25 February 2026 – Murata Manufacturing and Endeavor Bulgaria have announced three winning companies of the 2025 KUMIHIMO Tech Camp during a Showcase Night on February 24, marking the successful conclusion of the second Bulgarian edition of Murata’s international open innovation initiative.
The event brought together senior Murata Manufacturing leadership from Japan and Europe, representatives of the entrepreneurial and investment community, and seven selected Bulgarian hardware and deep tech companies. Earlier in the day, the companies presented their solutions during a closed executive showcase session directly to Murata’s leadership team.
Where Hardware Development Meets Advanced Technology
Launched in Japan in 2022, KUMIHIMO Tech Camp is Murata Manufacturing’s global open innovation program designed to explore new applications for its advanced hardware technologies in collaboration with forward-thinking entrepreneurs.
Bulgaria remains the first country outside Japan where the initiative has been implemented for a second consecutive year – highlighting Murata’s growing engagement with the country’s emerging deep tech ecosystem and reinforcing Bulgaria’s position as a strategic innovation partner.
The 2025 edition focused on solutions addressing real societal challenges across Robotics & Automation, Environmental Technology, and HealthTech – reflecting Murata’s long-term commitment to building a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive society through technological innovation.
Five Months of Engineering Collaboration
Over the five-month development phase (September 2025 – February 2026), the seven selected hardware and deep tech companies gained access to curated Murata components from the company’s global portfolio and worked closely with Murata engineers and product experts to integrate, optimize, and validate their technologies.
The program emphasized real technological compatibility and practical implementation – from component selection and prototyping to pilot readiness and international scalability.
In parallel, participants benefited from Endeavor Bulgaria’s network and resources, including mentorship, strategic guidance, and connections to investors, helping strengthen their growth and fundraising strategies.
Finale
During the closed executive session, participating companies presented the outcomes of their collaboration and outlined next steps toward potential pilot projects and longer-term partnerships.
During the evening event, three companies were selected as winners of KUMIHIMO Tech Camp 2025 and will visit Murata’s global headquarters in Kyoto, Japan, where they will present their solutions at the official Award Ceremony in July 2026 and explore further co-creation opportunities.
The Winners
- Simobotics – Modular AI-powered robotics for logistics and automation
- Nasekomo – Insect-based circular economy solutions
- Solumar – Advanced industrial filtration and purification technologies
Participating Companies – Kumihimo Tech Camp 2025
The second Bulgarian cohort included:
- ProsFit – Digital, decentralized prosthetics manufacturing
- Tsarina Wine – Smart IoT solutions for winemaking
- Re4Life Healthcare Technologies – Robotic rehabilitation and exoskeleton systems
- Neuromorphica – Environmental monitoring devices for crisis response and fire prevention
Together, these companies represent Bulgaria’s growing strength in hardware, robotics, sustainability, and applied deep tech innovation.
Simona Nikolova, Chief Operating Officer at Endeavor Bulgaria, said:
“This second edition confirmed the real value of KUMIHIMO: five months of hands-on engineering collaboration, access to Murata’s components, and a practical push toward pilot readiness. The seven teams showcased not only strong technology, but also the ability to build for real-world use cases. It’s exactly the kind of deep tech momentum we want to accelerate in Bulgaria and across the region.”
Takayuki Kaneko, Director of Strategic Marketing at Murata Electronics Europe. B.V., said:
We are delighted to have held the second KUMIHIMO Tech Camp here in Bulgaria, once again with the support of Endeavor Bulgaria. Applications increased by 30% compared to last time, with participants from different backgrounds applying for the three areas we focused on. We also saw unique business ideas distinct from the previous camp, deepening our anticipation for further co-creation by combining these ideas with the value of the hardware Murata provides.
About Endeavor Bulgaria
Endeavor Bulgaria is part of the global Endeavor network, founded in 1997 and operating in more than 46 countries. Since 2015, Endeavor Bulgaria has supported over 140 entrepreneurs from 90+ companies by connecting them to mentors, capital, markets, and strategic partnerships, playing a key role in strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Bulgaria and Southeast Europe.