With over 50 teams, 40 mentors, and 30 real-world challenges, this year’s Cluj Hackathon, held from May 24–26 2025, pushed boundaries in agentic AI — and made space for some of the brightest young minds in Romania and beyond to shine. The three-day innovation marathon, hosted by Bosch Engineering Center Cluj, drew not only hackers and developers but also investors, accelerators, and founders curious about the next wave of AI-native startups.

Organized by Adrian Vlasiu, the hackathon aimed to harness the power of artificial intelligence to address real-world societal issues. Participants were encouraged to develop AI-driven solutions across various domains, including education, healthcare, and emergency response. The event’s mission was clear: to create impactful technologies that serve the community.

Now in its third edition, Cluj Hackathon has established itself as a consecrated name in the global hackathon scene, recently recognized by the Major League Hacking as one of the top 100 hackathons in the world.

“That kind of recognition validates the quality of our teams, our mentors, and the energy we’ve been building here in Cluj,” said Adrian Vlasiu, the event’s founder and organizer.

The winners? Three radically different teams united by one trait: they built useful, human-centered products with global potential.

First Prize: AI Interior Design Assistant That Understands Your Style

Filip Csibi, a computer science student at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, teamed up with Mark Renner, a theology high school student passionate about computer science and one of the youngest participants of the hackathon, to win first place with a product that turned heads.

Their AI-powered interior design app that helps users visualize room layouts and purchase suggested furniture in a few clicks. Using OpenAI APIs and DALL·E 3, the app generates personalized room visuals and learns user preferences over time. Ideal for people who move often or want quick, affordable design help, the app could soon evolve into a 3D and VR-based design platform.

Despite being just a duo, the team delivered a highly-polished prototype and impressed judges with both technical execution and vision. Filip said the experience reinforced the importance of teamwork — and they are already planning to expand the team for next year’s edition.

Second Prize: A Chatbot to Fix University Bureaucracy

Few things frustrate students more than getting information from university secretariats. Matei Botezat, Bogdan Buruian, Luca Balasoiu and Bogdan Biris, all four computer science students from Babeș-Bolyai University, created a smart fix: a university helper chatbot powered by Google Dialogflow and Cloud Functions.

Their idea? Free up secretaries’ time and reduce student stress by automating answers about scholarships, Erasmus programs, student IDs, and more. Mentorship from experts like Maria and Zoli (Fetch.ai) helped them refine the app’s business potential and prepare it for rollout.

The next step: test a prototype at their own university and explore expanding across campuses via European grants or university consortia. It’s a hyper-local solution with cross-border relevance — and a practical example of AI as administrative glue.

Third Prize: Angel AI — A Calm Voice in an Emergency

From travel panic to cultural misunderstandings, the Angel AI team tackled a universal pain point: what happens when travelers face danger in unfamiliar places? Their AI-powered assistant app aims to provide immediate, culturally aware support in high-stress situations — from medical emergencies to legal trouble or natural disasters.

Originally pitched as a dynamic travel planner, the idea pivoted mid-hackathon to focus on preventive alerts, real-time assistance, and actionable advice in moments of crisis. The team — Cristiana Constantin, Marius Manea and Bogdan Caraeane, all three students at  the University of Bucharest — received key mentorship on shaping their go-to-market strategy and decided to explore white-label partnerships with insurers, travel platforms, or even competitors.

With a rebrand in the works and small features being rolled out to collect traction and data, Angel AI is aiming to become a digital safety net for travelers worldwide.

Mentors: Cluj’s Secret Weapon

Mentors played a critical role in guiding teams toward clarity and viability. One of them, Mo Zidan, highlighted just how far the Cluj tech scene has come, not trying to replicate Silicon Valley, but growing with its own distinct identity.

He was also struck by the confidence and global mindset of young Romanian talent — like the 14-year-old who pitched fluently to a panel of international judges. For Moe, participating as a mentor was a way to “give back” and help build bridges between Cluj and other tech hubs in Eastern Europe and Asia.

“It’s not about copying Berlin or San Francisco. Cluj should link with other rising hubs — places like Prague, Budapest, Jakarta, Seoul. We have the mindset now. And the talent.”

One major evolution at this year’s event? Teams didn’t just use AI as a gimmick — they built AI agents that could act: book transport, send documents, or adapt in real time to changing user needs. Mo described this as “the biggest leap forward” he’s seen at any hackathon so far.

“This year’s AI agents weren’t just reactive chatbots,” said Mo Zidan, one of the lead mentors. “They were capable of taking action — booking taxis during emergencies or rerouting flights. That’s a massive shift.”

AI, Creativity, and the Future: A Bosch Perspective

As the host of the Cluj Hackathon 2025, Bosch Engineering Center Cluj provided not just the venue, but a fertile ground for forward-looking innovation. For Maria Barbatei, Group Leader of VR & AR Activities at Bosch, what stood out most was the breadth and relevance of the solutions.

“First of all, in this edition, the variety of solutions was extremely wide,” Maria noted. “The participants tackled problems from several industries, and especially the winners provided a solution which is relevant to all of us as it influences our daily lives and helps us to design our work environment at the office or at home as it fits us best.”

