Stara Zagora hosted the annual conference of the Association for Innovation, Business Excellence, Services and Technology (AIBEST). The most significant event for the knowledge industry in Bulgaria brings together more than 150 guests - the leaders of the high-tech sector, local authorities and state institutions representatives. The high value-added business services sector development was analyzed within the conference, a forecast about the impact of the global pandemic on it in 2021 was made and the direction of the industry’s development was outlined. The factors and measures that must be taken at a local and national level to attract new investments and to create a favorable business environment for the development of the sector, which according to the latest data forms 5% of the country's GDP, will also was discussed.