Bobby Bahov, Product Manager in Sofia, Bulgaria
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Bobby Bahov

Verified Expert  in Product Management

Product Manager

Location
Sofia, Bulgaria
Toptal Member Since
February 26, 2021

Bobby is a consultant whose background lies at the intersection of business and technology. He excels in leading technology development projects, consulting, and product management for public and private organizations. Bobby has managed AI solutions for companies, NGOs, and government organizations and is proficient in creating technology and innovation strategies for new product development. He began his career as a software developer and later moved to project and product management roles.

Project Highlights

AI Tool for Early Detection of Leukemia
Guided the project to reach a proof-of-concept stage. Handled the business case, scouting the two experts, defining the backlog and deadlines, and managing the deliverables.
Product Strategy for an Insurance Tech Startup
Worked as a technical consultant and assisted the founder of the company with the product strategy, development roadmap, staffing, and hiring.
AI Recommender System for a Governmental Organization
Managed the product development of an AI recommender system for a governmental body that resulted in a process improvement of more than 50%.

Expertise

Work Experience

Senior Business Analyst and Technology Consultant

2022 - PRESENT
MentorMate
  • Analyzed, identified areas for improvement, and recommended solutions to optimize business processes.
  • Facilitated requirements elicitation meetings and drove consensus.
  • Worked with the project management team to ensure quality and on-time delivery of projects by monitoring progress and managing risks and issues.
  • Created clear, concise, testable epics and user stories with acceptance criteria using both positive and negative outcome scenarios.

CEO | Product Development Manager

2017 - 2023
Space Mining Technologies
  • Managed team operations on software and hardware development, defining various project scopes and deadlines.
  • Defined and managed product development and prioritized features.
  • Scouted and formed the team and established partnerships with various institutions.
  • Prepared funding applications and investor pitch decks.
  • Built the brand from the ground up, led all marketing and partner communication, and created and executed sales strategies.

CEO | Founder

2021 - 2022
Genolarity
  • Put together a team of scientists and researchers to develop a prototype.
  • Accepted in the life science startup program at the Leiden Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
  • Applied AI on gene expression data to detect the risk of future cancer onset.

Startup Mentor

2019 - 2022
Dutch Mentor Community
  • Assisted early-stage startups in building their business from the ground-up.
  • Consulted entrepreneurs on their product development, marketing, and sales strategies.
  • Assisted the NGO in its strategic decisions on approaching startups and industry partners.

CEO | Product Development Manager

2019 - 2021
AI Lab One
  • Consulted and managed the development of AI solutions for companies, NGOs, and the government.
  • Conducted research and corporate strategies for the adoption of artificial intelligence.
  • Performed business and technology feasibility studies.
  • Helped clients raise funding for their innovative projects.
  • Built the brand from the ground up, led all marketing and partner communication, and created and executed sales strategies.

Co-founder | Technology Consultant

2019 - 2021
The Mothership Missions
  • Collaborated with NGOs and governments on technology and innovation strategies for new product development.
  • Organized and managed teams in open innovation programs to develop and deliver prototypes of artificial intelligence systems for NGOs and governments.
  • Established partnerships and worked with organizations such as the Red Cross, European Commission, European Space Agency, and United Nations.

Founder | Technology Consultant

2016 - 2019
Eastsource
  • Built the company from the ground up to being listed as a top web development agency in the Netherlands.
  • Consulted clients on software, product development features, and roadmaps.
  • Developed and executed software product development strategies.
  • Led software projects for clients from the Netherlands and the UK and with developers based in Eastern Europe.
  • Conducted market research and executed marketing and sales strategies.

Entrepreneurship Tutor and Mentor

2017 - 2017
Knowledge 2 Share Foundation (NGO)
  • Led entrepreneurship and business development courses for starting entrepreneurs in South Africa.
  • Guided the digital marketing efforts to popularize the NGO.
  • Developed the educational material for lectures and worked directly with students on assignments.

Software Development Manager

2015 - 2016
Pinlock Group
  • Led a team of developers, designers, and QA experts.
  • Oversaw the project plan, estimates, and system requirements.
  • Ensured product iterations were shipped to specifications and on time.
  • Designed the platform architecture to be flexible, low cost, and capable of handling rapid growth.
  • Led Scrum meetings and sprint planning and reviews.
  • Prepared business cases and conducted market research on future project opportunities.
  • Optimized processes through digitization, standardization, and automation.