Beyond the creativity and boldness of the teams, Maria emphasized Bosch’s ongoing investment in AI-driven development and a data-first culture:

“I believe that the development of AI in the next five years will be fast-paced, and this is the reason why at Bosch we focus on data-driven development, and aim to foster a data-first culture while staying ahead with the AI advancements. We do this with the projects and activities in the data-development area as well as with building communities to expand these competencies in the organization with a rich mix of learning formats and collaborative activities.”

Bosch’s innovation programs don’t just support external events like the hackathon; they’re also fueling internal breakthroughs, with multiple invention reports being generated every year. It’s a model of how corporate R&D and grassroots innovation can work hand-in-hand — and how Cluj’s tech ecosystem is positioning itself for long-term, AI-powered growth.

What’s Next for Cluj Hackathon?

The 2025 edition marked a turning point — with agentic AI becoming not just a buzzword but a tool for building real products with real users. The energy was palpable. So was the ambition.

As the Cluj tech ecosystem continues to mature, the hackathon proves it’s not just a launchpad for code, but a catalyst for startups, mentorship, and international partnerships.

Organizer Adrian Vlasiu sees even bigger things on the horizon: an expansion across Romania and Europe, the launch of a Senior Hackathon for professionals aged 30+, and the formation of a European Hackathon League to foster a cross-border community of builders.

“We’re creating a platform where ideas meet capital, mentorship meets execution, and regional talent meets global relevance”, Adrian said.

One thing’s certain: the future of AI isn’t being built in Silicon Valley alone — it’s also coming from a theology high school student in Cluj, a chatbot for university offices, and a virtual guardian angel for tourists.

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Founded this fall in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Boon is a pioneering peer-to-peer marketplace that goes beyond conventional secondhand selling by integrating social impact into every transaction. 

Created by entrepreneur Stefan Szakal, Boon enables employees within companies to buy and sell secondhand goods, with all proceeds directed to a charity of the seller’s choosing. This unique approach combines commerce, charity, and sustainability, aiming to foster community trust and drive positive social change within corporate environments.

A Marketplace Built on Trust

Boon was designed to operate exclusively within companies, allowing only colleagues to engage in transactions. This trust-based model addresses common challenges in peer-to-peer marketplaces, such as issues with reliability and security, while strengthening workplace community bonds. Inspired by Szakal’s experience attempting to donate an old computer to an animal shelter, Boon evolved from a charity-focused concept to a marketplace built on workplace trust, where companies act as intermediaries to guarantee secure and transparent exchanges.

Unique Use Cases and Versatility

Boon’s applications go beyond simple product exchanges. Sellers can offer unique experiences—like cooking classes or tech tutorials—using the proceeds to support local charities. In one instance, a company’s CEO auctioned a barbecue invite, with all funds going directly to charity. This flexibility in offerings showcases Boon’s potential to cultivate both shared experiences and charitable impact, helping to strengthen workplace connections and inspire collaborative generosity.

Social Impact at Its Core

With Boon, every transaction reinforces a commitment to social responsibility. Szakal emphasizes that the platform empowers users to select from a list of verified local charities, ensuring that donations are meaningful and impactful. By allowing employees to support causes close to their hearts, Boon fosters a sense of purpose and engagement that resonates with the younger workforce. Furthermore, Boon’s built-in AI tool measures the environmental benefits of each purchase, making the environmental impact of secondhand buying visible and accessible for users.

Aligning with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Human Resources (HR)

Boon is a powerful ally for corporate CSR and HR initiatives, helping companies easily digitize and expand their charity efforts. The platform allows employees the freedom to support causes that matter to them, and Boon’s charity verification process assures companies that they’re contributing to reputable organizations. This alignment with CSR policies also enhances employee engagement and satisfaction, particularly among Millennials and Gen Z, who are more likely to value companies with strong social responsibility practices.

Boon’s Business Model and Future Plans

Unlike typical marketplace models, Boon’s business model aligns directly with its social impact mission. The platform operates without charging companies or users, focusing instead on the success of the charities it supports. By acting as a “fundraising department” for these organizations, Boon creates value without imposing fees or transaction costs on companies or individuals.

Currently in its early stages, Boon launched to the public in September with initial adopters like Rebel Dot, a forward-thinking company that shares Boon’s commitment to social impact. Looking ahead, Stefan Szakal has ambitious plans to expand to Bucharest by November, with the possibility of entering an international market by the end of the year. This growth plan illustrates Boon’s scalable potential, driven by a focus on impactful, community-centered commerce.

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INNO, the North-West of Romania Regional Development Agency’s department responsible for regional innovation and attracting investors, launches the first accelerator in Romania exclusively dedicated to startups in the fields of health and life sciences, LevelUP Health & Life Sciences Accelerator.

The accelerator has been developed with assistance from EIT Health as part of their Drive program. The accelerator offers expert assistance to teams looking to hasten the commercialization, validation, promotion, and sales of their solutions, obtain authorizations or access funding sources.

Early-stage startups that are registered with the Trade Registry and working on solutions in the fields of life sciences and health can apply until April 2, 2023. Teams with just a prototype may also apply, but they must commit to forming a commercial company by the end of the acceleration program. Teams can apply by filling out this form.

