Meet the Team: Ivo Atanassov
Meet Ivo Atanassov, second, only to our wonderful Simona, he is one of Bulgaria’s “oldest employees”. Well known for his calm demeanor and the ease with which he talks to people, Ivo runs our accelerator program – Dare2Scale.
Ivo is a wine and food connoisseur, always finding the best spots in Sofia, so when he says that his time spent in our Jordanian office was filled with good food – you know it was truly delicious. That’s enough from us. Read below to hear from the man himself.
1. You’ve been a part of our team for a while now! What’s your secret ingredient for staying committed and passionate about what we do here?
That’s an easy one!
Take for example what we, at Endeavor, achieved just in the past few months since the end of the summer: we gave several hardware-focused companies the opportunity to pitch their projects in front of Murata – one of the largest Japanese manufacturers of electronic components. We also expanded one of our flagship, and longest-running, programs, Dare2Scale, into the Western Balkans – as part of it, we explored in depth the Albanian, Northern Macedonian and Kosovar ecosystems and are now working with some very promising late-stage startups from the region, on top of the 9 Bulgarian participants. In addition, we also have been in constant touch with some of the most successful Bulgarian and regional entrepreneurs and have been putting a lot of efforts into helping them scale their businesses with the help of our very dedicated network.
And the list goes on – our global team is spread across 45 locations on 5 continents, bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds. The world feels closer and more accessible when I can connect with teammates from locations like Miami, Ecuador, Romania, Poland, or New York to discuss shared goals and challenges. With my own international background, I knew 6 years ago, when I was submitting my Endeavor job application, that I needed this kind of global environment and reach.
So, my answer in a nutshell lies in the examples I described above – Endeavor is truly an international organization that has a real and daily impact on its stakeholders. Seeing the effects of our work – jobs created, businesses & industries improved, connections made —makes the daily life exciting and fulfilling and is keeping me, and I’m sure my 500+ colleagues around the world, committed and passionate about what we do.
2. Tell us about that one experience at Endeavor that was so awesome, you go back to it often.
Well, that’s a bit more complicated one, as I’ve had many such positive experiences.
But one that truly stands out is my time at the Endeavor Jordan office in Amman. Overall, the goal of such exchange programs is to spend time sharing best practices with fellow colleagues from around the world.
Back then, not only was I very warmly welcomed by everyone at the Amman office, but I also gained some pretty valuable insights into how they run their accelerator program in Jordan. I implemented some of these practices in Sofia to enrich the offerings for our participating entrepreneurs. To reciprocate, I shared some of Bulgaria’s most valuable Endeavor-related lessons, based on our 7+ years of operations back then.
A truly great month in Jordan that was!
3. We often say that no two days are the same with us, but give us a sneak peek into your typical work week. Is there a certain routine you follow? Any moments you specifically look forward to during the week?
What I like about my job is the diversity it offers and the amount of smart and dedicated individuals it connects me with. Therefore, it’s absolutely right that no two days are the same at Endeavor but there’s a certain routine that I’ve established. In the past couple of months, it’s been centering around the regular communication and smooth sailing of our Dare2Scale 2024 edition; our regionalization efforts in the Western Balkans, and the planning of our even more ambitious goals for 2025.
There’s also been some frequent traveling to the region and meeting up with some prominent ecosystem leaders. And what brings me most sense of fulfillment on a daily basis is the fact Endeavor is truly a borderless organization – our core values and mission are easily understood and welcomed across new geographies.