Hristo Borisov
InvestorFounderAdvisor at Bek Ventures · Co-founder & CEO at Payhawk
Sofia, Bulgaria
FoundedPayhawk
About
Hristo Borisov built Bulgaria's first unicorn. He co-founded Payhawk in 2018 with his Telerik colleague Boyko Karadzhov, and in 2022 a $100 million Series B extension led by Lightspeed valued the spend-management company at $1 billion — a 75% step-up just three months after its previous round. By July 2026 Payhawk had passed $100 million in annual recurring revenue serving customers in 33 countries. He joined Telerik as a university sophomore and spent more than a decade there and at Progress Software, rising to direct a product division of 180 engineers, and took a double degree in computer science and business at the American University in Bulgaria.
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Co-founded Payhawk in 2018 with Telerik colleague Boyko Karadzhov; Konstantin Dzhengozov became the third co-founder.
- Education
- Took a double degree in computer science and business administration at the American University in Bulgaria, graduating in 2010 after joining Telerik as a sophomore.
- Communities
- A founding member of the Citizens App, a Bulgarian civic-reporting application.
- More
- The idea came from cancelling his own unused subscriptions between jobs and realising how much companies waste on forgotten software. Heard no from more than sixty investors before Earlybird led a €3m round — with about thirty days of money left. Was mentored at Telerik by co-founder Vasil Terziev, whose push toward business skills moved him from engineering into product.
From Hristo's own website — common ground for a warm intro.
Co-founder & CEO at Payhawk
Intro paths
→
In turn, Hristo can intro founders to Payhawk's investors below.
Payhawk's investors · 5
Co-founders at Payhawk
BK
Boyko KaradzhovCo-founder & CTO
KD
Konstantin DzhengozovCo-founder & CFO
Experience
- Payhawk — Business spend, reinvented.Co-founder & CEOcurrent2018 — present
- ProgressDirector of Product Management, Progress NativeChat2016 — 2018Sofia
- ProgressCo-Founder Darvin.ai (now Progress NativeChat)2016 — 2018Sofia, Bulgaria
- ProgressSenior Manager, Product Management2015 — 2016Sofia
- ProgressSenior Product Manager, Telerik Platform2012 — 2015Sofia
- ProgressTeam Lead, Business Analyst2010 — 2012Sofia, Bulgaria
- ProgressSoftware Developer2008 — 2010
- ГражданитеFounding Member2015 — 2016Bulgaria
- Masthead StudiosSoftware Developer2007
Education
- American University in BulgariaBachelor, Computer Science2006 — 2010
- Harvard Business SchoolOPM Class 642024 — 2026
- Nottingham Trent UniversityErasmus Exchange Student, Computing and Informatics2009
Skills & more
Software Development99Cloud Computing92Product Management83Entrepreneurship26Lean Startup15Mobile Technology17Business Analysis36User Experience12Agile Project Management17Scrum25Start-ups12Silverlight29
+12 more
Agile MethodologiesWeb ServicesTelerikCRMCustomer Relationship Management (CRM)C#ASP.NETWPFMicrosoft Technologies.NETVisual BasicVisual Studio- VHF Short-Range Radio Certificate — Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
- Skipper, International Waters — Ministry of Transport and Communications, Bulgaria
- Scholarship Donor — American University in Bulgaria
From Hristo's professional profile.
Podcasts & interviews
featuring Hristo BorisovColleagues at Bek Ventures
Alen Cvisic
Marketing Advisor at Bek Ventures
Arda Kirkagac
Senior Associate at Bek Ventures
Baturay Kaya
Partner at Bek Ventures
Beyhan Kalafat
Executive Assistant & Event Coordinator at Bek Ventures
Burcu Ece Sagar
Executive Assistant at Bek Ventures
Cem Sertoglu
Managing Partner at Bek Ventures
Eleanor Warnock
Communications Advisor at Bek Ventures
Eren Ulu
Analyst at Bek Ventures
Frequently asked questions
- Where does Hristo Borisov work?
- Hristo Borisov is Advisor at Bek Ventures and Co-founder & CEO at Payhawk.
- What companies did Hristo Borisov found?
- Hristo Borisov founded Payhawk.