LevelUP Health & Life Sciences Accelerator will take place in Cluj-Napoca over ten meetings spread over a period of six months, with the possibility of attending online. The program will start with a bootcamp designed to improve participants’ understanding of business development and introduce them to the accelerator’s specialists, with whom they will collaborate to chart their personal roadmap. Based on this plan, start-ups will conduct specific activities using the resources provided in the accelerator to validate the business hypotheses underlying their solutions and get closer to their objectives.

The bi-monthly meetings will provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to share the results of their activities, as well as the lessons they have learned and other important nuances they have discovered in front of a panel of regional and international experts who will provide critical feedback. Between these meetings, participants will focus on executing their tasks and mentoring activities, with teams having direct access to any of the program’s experts and 1-on-1 meetings with them. 

At the end of each meeting, there will be advanced workshops on topics relevant to their businesses, such as obtaining accreditations for medical devices, protecting intellectual property, promoting and selling their solutions, developing strategic partnerships and networking, attracting public and private funding, validating problems or solutions, and many other topics of interest to the field in which they operate.

The program’s highlight is Demo Day, where start-ups will have the opportunity to pitch in front of investors and experts and convince them to join their cause.

The program’s intrinsic value is of 8,000 euros per team, without quantifying the direct and indirect benefits resulting from interactions with experts, promoting ideas internationally, and being integrated into the international network of NW RDA and EIT Health partners.

The program would not have existed without the support of local and regional partners: the Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, the Babeș-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca, the Technical University Cluj-Napoca, FreshBlood, Fortech, Nagarro, Linnify, Activize, Transilvania IT Cluster, ROTSA, ClujIT Cluster, Startup Reaktor, Make IT in Oradea, AI Minded, Telios Care, the Cluj-Napoca City Hall and Local Council, and many others.

More details about the program can be found on the INNO platform.

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Cluj-based Nooka Space, the company who designed the first smart proximity office network in the world, back in 2020, introduces the concept of flex office on demand in airport waiting areas, to provide passengers with private spaces to work or relax, while waiting for their flight. As such, Nooka Space launches Nooka Air, a smart office booth designed to offer better airport experience during the waiting hours in terminals. 

Nooka Air state-of-the-art office booths are enhanced by technology, allowing users to have full control over the space, from booking the desired time slot to customizing the inside environment, such as lighting or temperature. The digitalized Nooka Air office booths are IoT integrated, providing smart access to the space and its features directly from a mobile app. Nooka Space offers fully equipped, Wi-Fi connected, pay-as-you-go office pods to better airport experience and work while traveling. With their sound proofing technology and ergonomic furniture, Nooka Air booths are designed to boost users focus and wellbeing and improve productivity on the go, without being distracted by the noise and bustle of the airport.

„In recent years we noticed profound changes in the way we travel, work, socialize, and engage with external environments. Like many other industries across the world, airports are still facing the effects of the pandemic and need to put more emphasis on passengers’ experience, safety, and wellbeing. As such, the waiting area experience is crucial to customer satisfaction. The lack of private spaces to work or relax in many international airports led us to the idea of creating Nooka Air, a high-tech office booth that can be booked and used as a private space to work, concentrate, or relax while waiting for the  flight.”, said Sandu Băbășan, Co-Founder Nooka Space.

Cluj-Napoca’s International Airport is one of the first beneficiaries of Nooka Air office booths. 

“Cluj Avram Iancu International Airport is a cosmopolitan and multicultural airport. Romania’s largest regional airport supports the development of its various types of traffic (leisure, business, VFR), and this has led to a steady increase in its annual passenger numbers and thus to the need of diversifying its service area. We particularly appreciate the decision of our partner Nooka Space to make Cluj airport one of the first beneficiaries of such innovative facilities. Whether for work or relaxation, we invite passengers of Cluj International Airport to discover the 4 state-of-the-art smart offices that Nooka Space has placed in the passengers waiting areas of the domestic and international departures terminals.”, said David Ciceo, General Manager of Avram Iancu International Airport, Cluj Napoca.

Nooka Air smart office booths are especially designed as private workspaces, offering a high level of privacy and the optimal conditions to work or relax, by creating an island of silence in an open, crowded area. 

„We are in advanced negotiations and close to signing contracts with other 9 airports in Western Europe. Moreover, based on the data collected from the booking history within the app, 1 in 3 users have extended their stay, which makes us confident that the solution we offer will bring added value to passenger experience in airport terminals”, Sandu Băbășan added.

The company aims to develop an extensive network of smart offices in airports where there is a growing demand for flex work spaces. The types of offices developed by Noooa Space so far are suitable for both indoor and outdoor spaces and can be located anywhere, from residential areas and public spaces to shopping centres, railway stations, and airports.

Nooka Space has the mission to create a global network of smart proximity offices and to grow a community of users, contributing to the sustainable development of the smart cities. Nooka Space has offices in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Romania, Ireland, Switzerland, Italy and France. For further information, visit nookaspace.com.

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Telios Care, a pioneer in telemedicine in Romania, and Cluj Business Campus announced the opening of the first hybrid clinic in Romania, which combines the services of a normal clinic with telemedicine and homecare visits. The clinic will be opened in an office campus dedicated to both the employees who work and live in the campus and employees residing in Cluj-Napoca and the surrounding areas.

The new medical unit will become the place where patients will have access to full medical care services covering all 23 specialties offered by Telios Care, making Telios the only experienced telemedicine company in Eastern Europe now giving people a ‘real choice’.

