarship went to Jane Kerkova in 2024 for her app designed to combat food waste.