Web Developer and Product Owner

2013 - 2015
Melon
  • Communicated on a daily basis with various international teams.
  • Organized and planned sprints and led sprint reviews and retrospective meetings.
  • Assigned, prioritized, and estimated backlog tasks for my team.
  • Developed and shipped multi-platform hybrid applications.

Microsoft Student Partner

2012 - 2014
Microsoft Bulgaria
  • Organized events and workshops with academia and industry.
  • Conducted marketing research and campaigns to boost user satisfaction.
  • Built a local and global network with industry experts and partner organizations.

AI Technical Product Manager for LLM for Occupational Risk Management in Rail Construction

Delivered a technical specification and architecture according to the client's needs, conducted a risk analysis and budget estimate for the development of the solution, and consulted the client on public investment applications and opportunities.

A project focused on preparing a product specification and investment application for an AI solution in the retail industry. The product was based on using large language models (LLM) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture.

Adviser on the Product Development for an AI-driven Layout Positioning Tool

Consulted with the client on the business and technical feasibility of the solution, advised on product-market fit and MVP feature analysis, and identified the best tech alternatives for solution development.

I helped the client conceptualize and ideate the product from the general idea through an MVP design, including a roadmap for developing the app designed for users without experience in design or architecture.

Technical Product Manager for Image Nesting Desktop Application

Performed market research and defined the whole product strategy, roadmap, and architecture based on just an idea.

• Conducted market research to validate the market need and competitor environment.
• Gathered and defined product requirements.
• Wrote and refined epics and user stories.
• Developed project backlog, timeline, and staffing plan.
• Facilitated issues and risks early identification.

AI Tool for Early Detection of Leukemia

Guided the project to reach a proof-of-concept stage. Handled the business case, scouting the two experts, defining the backlog and deadlines, and managing the deliverables.

Together with a couple of bioinformaticians/data scientists, we developed a project analyzing patients' data to build a proof-of-concept machine learning model capable of early-stage leukemia detection. The project lasted from November 2019 to June 2022.

Technical Analysis for AI-driven Cyber Security SaaS

Served as a technical analyst and analyzed a number of APIs and their compatibility with the client's solution.

• Analyzed the existing documentation of various product APIs in collaboration with the co-founder and the team.
• Brought feedback and ensured the product-related APIs were updated based on it.
• Outlined the summary for the integration options/data based on the inputs from the product perspective.
• Documented the requirements for the team to proceed with the development.

Data Science Project in Retail

Worked as a product owner and led a team of data scientists in the prototype development phase while conducting the product strategy with the executives.

The project revolved around using proprietary restaurant data and scraping publicly available restaurant reviews to identify and predict market trends. I was responsible for setting up the product strategy, communicating with the client, and organizing the development work and roadmap.

Product Strategy for an Insurance Tech Startup

Worked as a technical consultant and assisted the founder of the company with the product strategy, development roadmap, staffing, and hiring.

The client was a startup developing a tool for insurance companies to detect and prevent fraud. I helped the founder with the business and technology feasibility and hired the initial developers.

The project lasted from September to November of 2021.

Marketing and Outreach Strategy for an Influencer Marketing Agency

Established a strategy for a new lead generation funnel.

I researched and worked closely with the client to understand the best outreach channels for the agency to expand the network and improve the brand's image. The project lasted from September to November 2021.

Smart IoT System for Retail Stores

Served as a product manager and worked closely with the client to change the direction and strategy of an existing product.

I helped the client identify the best features to develop and remove from the current product to streamline and optimize it for value creation. This was based on competitor analysis and direct one-on-one talks with potential clients.

The project took place in July and August of 2021.

Social Media Platform Focused on Cultural Exchange

Served as a technical product manager and prepared the product strategy for a new social media platform and mobile app.

I took the role of a technical product manager for a young startup in their pre-MVP phase. My responsibilities involved brainstorming with the client on the new product idea, preparing the revenue model, defining product features and requirements, and preparing the technical stack and architecture. The project took place in March and April of 2021.

AI Prediction Solution for EW2Health

https://www.easywaytohealth.com/pregnant

Managed the product strategy and fund raising efforts for an AI prediction system and anomaly detection in the weight gain of pregnant women.