The investment in this new project is projected to be between 500.000 and 700.000 euros and covers both the purchase of medical equipment and the overall makeover of the space.

„We are pleased to tell the CBC community that starting this year they will have access to high-quality medical services, delivered in a friendly and innovative way. Philip Choban is a visionary and the Telios Care team has proven to be a benchmark in telemedicine in Romania. We believe that the future of medicine, like the future of work, will have a hybrid component and we are honored that they chose Cluj-Napoca and Cluj Business Campus to bring it to life”, says Vlad Buzoianu, CEO of Cluj Business Campus.

This clinic will also be an additional medical unit for those who have access to Telios Care’s medical services with or without health insurance. Both categories will be able to access the medical services at discounted rates and, of course, receive the same personalized care they now receive using telemedicine. Secondly, the general population also has direct access to the clinic and information on how they can benefit from medical services.

„Telios Care was founded with the sole purpose of making health and wellness services as accessible and affordable as possible through new and emergent technologies, being at the same time a patient-oriented business. Now we can move on to the next level and give people the opportunity to choose how they want to receive healthcare. Telemedicine brings the opportunity to reach people in rural communities and the Telios Care team makes this thing happen every day through its international expertise, professionalism and dedication. In fact, our experience in the field of telemedicine is our main asset.” says Philip Choban, CEO & Founder of Telios Care.

Through this partnership, Cluj Business Campus offers its community high-quality medical services and extends the range of services designed to strengthen the philosophy of „1-minute city” and „work-life blending”, which is an essential concept in the Romanian real estate and office building market. It also consolidates the idea that Cluj Business Campus has been outlining since its inception, the opening of the first hybrid clinic in Romania in an office campus. In addition, it reveals the next step in the Telios Care business, Telios Home Visit, the homecare medical service branch that will start this year in Cluj and in a small number of cities, including Bucharest, during the pilot phase. After this period, the service will be available nationwide.

Through its founding members, Telios Care, a pioneer in telemedicine in Romania, brings over 25 years of experience in the United States of America in the field of distance medical care services.

In 2017, together with the other founding members, Lucian Coșoi, Matt Henry (in the USA) and Dr. Adrian Danciu, Philip Choban laid the foundations of the first dedicated telemedicine service in Romania. In its 5 years of existence, it has offered telemedicine services for the employees of more than 200 companies in Romania, covering over 110,000 employees and 23 medical specialties.

The Telios Care team shares the same vision – access to quality medical services, available anytime, anywhere. An easier doctor’s appointment, a better doctor’s appointment. In support of this vision, it is transforming the way beneficiaries and companies use their time and resources. 

Cluj Business Campus (CBC) in Cluj-Napoca is a real estate project that brings the concept of a „1-minute city” to the Romanian office market. Offices, apartments, bistros, a rooftop bar, a gym, a fitness room, a park, a kindergarten, an international school, and a podcasting studio are housed in the 30,000 square meters. Today, the campus has adopted the blending work-life philosophy and is building an environment in which wellbeing and sustainability are the main pillars of everyday life.

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]]> https://startupsnthecity.com/cluj-based-primainvest-capital-management-involved-in-e16-mln-investment-for-local-tech-startups/ Mon, 23 May 2022 12:47:08 +0000 https://startupsnthecity.com/?p=2574 Over the past year, Cluj-based PrimaInvest Capital Management, founded by Florin M. Pop, a well-known local investor and business adviser, has been involved in attracting investments worth over €1.6 million for several tech startups targeting local and international markets. In a time defined by global unpredictability, generated by the pandemic context, supply chain issues and the […]

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Over the past year, Cluj-based PrimaInvest Capital Management, founded by Florin M. Pop, a well-known local investor and business adviser, has been involved in attracting investments worth over €1.6 million for several tech startups targeting local and international markets.

In a time defined by global unpredictability, generated by the pandemic context, supply chain issues and the war in Ukraine, the business and investment environment has undergone many challenges and reconfigurations at strategic and operational levels. Even in this volatile context, PrimaInvest Capital Management continued to strengthen the strategic goals started in 2020.

One of the main objectives followed by the company has been to diversify the investment portfolio by investing in listed companies with growth potential: “The context of high volatility in global equity markets has led to significant withdrawals from the listed growth companies segment and a reorientation towards dividend companies. In my opinion, these declines can create opportunities for investors with long-term strategies. Therefore, in Q2 2022, we resumed purchases on growth companies listed in global markets, mainly in the US: Nyse & Nasdaq. In doing so, we are strengthening our positions on growth companies in several verticals such as Biotech (genome sequencing & therapy), EV & Green Energy, Metaverse, Tech. “, said Florin Pop, Founder of PrimaInvest, Investor, and Business Adviser.

Another strategic direction started by PrimaInvest Capital Management in 2020 and consolidated so far, is the direct involvement in innovative tech startups with scaling potential.

In the last 12 months, PrimaInvest has actively contributed to the local investment market and Angel Investing ecosystem, being involved as Lead Investor and facilitator in several important start-up projects.

One of the most mature startups is Telios Care, a project in which PrimaInvest played an active role as Founding Investor, alongside Emmett King. Together with Emmett, PrimaInvest led the Pre-Seed round attracting significant investment in the company, and later actively contributed to the €1 million Seed Round.

