The organizer of CodeIT is Musala Soft and every year a team of former competitors and computer science Olympians in the company is responsible for preparing the tasks in the competition.

Meet the CodeIT team for 2024 – Deniz, Peter and Stefan. Talents who prove that the passion and love we feel for our favorite hobby since we were children or teenagers can turn into the beginning of something beautiful. The beginning of a career in technology crowned with success. Because there are no impossible things for the one who believes. And does everything with love and dedication. Even in the challenging world of programming. And it’s not a cliché. But a reality that Deniz, Peter and Stefan prove.

Meet them

Deniz Poturliev is a 12th grade student of “Geo Milev” Mathematics School in Pleven. He is a laureate of the National Olympiad in Informatics in 2023. Deniz has won medals and awards from national and international competitions in informatics such as: silver medal from Romanian Master of Informatics 2023 and two bronze medals from the International Zhautikovo Olympiad in Informatics (IZhO) – 2023. and 2024. In his free time, he practices swimming and tennis.

Petar Mihov is an 11th grade student at Sofia Highschool of Mathematics “Paisii Hilendarski”. Since 2018 he has competed in Informatics competitions at National and International level. He is part of the Technical Team of the 24th season of CodeIT. In his spare time, he likes to play sports, read, and play games.

Stefan Zhelyazkov is an Associate Software Architect at Musala Soft. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Computer Science in 2013. In the United States he worked at companies of various sizes and industries, such as Goldman Sachs, Honest Buildings and WeWork. In 2019 he returned to Bulgaria and in the following year he started working at Musala Soft. He leads the technical team behind CodeIT since 2021. Stefan is proficient at various programming languages and tools, and his concentration is web programming.

Deniz, Peter and Stefan and their journey through the world of programming

How and when did you realize that the world of programming is your passion?

Deniz: I started attending the School of Informatics in Pleven in the 4th grade. Over time, with the acquisition of knowledge, meeting new friends who share the same interests, and achieving success in competitions, computer science became my passion.

Peter: In 2nd or 3rd grade, my father installed Scratch on the computer so that I could engage in something productive. Since I loved playing games, creating them in Scratch also became very interesting to me. That’s when I first got hooked on creating something with code.

Stefan: At some point in the 10th grade, I got passionate about creating websites. I had bought a book on PHP language, and I found it very interesting that with this language, I could make a website interactive. That’s when I started working on various projects – a class website, forums, and websites for astronomy competitions. I also decided to create the first electronic magazine for my high school in Stara Zagora – Secondary School for Foreign Languages “Romain Rolland”. After that, at university, I studied computer science, where my knowledge significantly advanced, and to this day, I continue to engage in it.

When did you realize you wanted programming to be part of your professional future?

Deniz: Since every free moment in my daily life is dedicated to informatics, I unconsciously realized that this would be my future professional development.

Peter: In the 5th grade, I studied computer science at school for the first time. When I saw that I was good at it, I already knew that I would be involved in it in the future. Of course, the idea existed for me even before that, but after getting a closer look, my choice was confirmed.

Stefan: Programming is a complex engineering profession that requires a lot of thinking. Perhaps around my second year in university, I began to understand the subject matter in much more depth and to move away from the mechanical “writing of code.” I started to see the artistic element in programming – to write less code, make the program faster, and use some interesting logical tricks. This was very interesting to me, and I wanted to continue doing it.

From what age have you been participating in competitions related to technology and programming?

Deniz: I have been participating in all national competitions and Olympiads in Informatics since the 5th grade, and from the 10th grade onwards – in some international ones as well.

Peter: The first competition I took part in was the first round of the National Olympiad in Informatics when I was in the 5th grade. Since then, I have been participating in every competition in the Ministry of Education’s program for 7 years, as well as in some other national and international competitions.

Stefan: I was in the 6th grade when I first participated in an international competition – it was for a website, in Turkey. We won 3rd place there. After that, in high school, I participated in competitions for websites on astronomical themes, where we worked on several projects related to the planet Mars, distant objects in the Kuiper Belt, etc.

What has been the happiest moment so far in your journey into the world of Programming?

Deniz: The happiest moments in the world of programming for me have come from computer science competitions. One such memory is from October 2023, during the Romanian Master of Informatics international competition in Bucharest, where I managed to solve a maximum score problem in the last hour of the competition day, earning me a silver medal.

Peter: An extremely happy moment for me was the Summer Informatics Tournament in 2022 when I won first place. However, some of my happiest memories are also connected with trips I took with my friends in computer science from all over Bulgaria, which were made possible precisely because of the competitions we participated in together.