I assisted the client in identifying the opportunity, preparing the strategy and the technology stack of an AI tool to predict pregnant women's weight gain and detect anomalies. My responsibilities included working directly with the client to flesh out the idea, ensuring business and technical feasibility, product-solution mapping, creating system requirements and a development roadmap, budgeting, raising funds, and procuring a development team. The project was completed in six months between 2020 and 2021.

AI Recommender System for a Governmental Organization

Managed the product development of an AI recommender system for a governmental body that resulted in a process improvement of more than 50%.

I assisted a governmental organization in identifying the need and built an AI recommender system to optimize an internal process. My responsibilities included working with people from various departments to understand their operations and processes, ensuring business and technical feasibility leading to solution mapping, system requirements and technology stack choice, development roadmap and plan creation, and managing the deliverables of the development team. The project took ten months in 2019 and 2020.

Urban Environment Assessment for the Province of South Holland

Led the product development of three MVPs for assessing and monitoring urban factors using artificial intelligence.

I worked with government representatives to identify problems, map them to potential solutions, calculate the needed budget, build a roadmap and strategy for developing the MVPs, and form three separate technical teams to execute the projects. I was also responsible for managing the teams' deliverables and meeting the Province's expectations.

We tackled the three areas: Natural biodiversity, energy transition, and waste management. The project lasted three months in 2019.

P2P Energy Marketplace App for the European Commission

Defined the requirements and strategy for the solution.

Collaborated with a team of developers to create a marketplace platform for renewable energy exchange between local energy communities. My responsibilities included defining the problem-solution fit, budgeting, conducting the development strategy and roadmap, and forming the development team. The project lasted for three months in 2019.

Supply Chain Digital Transformation

Prepared a digital transformation plan and roadmap for a commodity distribution company.

I prepared a digital transformation plan, strategy, and roadmap for a traditional commodity distribution company, including designing a digital system for managing the supply chain. I also built a technical team to execute the project and prepared the development plan and product specifications. The project lasted five months in 2017.

An eCommerce Platform for Automotive Accessories

Spearheaded the digital transformation of a distribution company from idea to the launch of two eCommerce platforms that led to a streamline of processes and entry into new markets.

The project involved building a B2C eCommerce website, a B2B supplier portal, and integration with an existing ERP system.

My responsibilities included market research and a go-to-market strategy, requirements definition and technology stack choices, budgeting and financial projections, and building and leading the development team. Additionally, I managed the team's priorities and deliverables, conducted daily communication with stakeholders, worked with suppliers and partners, conducted a long-term strategy for the platform, and managed the launch of the platform. The project took place over 15 months in 2015 and 2016.

Startup Accelerator Consultant

https://www.worldstartup.co

Performed market research and prepared an in-depth report on the best accelerator practices.

I led a team in researching the best startup accelerator features and prepared a report for a new accelerator program. The project included interviews and analysis of accelerator programs in Europe and the Netherlands and research on the satisfaction of startups after completing such a program. The project ran for three months in 2015.

A Mobile App for Language Learners

Led the efforts of developing an MVP as a technical product manager responsible for the system's architecture, design, requirements, and roadmap.

With a small team, I developed the strategy and concept of a mobile app for language learners. My responsibilities involved the technical feasibility research, a development roadmap, requirements, and backlog definition. The project took about one month to complete in 2015.

Online Poker Platform

Led a team of developers into building and launching the web version of a poker app.

The project was in development for more than two years and involved multiple teams across five countries. I joined halfway through the project as a web development team lead managing three other developers responsible for the platform's web version. My responsibilities involved task estimates, backlog prioritization, and daily check-ins with the client. My involvement in the project was for 12 months in 2013 and 2014.

eCommerce Website for a Lighting Equipment Company

Led the digital transformation of a brick and mortar store to a fully digital ready brand with an eCommerce website and social media presence.