Founded by Philip Choban, Telios Care is a leader in the Romanian telemedicine market, bringing over 25 years of US experience in remote healthcare services to Romania.

“The main challenge for Telios was to penetrate an ecosystem that is almost non-existent in Romania. PrimaInvest, through Florin, helped us understand what opportunities and challenges we were facing. Florin has been with Telios from the very beginning, as Founding Investor and the first member of our Board of Directors. In addition to his expertise, Florin also brings a high level of empathy to collaborations, which is, in my view, the most important quality of a consultant or mentor…not just listening, but feeling.” says Philip Choban, about working with PrimaInvest and Florin Pop.

AiVA is another important tech startup in which PrimaInvest got involved in 2021 as Lead Investor in the Seed round, after also participating in the Pre-seed round in 2020.

Founded by Pushkar Chatterji, AiVA uses artificial intelligence to analyze video streams from CCTV systems, extracting valuable insights about consumer behavior for businesses in retail and not only.

The seed round conducted in Q3 2021 with the involvement of PrimaInvest, brought the Startup an investment of €200,000.

“PrimaInvest, and by extension Florin Pop, has been directly involved in the evolution and growth of AiVA. From regular and structured monthly meetings to unplanned phone calls on any topic, I always found support in Florin when I felt the need for advice and guidance. Florin has helped us in a variety of directions, from corporate structuring and sales strategies to budget planning and fundraising” says Pushkar Chatterji, founder of AiVA, about working with PrimaInvest.

Another tech startup that PrimaInvest is involved in is BOOKR, an innovative online booking app founded in Cluj-Napoca.

Under the guidance of PrimaInvest, BOOKR ran a pre-seed round in the form of a private placement, targeting an investment of €120,000. The round closed successfully at the end of 2021.

PrimaInvest’s investments in high-potential tech projects continued in the first quarter of 2022, when the company was actively involved, along with Robin Good partners, in the Preseed round for StageMe.Live startup.

StageMe.Live is a Romanian-German SaaS start-up that targets online shops, helping them increase sales and customer engagement with brands and products through live streaming video. The pre-seed round was a real success, attracting an investment of €170,000 for the startup.

Furthermore, Primainvest is involved in the launch of Robin Good, a business development project dedicated to startups in Romania, where Florin Pop is co-founder, along with Sandu Băbășan and Alin Laurențiu.

In addition to investing in tech startups with high scale-up potential, PrimaInvest has focused on strengthening the team by bringing in valuable collaborators with expertise, know-how and network, including Cristian Varga, specialized in investment and portfolio management, Cristiana Bogățeanu on Pitch Deck Training and Smaranda Ignat for startup advisory.

Beyond the investment company’s independent actions, PrimaInvest has developed collaborations and partnerships with communities dedicated to local investors and startups. These include Transylvania Angels Network (TAN), Growceanu, ClujHub, CS Inno Hub and ClujStartups.

For PrimaInvest, the last 12 months have meant evolution, consolidation, and the setting of new directions meant to have a high impact on the Romanian business and investment ecosystem. The next period is dedicated to the implementation of specific actions in the established directions.

In addition to those described above, PrimaInvest also holds stakes in other projects, including ThinkOut, Nifty Learning, Cartloop, Easy Sales, Cyscale, SanoPasso, Deveo Media, which are currently getting ready for investment rounds or scaling up.

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]]> https://startupsnthecity.com/bookr-appoints-daniel-andor-as-ux-guru-of-their-product-we-want-to-revolutionize-the-way-customers-interact-with-services/ Mon, 23 Aug 2021 11:22:09 +0000 https://startupsnthecity.com/?p=2390 Starting August this year, Daniel Andor joins Cluj-based BOOKR team as a UX specialist and board member. With over 10 years of experience, Daniel has worked with a wide range of companies, from early-stage startups to enterprise companies. As BOOKR’s UX & Product advisor, Daniel will work closely with the rest of the team, helping […]

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Starting August this year, Daniel Andor joins Cluj-based BOOKR team as a UX specialist and board member. With over 10 years of experience, Daniel has worked with a wide range of companies, from early-stage startups to enterprise companies. As BOOKR’s UX & Product advisor, Daniel will work closely with the rest of the team, helping them improve what they already have in place, build BOOKR’s new initiatives, improve product development processes, and advocate the importance of early validation and customer feedback.

Daniel Andor is helping tech companies test and validate their ideas quickly, focusing on creating software solutions that meet the needs of both business and users. He has recently worked with several incubators, where he helped startup founders understand the value of UX in developing their product, focusing on the rapid validation of their ideas and communication with the target audience.

Established in 2021 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, BOOKR is the first online booking service offering a 3D virtual tour of the location. The app also provides a customer relationship management (CRM) system and sales statistics. BOOKR streamlines sales through VR by significantly increasing the number of business appointments.

“We know for a fact that people ignore design that ignores people. An important part of the UX design process is to know your target audience: What are their goals? What are their challenges? What motivates them, and how do they move? The entire product should be designed for these people. We started working with Daniel in late March as part of the Innovation Labs program. Since then, he has been constantly helping us understand the User Journey and what the main reasons are for using our product. Together with Daniel, we want to revolutionize the way customers interact with the services the companies on our platform are offering. His experience will definitely help BOOKR to tap into new areas that users wish for.”, says Flavius ​​Fulea, co-founder and CEO of BOOKR.

