Meet Lyubomir Stanislavov, CEO and Board Member at Automotive Cluster Bulgaria and discover how the Bronze Cluster Management Excellence Label lead clusters to strive for excellence by improving their management capabilities and performance levels.
What your cluster do ?
Automotive Cluster Bulgaria supports the development of Bulgaria’s mobility and automotive ecosystem by bringing together companies, academia and institutions. It fosters innovation, skills development and international collaboration to help its members remain competitive in a transforming automotive sector.
What made you decide to apply for the Cluster Management Excellence label?
We decided to apply for the EUCLES label because we wanted an objective and internationally recognised assessment of how our cluster organisation actually performs, beyond our own internal perception. It was important for us to validate the quality of our management practices, identify our strengths and areas for further improvement, and benchmark ourselves against leading cluster organisations across Europe. We saw the process not only as a form of recognition, but also as an opportunity to learn, professionalise further, and demonstrate our commitment to continuous development, high standards, and excellence in the way we support our members.
What specific benefits has the label brought you?
The BRONZE label has strengthened our credibility with European partners, public institutions, and potential members by providing independent recognition of the quality of our management practices. It has also supported our international profile and contributed to our Executive Director’s election to the European Commission’s EURIAS expert group, giving the Bulgarian automotive industry a direct voice in shaping European research and innovation policies. Beyond the recognition itself, the greatest value of the process was identifying opportunities to improve and become an even stronger organisation for our members.
Do you have a tip for other clusters that are still thinking about the label?
Start by gathering your internal data well in advance — membership numbers, budget structure, strategy documents, and activity records — since the questionnaire is detailed and asking for this information helps you see your own organisation more clearly. Treat the self-assessment honestly rather than trying to present an idealised picture; the real value of the process comes from the gaps it reveals, not from a perfect score.
What does “excellence” in cluster management mean to you personally?
“Ongoing discipline of self-improvement and accountability”
For us, excellence means consistently delivering tangible value to our members — through real projects, real connections, and real support — while maintaining transparent governance and a clear long-term strategy for the cluster’s development. It is less about a label and more about an ongoing discipline of self-improvement and accountability to the companies and institutions that trust us to represent their interests.
For more information : https://automotive.bg/