The plan is simple: to build the first Smart Innovation and Creative International Search and Rescue Center for the Rescuer of the Future in Bulgaria, where the project will operate for the next 10 years. We plan to present a new aerial rescue methodology. To organize an Innovation Forum and introduce new concepts in rescue, by the end of 2025, we will do the necessary tests and innovations, and in 2026, we will develop a completely new methodology for the next level of rescue.
The idea sounds crazy, but there are many unresolved rescue issues where hundreds of people have died. Ivan Kristoff and partners plan to prepare the project for global TV production companies. Several years ago, Ivan Kristoff announced the M.A.R.S. in Dubai, whose goal was to create an elite detachment of rescuers to deal with the rescue of high-rise buildings. And while the deadlines for these projects are still only planned and their implementation depends on specialized equipment and cooperation with equipment manufacturers, Bulgaria may be the first to implement the project. Bulgaria is among the first six in the world to send cosmonauts into orbit around the Earth and has been researching in this area.
Ivan Kristoff will unveil his plans and designs for the Institute of Vertical Operations, set to launch in 2026. Before constructing the Innovation Center in Sofia at the foot of Vitosha Mountain, the newly formed team of investors will first develop a prototype of the project near Rila Mountain—dubbed the M.A.R.S. (Mountain Air Rescue Service) Innovation Center. This initiative aims to capture global attention by showcasing its visionary approach.
The M.A.R.S. Innovation Center will serve as a training hub for future rescue specialists, combining cutting-edge design with practical preparation. To highlight the project’s significance, Kristoff’s team will present the concept at a high-profile exhibition and conference in Dubai, featuring a helicopter showcase and lectures by renowned experts, including a former astronaut.
Partners of the Bulgarian exhibition will be companies from the high-tech sector. “The Persian Gulf wants to play a role in the future and bring the region to the next level,” said Margarita Sergieva, project manager. The UAE has a population of approximately 10.2 million, with Emirati citizens making up around 1.2 million (roughly 12% of the total). The government’s strong emphasis on innovation and science makes positioning the UAE as a global scientific hub a strategic priority. “They aim to create a knowledge-based and creativity-based economy,” said Margarita. “So it is important to establish ourselves as a science center.” Project M. A. R. S. is a purely scientific mission, “she added.
