Case Study · AI Training
Microsoft AI Skills Fest Bulgaria: Turning a global initiative into a national learning system
Microsoft and ITCE turned a global milestone into a national movement — contributing to the Guinness World Record for the largest AI training event in history, while rallying Bulgarian learners around Copilot, AI productivity, and Power Apps.
- Client
- Microsoft & ITCE
- Category
- Technology · Education
- Timeline
- 8 April – 28 May 2025
Campaign Snapshot
AI Skills Fest · Bulgaria
7 weeks of programming, bilingual delivery, and precise marketing put AI skills within reach of every learner segment.
The objective was not reach alone, but a repeatable activation model that could scale beyond a single event.
- Live Attendees 787
- New Participants 50%+
Focus
- AI Enablement
- Copilot Adoption
- Digital Marketing
- Campaign Strategy
- Paid Media
- Event Operations
The challenge
Microsoft launched AI Skills Fest as a global initiative to upskill millions worldwide. In Bulgaria, ITCE was tasked with translating that ambition into a national programme that could mobilise learners, prove local demand, and match the performance of larger markets.
My role covered everything from audience strategy and curriculum sequencing to performance marketing and live measurement. The real constraint was budget. Bulgaria was competing with larger, better-resourced markets. The brief was to match their performance anyway.
Key design decisions
Audience-first programming
Built a modular curriculum that moved learners from awareness-driven sessions into hands-on Copilot and Power Apps training, ensuring progression rather than one-off attendance.
Demand capture and conversion engine
Designed paid and organic flows across LinkedIn, Google Ads, and SEO to convert interest into confirmed seats, not vanity engagement.
Agile measurement cadence
Tracked registrations daily so budget could be tuned in-flight. This allowed real-time budget and message reallocation based on learner behaviour, not assumptions.
Network activation
Activated Microsoft’s network to showcase the programme, extending reach without fragmenting the narrative.
The work
Momentum building through anchor sessions
Two English-language flagship sessions established early momentum and validated demand for advanced Copilot and productivity tracks.
Local language enablement
Launched a Bulgarian-language Power Apps productivity lab to remove language friction and welcome new practitioners into the AI ecosystem.
Copilot mastery bundle
Designed three half-day paid intensives around Microsoft 365 Copilot, Prompt Engineering, and No-Code Agents to convert interest into expertise.
Full-funnel promotion
I ran coordinated LinkedIn content, email nurture, and high-performing Google Ads to engage net-new audiences and re-engage alumni.
The results
- Guinness World Record largest AI training event globally
- 787 Live Attendees
- 50%+ New Participants
- 3.79% Google Ads CTR
- €0.15 Cost per Click
Helped Microsoft secure the Guinness World Record for the largest AI training event globally.
50%+ of registrations were first-time attendees, proving meaningful market expansion.
Microsoft showcased ITCE's landing page as a best-practice example across its partner network.
Outperformed larger markets on core media efficiency metrics, despite lean budgets.
The programme demonstrated that Bulgaria could activate and convert AI learners at the same efficiency levels as larger markets. Establishing a blueprint for future national rollouts.
The outcome
What began as a national activation evolved into a replicable model for AI skills mobilisation at scale. With 787 live attendees and over half engaging for the first time, the programme expanded Microsoft's local AI ecosystem and is now a reference model within the Microsoft partner network — built on lean budgets, in a small market, against larger competitors.
Bulgaria’s performance matched or exceeded larger markets. Proving that disciplined strategy and execution can outperform scale alone.
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