In the interview below, we asked Daniel Andor about his experience, his thoughts about UX & startups and his role in BOOKR.

Daniel, please tell us a bit about yourself, what do you do?

Daniel Andor: I’m the Founder and Lead Product Designer at Durran, a digital product design studio. I help startups validate their ideas in just a few days, solve complex business challenges, and design outstanding digital products faster by running Design Sprint workshops.

One of my beliefs is that startups of the future should focus on people and the reality they live in. This is why I love working on projects that solve real meaningful problems for their customers.

Besides these, I’m involved in various local incubators to help startup founders understand the value of UX for their products. Also, wanting to help and give back, I started to coach junior designers and gathered a local community where designers can learn and grow together.

You have over 10 years of experience in UX/Product Design. Can you please detail your experience?

Daniel Andor: I’ve started my career at a local tech company where I had the chance to work with some great people who helped me grow as a Product Designer — special thanks to Vasilica Bob & Raul Popa.

Working on in-house products like Flipsnack or Bannersnack (now Creatopy) gave me an excellent opportunity to oversee the whole ecosystem of how digital products are made — from idea conception to launch. Also, I had the chance to interact with all the stakeholders and develop a comprehensive grasp of both business and user goals.

The next milestone in my career was freelancing. During this time, I managed to work with clients from all around the world on products ranging from early-stage startups to enterprise businesses in domains such as Technology, Healthcare, Publishing, Education, and Professional Services.

In 2020, when the Covid pandemic hit, I took some time off to analyse and rethink what I wanted to do next. This is how Durran came to life, from a deep desire to work on projects I truly enjoy — projects that have a beneficial impact on their customers’ lives, like TypingDNA, Edus, or Medijobs. Within this context, I was able to be involved in some local incubators as well, by doing presentations, Q&As, or providing feedback to startup founders.

Why is UX important for a startup like BOOKR, and for a startup in general?

Daniel Andor: I am a true believer that UX should be a big focus for every startup. If you genuinely want to solve your customers’ problems, you must know who they are and understand their context, needs, and challenges. Just building products and waiting for things to happen is not a viable strategy — and most of the time, nothing will happen.

Nowadays, there are already tons of products out there that are doing similar things — your competitors basically — and if you want to stand a chance in the market, you have to deliver the best experience possible for your customers.

Obviously, all this investment in UX reflects in your business metrics as well.

Iterating on your product, incorporating your customers’ feedback, and validating new ideas fast should be at the core of each startup. And this is what UX helps you do.

If we talk about BOOKR in particular, they already have this attitude and openness towards their customers and their needs; they understand the value that UX can bring to the table — and it is probably why it came natural that we should be working together.

Why have you joined BOOKR and what will be your role there?

Daniel Andor: Flavius and I have been in close contact since we first met while they were part of Innovation Labs. What stroked me even back then was Flavius’ attitude and determination to improve BOOKR constantly. We had quite some calls to see their progress and ideas in the meantime, giving both of us a taste of how it would be if we collaborated.

The fact that they are already gathering feedback from their customers and use it to fuel new initiatives for their platform was also a crucial aspect for me.

Besides all this, I know that they have some exciting updates soon, where I think I can come with good insights.

My role will be more of a UX & Product advisor. I’ll work closely with Flavius and BOOKR’s designer (Martin), helping them improve what they already have in place, build BOOKR’s new initiatives, improve product development processes, and advocate the importance of early validation and customer feedback. All of this, mixed with product strategy, to make sure that we build the right things, that are both useful and valuable for the customers and the business as well.

Where do you see BOOKR evolve in the future?

Daniel Andor: I would say that BOOKR is in quite a good position for a product that’s been on the market for just 6 months, but I’m glad to see that Flavius and his team want to grow and improve further. From one of our latest calls, I know they are preparing some exciting new updates, and they also have great plans for BOOKR’s future. They have high potential and, combined with their attitude and way of doing things, have a real chance to build a solid product.

Knowing Flavius and his team, I’m sure we’ll keep hearing about BOOKR, so keep an eye open and follow their journey. I’m happy to be part of it.

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• Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Established in 2021 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, BOOKR is the first online booking service offering a 3D virtual tour of the… Read More

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]]> https://startupsnthecity.com/cluj-based-bookr-an-appointment-manager-startup-gets-valued-at-1-million-euro-before-the-pre-seed-round/ Wed, 04 Aug 2021 10:20:10 +0000 https://startupsnthecity.com/?p=2369 Cluj-based BOOKR, an appointment manager startup, aims to attract pre-seed financing of 100,000 Euro this autumn, at a valuation of 1 million Euro. The pre-seed round will be used mainly for expansion in the medical sector. In the long run, BOOKR’s vision is to become a global digital marketplace for services. Established in 2021 in […]

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Cluj-based BOOKR, an appointment manager startup, aims to attract pre-seed financing of 100,000 Euro this autumn, at a valuation of 1 million Euro. The pre-seed round will be used mainly for expansion in the medical sector. In the long run, BOOKR’s vision is to become a global digital marketplace for services.

Established in 2021 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, BOOKR is the first online booking service offering the possibility of a 3D virtual tour of the location. The application also provides a customer relationship management (CRM) system and sales statistics.

