Shelly Group CEO Dimitar Dimitrov Honored at Webit 2025 for Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship and Investment

At the prestigious Webit Festival 2025, held in Sofia under the theme “Business, Technology and People in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” Dimitar Dimitrov, CEO and Co-founder of Shelly Group, was awarded a special Webit Changemaker Certificate and Plaque for his exceptional contributions in the category “Entrepreneurship and Investment.”

This recognition celebrates Dimitrov’s visionary leadership in transforming Shelly from a small Bulgarian tech startup into one of Europe’s fastest-growing smart technology companies, and the first Bulgarian-founded tech company to surpass a $1 billion public market capitalization.

From Experiment to Global Unicorn

Dimitrov shared Shelly’s journey during the panel discussion “A Unicorn. From Bulgaria”, where he spoke about building a global IoT brand with over 23 million devices* sold in more than 130 countries (as of March 31, 2025).

“After four successful businesses—Shelly being the largest—the one thing that stands out is hard work. Not just from me, but from my entire team. And a little luck. But luck only comes when you’ve already put in the effort,” said Dimitrov on stage.

“Shelly started as a software company focused on big data and banking solutions. With a small team, we began experimenting with home automation and quickly realized there were no suitable smart devices on the market. Many players were chasing quick profits, locking users into closed ecosystems without delivering real value. We were fundamentally opposed to that. But to make our vision a reality, we had to create our own hardware, too. Honestly, we didn’t know how far we’d get. At first, we were just playing.”

Recognition for Impact

The award reinforces Shelly Group’s mission to deliver open, scalable, and privacy-respecting smart technology that empowers users and professionals alike. It also highlights Dimitrov’s bold entrepreneurial path — rooted in engineering curiosity, deep user empathy, and global ambition.

“Reaching a $1 billion public valuation reflects the value we’ve created — but more importantly, the trust we’ve earned. We stay close to our users, talk to them every day, and support them. That trust is what drives us forward,” Dimitrov added.

The WebIT Changemakers Awards celebrate individuals whose innovations, investments, and leadership are shaping the future of Europe and beyond. Dimitrov’s inclusion in this select group is a proud milestone for the entire Shelly team and a testament to Bulgaria’s growing role on the global tech map.