BrainDonors’ Andrey Petrov on AI Outbound and B2B Growth in CEE

Why It Matters

As wages in Bulgaria approach Western European levels, firms that adopt AI‑powered productivity tools will outpace rivals still relying on low‑cost models, reshaping the CEE tech landscape.

Key Takeaways

• BrainDonors shifted from web agency to pure B2B growth in 2024
• HubSpot partnership accelerated revenue, hitting two‑year targets in three months
• AI‑driven outbound uses signal‑based outreach, creating “GTM Engineer” roles
• AEO/GEO optimizes content for AI search, unlocking untapped inbound traffic
• Conference aims to build a CEE‑wide community focused on global growth

Pulse Analysis

Rising labor costs and inflation are eroding Bulgaria’s historic price advantage, forcing companies to seek productivity gains instead of competing on cheap labor. Industry analysts note that the shift is especially acute in 2026, as Western European wages converge with those in the Balkans. For firms that can embed artificial intelligence into sales and marketing workflows, the margin squeeze becomes an opportunity to deliver more output with fewer resources, positioning them for export‑oriented growth rather than domestic survival.

BrainDonors exemplifies this transition. After an early focus on web development, the agency rebranded around B2B growth and leveraged HubSpot’s ecosystem to scale rapidly, surpassing two‑year revenue targets in just three months. Its outbound playbook now relies on AI to scrape LinkedIn activity, conference attendance, and content engagement, feeding a “signal‑driven” outreach that feels conversational. The emergence of the GTM Engineer role reflects the technical complexity of stitching together data sources, enrichment tools, and automated sequencing. On the inbound side, the firm champions Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), ensuring that AI assistants like ChatGPT surface their clients’ solutions before traditional search results do.

The upcoming B2B Growth Conference in Sofia serves as a proving ground for these ideas, gathering founders, growth hackers, and revenue leaders from across CEE. Petrov plans to replicate the event in Bucharest, Athens, Zagreb, and even Germany, aiming to knit together a community that thinks beyond national borders. For regional businesses, the message is clear: embracing AI‑enhanced outbound and inbound tactics is no longer optional—it’s the fastest path to compete with Western peers and secure sustainable growth.