BOOKR has seen a 20% monthly increase in the number of its users, and the total value of the processed bookings until now is worth over 120,000 euros in services. 

With more than 400 daily active users, BOOKR enjoys a 100% retention rate among its partner businesses, managing approximately 3,500 appointments per month.

“BOOKR helps companies in the digitization process, not just by developing an online presence but also by facilitating remote business administration, scheduling and customer relationship management (CRM), 100% digital, all with the role of organizing and staging customer interactions. Keeping the history of each interaction allows the business to constantly analyze customer satisfaction, the evolution of key business indicators, and the opportunity to develop a cross-sell to maximize each customer’s satisfaction with increasing revenue. After the pre-seed round, we will continue the development on other verticals, namely the introduction of the medical sector, which currently has a loss of 1,5 billion USD annually from missed appointments.”, said Flavius ​​Fulea, co-founder and CEO of BOOKR.

In July of this year, Florin Pop, a well-known Romanian business angel, with over 20 years of experience in the investment and business consulting industry, joined BOOKR as a board advisor and lead investor.

“My decision to invest in BOOKR started primarily from meeting the team, the people. I’ve found at BOOKR dedicated, motivated founders with a practical approach and it was chemistry from our first meeting. The BOOKR team has a mix of profiles, competencies, and specializations that in my opinion make possible the development of the business. Furthermore, I was attracted by the strategic discussions and the penciled vision, especially in terms of the possibility of penetration of several sectors and the perspective of internationalization. Finally, when I decide to get involved in a project with the team, I also consider the value of the addressable market, and in the vision of strategic development of BOOKR this market potential is impressive. The product will certainly have transformations and improvements, but for me, it was important to meet in BOOKR motivated people who transpose the product, the market, and the overall evolution of the startup in the future. I will use my entire experience in business and investment (in projects such as Blugento, Telios Care, AiVA, Nifty Learning, ThinkOut) to help the BOOKR team go through these strategic milestones. An important first milestone for BOOKR is this pre-seed round, which in my view will be rather a private placement through which we aim to attract valuable people with experience in angel investing, as well as people from the industries we target, which will bring extra expertise and networking in this stage of development.”, says Florin Pop, investor, and business mentor.

BOOKR is already present in 13 cities in Romania, with a total of over 130 businesses registered in the application, 2,800 users, and over 14,000 bookings successfully delivered. BOOKR also attracted international attention, with businesses from Australia, UK, the USA, Germany, Norway, India, Latvia, and Sweden joining the application.

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]]> https://startupsnthecity.com/cluj-ecosystem-steps-up-to-finance-a-local-startup-with-fortech-a-cluj-based-software-company-being-the-lead-investor-in-telios-care-new-round-of-e700000/ Mon, 05 Jul 2021 12:10:05 +0000 https://startupsnthecity.com/?p=2304 Cluj-based Telios Care, one of the leading providers of telemedicine services in Romania, raised a new financing worth €700,000, having Fortech, a local software company, as lead investor. With an investment of €400,000, Fortech becomes the largest investor in Telios Care, with a 9% stake. With this new financing round, current investors also increased their […]

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Cluj-based Telios Care, one of the leading providers of telemedicine services in Romania, raised a new financing worth €700,000, having Fortech, a local software company, as lead investor. With an investment of €400,000, Fortech becomes the largest investor in Telios Care, with a 9% stake.

With this new financing round, current investors also increased their stakes, investing €180,000 in Telios Care. At the same time, the company managed to raise another €120,000 from new investors.

This round also marks the official launch of Fortech Investments, the investment division of Fortech Group, which will manage the company’s investment, acquisition, and partnership strategy.

“At Fortech, we’ve been great supporters of the development and disruption of the healthcare industry through our software development services. Contributing to Telios’ mission through funding is a natural next step we are taking towards a deeper involvement into the products that shape the world. Telemedicine is an important field for healthcare innovation, especially in Romania and CEE. As we followed the evolution of Telios, we believe now is the moment to partner up and support their growth, especially when looking at the team Philip has built and their plan to break ground in this up-and-coming field”, says Valentin Filip, Managing Director Product Investments, Fortech.

“Transforming healthcare takes a diverse team with a common goal. From the beginning, Telios Care has strived to bring whole-person care to every Romanian in the comfort of their own environment. We are helping people resolve their healthcare needs with confidence and simplicity. Helping us reach this goal has been the support of our investors, which has grown in size and strategic assistance. Now, with the help of one of the leading technology companies in Cluj, Fortech; through their investment division, Fortech Investments, Telios Care now strives toward the next steps of simplifying healthcare delivery in the CEE region. Partnerships developed with Transylvania Angels Network, Growceanu, and Tech Angels are what makes this Fortech collaboration so special for us; people taking care of other people”, says Philip Choban, CEO Telios Care.

Telios Care is currently a stock structure composed of both founders and investors, including investors from Transylvania Angels Network, Growceanu Angel Investment and Tech Angels, the three organizations being actively involved in raising the new funding and in supporting the healthcare industry and the digitization process.

