The Bulgarian aviation industry was represented at the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2026, which took place from 3 to 6 May 2026 in National Harbor, Maryland, USA.
Todor Ivandjikov, President of the Bulgarian Aviation Industry Association, took part in the forum as part of the Official Bulgarian Delegation, organised with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria and led by Milena Stoycheva and Petar Dalin.
SelectUSA Investment Summit is one of the leading international events focused on investment, industrial partnerships, technology and the development of business relations with the United States.
The forum brought together representatives of companies, institutions, investment organisations and innovation ecosystems from different countries and U.S. states.
During the visit, a series of meetings were held with representatives of businesses and institutions from the states of Utah, Tennessee, Washington, Maryland, North Carolina and Puerto Rico, as well as with organisations working in the fields of investment, aviation, high technologies and innovation.
A particular focus of the discussions was placed on future opportunities for Bulgarian companies to expand their activities in the United States, build industrial partnerships, and cooperate in the field of manned and unmanned aviation.
Among the important moments of the programme was the participation in the international seminar “Taiwan Seminar: U.S. Policies and Business Opportunities for the Drone Supply Chain.”
During the seminar, companies such as AEVEX, AeroVironment, Neros, Quantum Systems and Vector presented their perspectives on the development of the drone ecosystem, supply chain security and the next generation of unmanned technologies.
One of the most inspiring highlights of the visit was the meeting at the SpaceX office in Washington with Dillon MacInnis and Oliver Edelmann.
The discussion focused on future opportunities for Bulgaria’s participation in space and high-tech initiatives, as well as on potential partnerships in the fields of space, aviation and innovation.
During the visit, the Bulgarian delegation also visited the White House and the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Washington, where it was welcomed by Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Stefka Yovcheva, Defence Attaché Colonel Ivan Bogdanov, and Commercial Attaché Nikola Popov.
BAIA expresses its gratitude for the warm welcome and the support for the development of international contacts for the Bulgarian aviation sector.
During the meetings, the delegation was also introduced to Antonos Louloudaus, the future Commercial Attaché of the United States in Bulgaria.
This represents another important step towards building stronger economic and technological ties between Bulgaria and the United States.
BAIA’s participation in the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2026 reinforces the Association’s ambition to expand the international presence of the Bulgarian aviation industry, create new partnerships and open up opportunities for Bulgarian companies, engineers, pilots and innovators.
The Bulgarian Aviation Industry Association will continue to work actively to position Bulgaria as a recognisable partner in the future of aviation, drone technologies, space initiatives and the aerospace sector.