I developed the digitalization strategy for the client, improved the company's branding, designed the architecture and interface for their new website, developed the eCommerce website myself, launched their social media accounts, and consulted for them on further brand awareness and market expansion. Due to my work with them, the store doubled its annual revenue. My initial work with the client was for a few months in 2012 and 2013, but I am still in touch with them and consult for them on their digital operations.
2022 - 2024

PhD Candidate in Business Applications of Artificial Intelligence (In Progress)

University of National and World Economy - Sofia, Bulgaria

2014 - 2015

Master's Degree in Business Information Management

Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University - Rotterdam, Netherlands

2010 - 2014

Bachelor's Degree in Business Informatics

University of National and World Economy - Sofia, Bulgaria

JANUARY 2024 - PRESENT

Enterprise Design Thinking - Team Essentials for AI

IBM

NOVEMBER 2022 - PRESENT

Artificial Intelligence for Business and Government

Nederlandse AI Coalition | NL AIC

OCTOBER 2022 - PRESENT

Elements of AI

University of Helsinki

SEPTEMBER 2022 - PRESENT

Business Analytics

Growth Tribe

JULY 2020 - PRESENT

AI For Everyone

Deeplearning.ai

JULY 2020 - PRESENT

MBSE: Model-based Systems Engineering

University at Buffalo via Coursera

JULY 2020 - PRESENT

Machine Learning for Business Professionals

Google Cloud via Coursera

JUNE 2016 - PRESENT

Innovation Management

Erasmus University Rotterdam via Coursera

OCTOBER 2015 - PRESENT

Project Planning and Management

University of Virginia via Coursera

SEPTEMBER 2014 - PRESENT

Advanced Competitive Strategy

Coursera

AUGUST 2014 - PRESENT

Gamification

Coursera

MARCH 2013 - PRESENT

MCPS: Microsoft Certified Professional

Microsoft

Tools

Jira, Microsoft Project, Azure Machine Learning

Paradigms

Agile Project Management, Requirements Analysis, Agile Product Management, Data Science, Agile Software Development, Desktop Web Design, Design Thinking

Industry Expertise

Healthcare, Video Gaming

Other

IT Project Management, IT Product Management, Business Strategy, Agile Leadership, New Business Development, Project Management, Scrum Product Owner, App Product Management, Digital Product Management, Product Management, Web Product Management, Agile Sprints, Agile Product Delivery, Product Planning, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Product Development, Product Development Manager, Product Strategy, Innovation Management, Machine Learning, Entrepreneurship, Business Models, New Product Development, Branding, Startups, Web Applications, Staffing, Technical Product Management, Technical Project Management, Product Development, Marketing, Digital Marketing, Proof of Concept (POC), Business Planning, Team Leadership, Web & Mobile Applications, Communication, Presentations, Business Plan Consulting, Project Scoping, Digital Transformation, Emerging Technologies, IT Consulting, IT Strategy, Information Systems, Project Planning, Software Development, Technical Consulting, Competitive Strategy, Innovation Strategy, Design Requirements, Innovation, Brand Marketing, SaaS, Automation, eCommerce, Artificial Intelligence Product Manager, Data Product Manager, Data Products, Data Science Product Manager, Product Roadmaps, B2B, Prototyping, Product Delivery, Backlog Grooming, Backlog Management, Feature Backlog Prioritization, Requirements & Specifications, Website CMS, WordPress, Technical Leadership, Website Optimization, Business Analysis, Product Ownership, Project Timelines, Business Requirements, Stakeholder Management, Mobile Apps, Content Management Systems (CMS), Early-stage Startups, Resource Allocation, Automation Tools, HTML, HTML5, Websites, Minimum Viable Product (MVP), Technology Strategy & Architecture, Pitch Decks, Discovery Workshops, Estimation & Planning, Social Media, Strategy, Technology Consulting, Consulting, Market Research, Solution Architecture, User Stories, Estimations, Negotiation, Go-to-market Strategy, Community, Community Development, Community Growth, Revenue Strategy, Management, Data Analytics, Data Analysis, Information Security, Organizational Development, IT Infrastructure, Front-end Development, Product Owner, Software Project Management, B2B Product Management, Organizational Behavior (OB), Systems Engineering, APIs, Startup Funding, Learning Management Systems (LMS), Cost Estimation, Project Budget Management, API Integration, REST APIs, CRM Systems, Mobile, Databases, MySQL, Natural Language Processing (NLP), PHP, Retail & Wholesale, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Computer Vision, Fundraising, Product Launch, CEO, Cybersecurity, Seed Fundraising, Mobile Applications, Robotics, Web, Management Consulting, Notion, Research, User Validation, Data Management, Analytics, Data Governance, Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPT), User Experience (UX), Conceptualization, Ideation, MVP Design, Roadmaps, Wireframing, Product Design, UX Design, User-centered Design (UCD), Enterprise, Chatbot Conversation Design, Large Language Models (LLMs), Python, Risk Management

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