Stefan: All moments where I (we) produce something that works are happy for me. I especially enjoy it when a project is done in a minimal, elegant way, with clear logic. On a personal level, I’ve created several such projects – from websites for favorite TV shows to an Android application for watching television. I am also proud of our successes in CodeIT, where we have several significant and small achievements that make the platform better.

And what has been the most challenging moment? How did you overcome it, and what did it teach you?

Deniz: At the end of the 2021/2022 academic year, I realized that I wasn’t preparing effectively for informatics competitions. In the summer of 2022, I set a goal to solve more problems and improve, which helped me rediscover the beauty of computer science and the satisfaction of intense training.

Peter: The most challenging moment for me was during the National Autumn Tournament in 2022 when I exited the competition with only 5 out of a possible 300 points. The competition also served as the second day of the International Autumn Tournament (IATI), so not only did I have a very bad position nationally, but I also gained a similar one internationally. I learned my lesson, and with a little more effort, by the end of the academic year, I managed to join the extended national team and became 5th in one of the competitions, even though I was a tenth-grader in the 11-12 grade group.

Stefan: The most challenging moment for me was when I realized that software work, built over the years, can be very easily erased and deleted. This happened after working in a very promising company that eventually went bankrupt. The project, which was great, came to an end. This is one of the significant downsides of this profession – that erasing software can become very easy compared to other things in the material world. I pondered on this situation for some time and ultimately realized that it’s not an abnormal phenomenon but a part of life. Such situations should not discourage us because software can help people, and we, as programmers, should always strive for that.

How does it feel to be part of the CodeIT team this season and part of the 24-year history of the competition?

Deniz: I feel grown up, already working and making my dream of professionally engaging in computer science come true.

Peter: CodeIT is a competition that changes both its design and the style of its tasks for the participants every year. The fact that this year I am contributing significantly to the second part makes me very happy, because it means that I am leaving a mark in the world of competitive informatics.

Stefan: It is a great honor. This is a long-standing tradition that continues to this day. My desire is to make CodeIT a better tournament with each season. We are actively working on various improvements and already have achievements to be proud of. I am also glad that the participants in CodeIT develop important skills in this competition – dealing with unprecedented problems, finding a way out of tense situations, working under time and resource constraints. These are universal skills that will make them more prepared for life.

Is organizing a large-scale competition like CodeIT difficult? What is the most important element in such an organization?

Deniz: The team is everything. The key to our success is good task distribution, as well as being organized.

Peter: There are certainly some challenges. For each round we carefully choose the dates, considering the calendar of other informatics competitions. On the other hand, creating tasks requires good coordination within the team. The relationships between our team members, as well as our quick reactions, contribute to our success even in difficult moments.

Stefan: It’s both difficult and easy. The hard part is that there are many components that have to work in sync – tasks, technical infrastructure, sponsors and patrons, rewards, PR, marketing. The fact that everyone involved loves CodeIT makes things a little easier. The most important thing is the rapport within the team, both among us and among the participants.

What would you say to all CodeIT competitors, including those lacking the courage or still hesitant to participate?

Denise: Challenge yourselves and join this extraordinary competition.

Peter: To those who are already competing, I want to express my gratitude for dedicating their time to our competition. And to those who are wondering, I would say that when I first found out about CodeIT, the format of the competition sparked my interest. It is very different from other competitions, so I encourage everyone to give it a try, even just out of curiosity.

Stefan: Perhaps the most challenging part for participants is overcoming the fear of not performing well enough or embarrassing themselves. In the team we have seen participants joining only for two of the last rounds and accumulating enough points to qualify for the final, or even win it! I don’t think having a win-or-lose mindset is a good idea. CodeIT will mainly help you develop yourself and your own skills – dealing with unfamiliar tasks, coming up with interesting solutions, and finding a way out of difficult situations. You might even win a prize from the raffle! Participate in CodeIT and see the competition as an opportunity to have fun! Good luck!

Since 2007 CodeIT is held under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria – Rumen Radev with the support of numerous business and academic partners dedicated to the mission of supporting IT talents in the country and around the world.

The patrons of the first round are prof. Anastas Gerdzhikov, Rector of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” Kliment Ohridski”; Prof. Maya Stoyanova, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and Dr. Antoan Tonev, Director of SMG “Paisii Hilendarski”.

All participants with a non-zero result will receive a prize – a T-shirt with the vision of the new season, and five participants in each of the 6 rounds will receive additional prizes on a draw provided by the sponsors – Cougar Gaming and Prestigio, as well as a special CodeIT sweatshirt.

