GATE Institute is a leading Big Data and artificial intelligence (AI) Center of Excellence in Bulgaria and Eastern Europe. Established through a partnership between Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski and Chalmers University of Technology, GATE is committed to fostering a data-driven smart society. By harnessing the power of Big Data and AI, GATE accelerates digital transformation across various sectors, including Future Cities and Digital Health.
As a crucial member of the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA), GATE plays a key role in creating secure and trusted data-sharing environments. By providing advanced infrastructure and implementing federated architectures, GATE enables collaborative innovation while ensuring data sovereignty and privacy. Moreover, GATE is dedicated to promoting more inclusive and ethical AI practices, aligning with Europe’s regulatory standards and ethical guidelines.
The Future Cities application domain
The Future Cities domain focuses on utilizing digital twin technologies to address urban challenges effectively. By creating a scalable city digital twin for Sofia, GATE aims to enhance urban planning, design, and service delivery. Through the integration of 3D city models, semantic enrichment, and simulation capabilities, GATE showcases the value of data-driven decision-making in urban settings.
By incorporating innovative models for vegetation and green spaces, GATE enhances the city’s digital twin to support environmental analyses and urban planning. Utilizing data-driven insights, GATE enables more accurate simulations for sustainable urban development and improved quality of life in Sofia.
The Digital Health application domain
GATE’s Digital Health domain focuses on cutting-edge research in biomarkers for neurological diseases and real-time patient monitoring. By leveraging AI/ML methods, GATE aims to improve early diagnosis and treatment outcomes for conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, GATE develops systems for real-time patient monitoring, including seizure detection and alerting, with the potential to revolutionize remote healthcare solutions.

Moreover, GATE explores the integration of biomarkers and real-time monitoring in telemedicine, enhancing remote healthcare solutions with AI-driven technologies. The research conducted in the Digital Health domain extends beyond healthcare applications to contribute to smart city initiatives, highlighting the versatility and impact of data-driven innovations.
GATE Data Space Lab
As a hub for secure data sharing, GATE’s Data Space Lab provides a cutting-edge environment for experimentation and training. By offering IDSA-certified components and services, the lab accelerates the deployment of data-sharing scenarios and fosters innovation in data-driven solutions.
Central to the lab’s infrastructure is the GATE Data Space Connector, ensuring secure and compliant data exchange while maintaining data sovereignty. This infrastructure supports the development of Bulgaria’s Urban Data Space, enabling advanced urban applications and fostering trust among stakeholders managing sensitive data.

Through its innovative connector and state-of-the-art infrastructure, GATE is paving the way for data-driven innovation in Big Data and AI, contributing to a more interconnected and efficient ecosystem.
The GATE Data Platform
The GATE Data Platform serves as the backbone for research and innovation projects, offering a comprehensive hosting environment for internal and external partners. With a focus on flexibility and scalability, the platform integrates various system resources and supports modern engineering practices, including DevOps and MLOps. This platform enables the seamless development and deployment of cutting-edge AI technologies for diverse applications, including marine biodiversity research.

By offering a robust hosting environment and supporting international projects, the GATE Data Platform plays a vital role in driving innovation and research in Big Data and AI, contributing to impactful solutions for societal challenges.
The Project “Big Data for Smart Society” (GATE) is funded by Horizon 2020 Teaming programme and Operational Programme “Research, Innovation and Digitalisation for Intelligent Transformation“ 2021-2027 r., co-funded by the European Union.
Please note, this article will also appear in the 24th edition of our quarterly publication.