Paths to reach Hristo
People who overlapped with Hristo at the same organization — a shared school or employer with one of them is a warm way in.
Together at PayhawkHristo: Co-founder & CEO
Boyko Karadzhov2018–2026Co-founder & CTO of PayhawkSofia University St. Kliment OhridskiKonstantin Dzhengozov2018–2026Co-founder & CFO of PayhawkHarvard Business School Executive Education · Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski · University of National and World EconomyKeith Robinson2020–2026Senior Advisor at OxxINSEAD · The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) · The Wharton SchoolDan Lupu2020–2026Investor at Earlybird Venture CapitalIESE Business School · ROCA Executive MBA @ BBS-ASE (Romanian-Canadian) · University POLITEHNICA of BucharestPerry Blacher2019–2026Partner at Augmentum FintechHarvard University · University of CambridgeMehmet Atici2020–2026Managing Partner at Bek VenturesBoğaziçi University · Shanghai University
Together at Harvard Business SchoolHristo: OPM Class 64
Gizem Cakil2024–2025Investor at OpenView Venture Partnersİzmir Fen Lisesi · Koç Üniversitesi · UCLAJennifer Scott Fonstad2024–2026Co-founder at Aspect VenturesGeorgetown UniversityJeff Bussgang2024–2026Investor at Flybridge Capital PartnersHarvard UniversityAnthony Soohoo2024–2025Venture Partner at Copper Sky CapitalUniversity of California, DavisGraham Gardner2024–2026Executive Partner at Flare Capital PartnersBrown Medical School · Brown UniversityBen Faw2024–2026Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Context VenturesUnited States Military Academy at West Point
Founder mafias
Harvard Business School mafia322
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Mike Maples JrMBAFounded Pattern BreakersNoubar AfeyanVisiting LecturerFounded ProFound Therapeutics +12Wade MyersMBAFounded RealManage +5Harry GrunerFounded Hilos +2Ellen RubinMBAFounded ClearSky Data +2Spencer RascoffVisiting Executive ProfessorFounded HeyLibby +2
+ 315 more
Bek Ventures mafia3
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
American University in Bulgaria mafia2
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Nottingham Trent University mafia2
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Same school
Also attended American University in Bulgaria12
Lucía LópezManager at Axon Partners GroupErvin LugaHead of Venture Capital Investments at EBRD Venture Capital Investment ProgrammeDaniel TomovPartner at Eleven VenturesMartin OuzounovPartner at Eleven VenturesSvetozar GeorgievPartner at Eleven VenturesNadia SoultanovaHead of Urban Network and LP Support at Urban Impact Ventures
+ 6 more
Also attended Harvard Business School1,973
Brad GerstnerFounder & CEO of Altimeter CapitalAileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesJim BreyerFounder & CEO of Breyer CapitalTim DraperFounder of Draper AssociatesMike Maples JrCo-founding Partner at FloodgateMamoon HamidPartner at Kleiner Perkins
+ 1,967 more
Also attended Nottingham Trent University18
Vasso FantousiLegal Counsel at RTP GlobalFiona RooneyGeneral Counsel at InHealth VenturesHannah WilliamsonSenior Investment Manager at Edge VCTom HallInvestment Director at Martlet CapitalAlfie MaylinTrainee Administrator at OakglenNatalie HeiliMarketing at Angel Forum
+ 12 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Payhawk — Business spend, reinvented.8
Boyko KaradzhovCo-founder & CTO of PayhawkKonstantin DzhengozovCo-founder & CFO of PayhawkKeith RobinsonSenior Advisor at OxxDan LupuInvestor at Earlybird Venture CapitalPerry BlacherPartner at Augmentum FintechMehmet AticiManaging Partner at Bek Ventures
+ 2 more
Also worked at Progress20
Boyko KaradzhovCo-founder & CTO of PayhawkKonstantin DzhengozovCo-founder & CFO of PayhawkEsther DominguezGeneral Counsel at .406 VenturesJoseph AlsopInvestor at Alsop Louie PartnersTien WongTech investor, entrepreneur, and CEO; Chairman & CEO of Opus8Amit AnandFounding Partner & Managing Director at Jungle Ventures
+ 14 more