Media partners of the competition are DevStyleR and B2B Media.

We would like you to meet the team behind the 23rd season of CodeIT: Dobrin Bashev – a student at The Delft University of Technology, having achievements in national and international competitions and Informatics Olympiads; Martin Kopchev – a future student at Oxford University, a recipient of numerous accolades in the field and a four-time winner of CodeIT; Stefan Jeliazkov – a software architect at Musala Soft and leader of the team.

Who introduced you to the world of programming and when did you know it was the right path for you?’

Dobrin: At the beginning of 5th grade at the National High School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences in Gabrovo, Mrs. Galia Nedelcheva started a C++ programming class which I saw as the perfect opportunity to win a ninja T-shirt. It was later that I realized programming is extremely interesting, requires logical thinking and offers countless opportunities for development. So going in this direction was a very natural process for me.

Martin: I got into programming in 2013, in 4th grade. At that time, I was attending Mrs. Kapralova’s C++ competitive programming school in Gabrovo. I kept on competing until I graduated high school. I’m going to continue my studies at Oxford University next autumn and further develop in the field of mathematics and computer science.

Stefan: I had my first taste of programming back in 2003, when I was in 6th grade. My informatics teacher at 5th Primary School in Stara Zagora, Mrs. Himcheva, put together a team to design a website with which we took part in an international championship in Turkey. We came third there. That was the first time I coded in HTML.

How many local and international competitions have you taken part in, and which would you say is your most valuable achievement?

Dobrin: Over a 100, roughly speaking, but I can’t give an exact number. For me, each achievement comes with a different set of difficulties and challenges to overcome by applying unconventional ideas. I’m proud of all of them but the most valuable to me is probably my silver medal from the first European Junior Olympiad in Informatics – eJOI 2017.

Martin: I’ve participated in countless competitions. The most valuable achievements for me are the silver medals from the International Olympiads in Mathematics and Informatics – IMO и IOI.

Stefan: Some years ago, I took part in website development competitions in Bulgaria, my favourite topic being astronomy. At the University of Pennsylvania (USA) I used to be actively involved in the so-called ‘hackathons’ where our 3-member team once won the Microsoft special award for an application for Windows phone, as well as the audience award. For me the most valuable aspect of all these competitions is the experience itself and the friendships you create.

How would you describe the experience of participating, and later, working backstage on CodeIT?

Dobrin: I think of my participation mostly in terms of having responsibility to the competitors since they invest part of their personal time in the contest. They must get something in return – suitable tasks, challenging enough to bring satisfaction once solved. This is the main goal of our team – making sure the rounds run smoothly.

Martin: The format of the competition is unique – one season runs from October to June, there are 6 online rounds, and the best 12 contestants from the main ranking and 5 from the junior one, come to Sofia for the final. This makes participation in the contest very interesting, so I really encourage this initiative.

Stefan: I’m happy this is the kind of project that aims at challenging the abilities of many software developers in Bulgaria and abroad, making them better and giving them the chance to compete. I believe this is the way to grow in this field, to upgrade one’s skills and learn how to overcome setbacks.

Which is your favourite part of working on the competition?

Dobrin: I’ve always enjoyed answering questions during the competition. That way I can help the contestants understand the tasks better. At the same time, I must be really careful not to reveal any part of their solution. Nothing works better than ‘No comment”, you know.

Martin: My favourite part is the discussions we have with the contestants once the rounds are over. Especially the marathons, after which they discuss the ideas they had.

Stefan: The very contact with the contestants. I find their questions and the various reactions they have to the challenges of CodeIT really interesting. The final itself is exciting, too, because of the live communication. All the participants are great and very, very talented. It’s an honor for me to meet with them.

What advice would you give the participants and those still hesitating to take part?

Dobrin: To the ones participating – good luck, and I encourage the rest to give it try because I know they’ll enjoy it.

Martin: To have fun, above all else. In the rounds the participants demonstrate their abilities and challenge themselves, there’s no room for worry.

Stefan: I’ve witnessed how people who have missed 4 out of the 6 rounds do really well in the last 2 rounds and go to the final. Participants should know that it’s never too late to take part. Participation brings different things to different people – emotions, knowledge, more confidence. Quite a few participants receive awards from the lottery held at the end of each round. So, participate!

