Ekaterina Zaharieva has been nominated as the EU’s first ever commissioner for startups, the bloc’s chief Ursula von der Leyen announced today. Zaharieva served as Bulgaria’s deputy prime minister for judicial reform and foreign affairs between 2017 and 2021. She’s currently a member of the Bulgarian Parliament. Von der Leyen has now proposed Zaharieva as the designated commissioner for startups, research, and innovation. “We must put research and innovation, science and technology at the centre of our economy,” Von der Leyen said. “[Zaharieva] will help ensure that we invest more and focus our spending on strategic priorities and on groundbreaking innovation.”…
