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Bolkas

Case study

Microsoft AI Skills Fest

EdTech · AI enablement

Engagement result

787

Live attendees

Bulgarian activation

Microsoft AI Skills Fest campaign graphic: photo panels of a man wearing a headset, set among rounded shapes and a flowing line

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
Timeline
8 April to 28 May 2025
Published

By Apostolos Bolkas

The results

Attendance and campaign performance.

The Bulgarian activation brought together 787 live attendees, with over half of registrations coming from first-time participants. Advertising results are shown separately from attendance.

  • 50%+

    First-time registrations

    First-time registrations

  • 3.79%

    Google Ads CTR

    High-intent search campaigns

  • €0.15

    Cost per click

    Google Ads campaign

Project context

My role and the results.

My contribution
Working with ITCE and Microsoft, I led audience strategy, programme sequencing, digital promotion, and registration measurement for the Bulgarian activation. The work combined English- and Bulgarian-language sessions, email, LinkedIn, and Google Ads.
Project timing
8 April to 28 May 2025: the AI Skills Fest programme. Individual advertising reports may cover shorter periods within that programme.
What the figures describe
The case records 787 live attendees and over 50% first-time registrations. Attendance and registration are separate measures. The 3.79% click-through rate and €0.15 cost per click describe Google Ads performance, rather than learning outcomes.
Project references
ITCE’s AI Skills Fest programme

The public programme shows the session dates, language tracks, and Copilot training offer. It provides a view of the campaign destination; it does not publish the attendance or advertising reports.

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.

Global impact

  1. Bulgaria’s attendance contributed to the Guinness World Record for the largest AI training event globally.
  2. Over half of registrations came from first-time participants.
  3. Microsoft showcased ITCE’s landing page as a best-practice example across its partner network.
  4. Combined Google Ads, LinkedIn, and email promotion to reach the programme’s audiences.

Key design decisions

  • Decision 01

    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.

  • Decision 02

    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.

  • Decision 03

    Agile measurement cadence

    Tracked registrations daily so budget could be tuned in-flight. Real-time reallocation based on learner behaviour, not assumptions.

  • Decision 04

    Network activation

    Activated Microsoft’s partner network to showcase the programme, extending reach without fragmenting the narrative.

The work

  1. Anchor sessions

    Momentum building through anchor sessions

    Two English-language flagship sessions established early momentum and validated demand for advanced Copilot and productivity tracks.

  2. Local language

    Local language enablement

    Launched a Bulgarian-language Power Apps productivity lab to remove language friction and welcome new practitioners into the AI ecosystem.

  3. Copilot mastery

    Copilot mastery bundle

    Designed three half-day paid intensives around Microsoft 365 Copilot, Prompt Engineering, and No-Code Agents to convert interest into expertise.

  4. Full-funnel

    Full-funnel promotion

    Ran coordinated LinkedIn content, email nurture, and high-performing Google Ads to engage net-new audiences and re-engage alumni.

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.

The programme combined local-language delivery with coordinated promotion and regular registration reviews.

Selected proof

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Market enablement

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What happens next

  1. You share your website, work email, and any context.
  2. I review your website, messaging, and enquiry journey myself.
  3. Within five business days, I email you three prioritised improvements. No sales call is required.
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