“Transylvania Angels Network was glad to support Telios in this round from the beginning and in the last year, with two T.A.N. members also being founding investors at Telios. B2B telemedicine is an area with solid potential in Eastern Europe, as proven in other markets. The pandemic gave a boost to it as people see much better its value and benefits. We appreciate the solid growth in usage and clients, the maturity of the management team, and the future perspectives for partnering and expansion. Thus, it was a simple decision to contribute again to this round, as it became one of the biggest angel-led rounds in Romania”, says Mircea Vădan, Founding Board Member and Investor, Transylvania Angels Network.

From the new position, Fortech will be an active member of the Advisory Board, both in terms of business and technical areas, taking part in the development strategy of Telios in the next period.

Following the new funding, Telios Care will accelerate the development plans, both in Romania and in the region. The company aims to improve patient access to quality medical services by introducing faster medical devices on the market, adding new services on the platform that even offers the possibility of home visits, and by increasing the number of complex conditions treated through telemedicine.

For the current year, Telios Care expects a 100% increase in the use of its services as more patients turn to telemedicine as the first option in many cases.

Telios Care saw a 10-fold increase last year in the number of users of telemedicine services, with more than 100,000 beneficiaries across the country. For 2021, the company estimates a doubling in the number of patients by including Telios services in insurance products and medical subscriptions and direct sales to companies.

Following this new investment, Telios Care is valued at approximately €6.3 million.

Founded in 2017, Telios Care is currently in the third round of funding. The first of them took place in 2018 and provided funding of €150,000, money used to develop the platform, improve the software and systems used. The second round of financing ended at the end of 2020, after raising €200,000, an investment that also ensured the launch, for the first time in the Romanian health system, of the American model of “prescription fulfillment” – digital prescriptions sent by doctors, following all safety protocols, directly to the pharmacies indicated by patients.

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]]> https://startupsnthecity.com/cluj-based-telios-ceo-recognized-as-one-of-the-top-20-innovators-in-telemedicine-in-2020/ https://startupsnthecity.com/cluj-based-telios-ceo-recognized-as-one-of-the-top-20-innovators-in-telemedicine-in-2020/#respond Wed, 14 Oct 2020 06:45:22 +0000 https://startupsnthecity.com/?p=2079 Cluj-based Telios’ CEO and co-founder Philip Choban was recently recognized as one of the Top 20 Innovators in Telemedicine in 2020 by Technology Innovators for bringing digital healthcare to Eastern Europe without boundaries or borders. The Top 20 Innovators in Telemedicine’s objective is to provide information on the current developments in the telemedicine market, giving […]

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Cluj-based Telios’ CEO and co-founder Philip Choban was recently recognized as one of the Top 20 Innovators in Telemedicine in 2020 by Technology Innovators for bringing digital healthcare to Eastern Europe without boundaries or borders. The Top 20 Innovators in Telemedicine’s objective is to provide information on the current developments in the telemedicine market, giving an insight on the experiences of leaders and experts in the telemedicine industry.

Philip Choban’s grandparents were born in Romania and immigrated to America in 1898. Philip returned to Romania after the fall of the communist regime. His Romanian born wife Carmen, fell gravely ill and it necessitated a permanent move. Philip was in need of constant medical help and guidance. With a condition making his wife difficult to leave the home, Philip found himself in a situation where he couldn’t find a doctor to answer his questions.

“Luckily, our medical director is one of my closest and oldest friends here. He’s a doctor and he helped me out. I could call him up and he would get things done for me so I started to think: what does the common person do when they don’t have these types of connections and that’s when we began.”, remembers Philip on how his journey to develop much-needed telemedicine services in Romania started.

After Carmen’s death in 2015 and since he was already involved in telemedicine in the United States, Philip decided to start a telemedicine company in Cluj, along with his co-founders, Lucian Cosoi, Matt Henry (in the USA) and Dr. Adrian Danciu. During this time, he sought to develop a market, because a market for professional telemedicine didn’t exist in Romania.

In a very short time their service attracted some of the biggest insurance companies as strategic partners, gained big corporate customers, and significantly increased their call volume. Telios is currently developing special applications that will be used specifically for their ‘Telemedicine First’ campaign.

Telios services are covering a large and very diverse number of patients, from white-collar managers to blue-collar workers, who all need protection from COVID-19 and healthcare services delivered remotely in order to keep the economy going during the current crisis.

“Fortunately and unfortunately the COVID-19 period has been a boom for telehealth and telemedicine.”, declared Philip in an interview for Technology Innovators. “The awareness of telemedicine has moved forward ten years in the last six months because of the pandemic. Medicare and Medicaid are now covering telehealth appointments. This would not have happened as quickly were it not for COVID-19. Ten years from now, telemedicine will be in the mainstream and as common as going to Urgent Care or ER but with a fraction of the costs involved”, envisions Philip. You can read the full interview on Technology Innovators, here.

At the beginning of 2020, Telios closed an investment round of $ 200,000. The funding received is currently being used for expanding awareness of telemedicine in Romania, strengthening the market position, increasing the medical staff and enhancing the abilities of the platform. A new investment round is planned before an offering of an IPO.

In partnership with VISION2020, an NGO providing support to the disadvantaged communities in Romania, Telios has started to provide primary health and wellness services. Together, they are providing telemedicine services at the push of a button, or the sound of the voice. Their first official CSR project is with Casa Ioana, a home for displaced women and their families.

Telios is now looking to expand its services to more countries in Eastern Europe, all the while keeping up with its commitments to make telemedicine available to more people in disadvantaged communities.

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