Milena Stoycheva is a global technology and innovation evangelist, and a recognized leader in entrepreneurship and education. Formerly Bulgaria’s Minister of Innovation and Growth, she has shaped policy and built ecosystems at the intersection of technology, youth empowerment, and business.
Milena Stoycheva is a venture network lead at Precede Ventures, powered by JA Europe, and a business consultant on innovation, entrepreneurship, technology and sustainable growth.
As CEO of Junior Achievement Bulgaria for over 15 years, and a long- standing member of the JA Worldwide leadership, Milena has inspired thousands of students, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers. Her professional path spans support for startup creation through mentoring, advising, and building investment opportunities for visionary new ventures and disruptive technologies.
Milena is a co-founder and CEO of The Edge: R&BD, spin-off company of JA Bulgaria. Throughout her career, Milena has worked systematically for digitalization, modernization and development of a high educational and startup culture in Bulgaria.
Milena Stoycheva is the Minister of Innovation and Growth of Bulgaria for 2023/2024.
She taught innovation and entrepreneurship at the European Institute of Innovation and Technology and was the Director for innovation and transformation at EIT Culture & Creativity.
Milena is the recipient of JA Worldwide’s highest global leadership award “Soraya Salti” for 2021, presented in recognition of making a social impact through economic empowerment.
She is a co-founder of the Bulgarian cluster for digital solutions and innovations in healthcare and is its first chairperson. Milena participated in several expert groups at the EC, OECD, HEinnovate, etc.
A board member of the European Female Founders network, Milena is a dedicated advocate for advancing gender-conscious investment and empowering female entrepreneurs. She also hosts the HER FUND Talks podcast – part of a pan-European initiative focused on raising visibility and opportunity for female founders and investors.
Milena Stoycheva has more than 20 years of experience in leadership positions in international organizations and companies, having also served as the Chair of the Global Member Council of JA Worldwide and Senior Adviser on Higher Education for Europe.
She is the first Dean of Student Affairs at the American University in Bulgaria.
She has degrees and specializations from Bulgarian and international universities such as Sofia University “Kliment Ohridski”, Penn State University, UC Berkeley and MIT.