Lyuba Ilieva has 18 years of experience in the field of IT. She is a graduate of the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and naturally dove into the IT world – the technological infinity, which gives us the opportunity to improve the world here and now. Lyuba is part of large-scale software projects for global companies, working with creative, international QA teams with wide technological expertise. She continues to walk boldly forward and upward, because she caries an aspiration to challenge herself every day, and the courage to not be afraid of mistakes… Because fortune favours the brave! The sky is the limit!

Lyuba Ilieva, Senior Director Automation and Quality at Musala Soft

Favourite clothes?

Comfy ones.

High heels or flat shoes?

Depends on what I’m wearing.

Which is THE thing you never go out without?

My phone. It has everything I need.

Favourite lipstick colour?

Nude.

Which is the feminine quality/duty that you don’t possess?

Everything feminine comes naturally to me.

Which cause would you support/ Are you currently supporting?

Unicef – access to education for nonverbal kids.

Share something about yourself that we can’t find on LinkedIn.

You can hardly find out anything from LinkedIn. The professional qualities can be seen in the process of work.

Have you ever faced challenges in your career regarding the fact that you are a woman?

Each challenge is an opportunity.

Do you know how many women work in your position?

Yes. Just one. 🙂

Do you think that the problem with gender inequality still exists in Bulgaria and globally?

A study by Reboot Online was recently published and it presents Bulgaria as the best place to work for women. Looking at the statistics both as payment and as percentage of women working in the field, women are less than men. However, there is an explanation, according to which gender is not the only thing that matters. There are fewer girls in technical specialties globally because of the desire to develop in this field. There is a difference between the sexes, but this does not necessarily mean inequality. From my experience, I can say that the opportunities offered in the IT field for both women and men are the same.

“Software industry is extremely attractive in the last few years for the development of young specialists. We’ve often seen colleagues that retrained from other professions.”

Do you think a woman’s appearance and charm affect her professional success?

According to a social survey, good-looking people progress faster with their careers. This is true for both men and women. Everyone has their own weapons to achieve their goals. However, if we emphasize too much on our female or male advantages, it will certainly come back like a boomerang and there is a possibility that they will see us more as a woman (or a man, respectively) and less as a professional. 

Which policies does your company encourage regarding gender diversity?

The most important policy to promote diversity is not to limit it. At Musala Soft, 30% of the employees are women, 30% are foreigners from over 10 countries. Professional qualities and shared values are what’s important 

How do you get along with men in your company? Do they treat you differently?

My colleagues treat me unconditionally as a professional, and so do I. 

Read More Inspiring Stories for Women in Tech in WRTech here.

How do you balance your work with your personal life? Are there any rules that you follow?

I have a strictly defined profile of my obligations, which I follow. Of course, there are exceptions, but it is important for me to be disciplined and this inevitably benefits both personal and professional life.

Which sources would you recommend to us? (podcasts, webpages, influencers, youtubers, etc.)

The blog and the events in Dev.bg, specialized QA and Testing groups in Linkedin.

As a Senior Director Automation and Quality, which do you think are the qualities a specialist in the sphere has to possess?

During the last few years, the software industry has been extremely attractive for the development of young professionals. We often witness colleagues who have retrained from other professions. The motivation for development in this area is really high and this has a positive impact on the sector. Colleagues who have a strong interest in mathematics and information sciences, especially those with an engineering degree, are able to quickly establish themselves as specialists in software development and to chart a major career path in the field.

Do you think it’s good for us to aim to perfection in a professional and personal plan?

Absolutely not. This is an unattainable task and can easily increase the feeling of failure, and this will inevitably affect our results. The strength of every person, both professionally and personally, is to know both their strengths and weaknesses. Nobody’s perfect and there are no perfect situations. The only thing that moves us forward and upward is striving every day to be better than yesterday; not being afraid of making mistakes, because success loves the brave.

What gives you inspiration in a professional and personal plan?

When you love the things you do, it is such a great pleasure and it’s very inspiring. Of course, in addition to what you do, what matters the most is who you do it with. I am inspired by the colleagues I work with – creative, smart, fun, innovative, as well as my family and friends. It is important for everyone to choose the environment that develops and pulls him forward.

What made you choose the technological sphere as your professional path?

It happened naturally in a way. Back at school I was very interested and had some achievements in mathematics and information sciences. That’s what made me choose the specialty “Informatics” at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and I have been working in the field for 18 years. This is the area with the strongest impetus for innovation – it is inspiring to create software that improves and also opens up completely new horizons for business and people’s leisure time. Sky is the limit!

If You Want to Read More Inspiring Stories for Success and Professional Growth Join the DevStyleR #Tech Influencers Community and Get Access to our Special Editions here.