Techsylvania, Eastern Europe’s flagship technology and innovation conference, is accelerating toward its June 25–26 takeover of Cluj-Napoca with a powerhouse wave of speaker announcements. Each new name signals the same thing: 2026 isn’t just bigger, it’s a step-change.

Taking the stage this year:

• Hermann Hauser – Co-Founder & Venture Partner, Amadeus Capital Partners
• Hrvoje Ćosić – CEO, Aircash
• Guido Brinkel – Policy & Partnerships Lead Germany & CEE, OpenAI
• Jeanie Fang – Director of Data & AI, Crunchbase
• Sacha Dragic – Founder & CEO, Super Technologies
• Florian Steger – General Partner, betacluster Ventures
• Praveen Ghanta – Founder & CEO, Fraction
• Vladimir Danila – Founder & CEO,  Linearity
• Lian Boerma –  Chief Product Officer, EWOR
• Oana Ruxandra – Co-Founder & CEO, PopHatch

… and more high-impact voices dropping soon.

From deep tech and AI to fintech, venture scaling, and leadership in a machine-driven world, the 2026 lineup maps the full stack of global innovation, bringing together the operators, investors, and thinkers actively engineering what’s next.

Lock in your access

Techsylvania 2026 isn’t one to watch from the sidelines. Secure your place now while regular pricing is still live.

Use code TECH26 for 25% off Builder and Premium tickets (valid until June 18).

Get your ticket: techsylvania.com/tickets/

The first draft of the Techsylvania 2026 agenda is now available for preview at techsylvania.com/agenda/. We invite our community to explore the sessions and speakers shaping this year’s programme. 

Please note that the agenda is subject to change as we continue to finalise details.

Beyond the main stage

Techsylvania extends far beyond the conference floor. In 2026, Cluj-Napoca transforms into a distributed innovation network through its Satellite Events program.

Think curated meetups, product drops, investor sessions, brand activations, and late-night gatherings, spanning cafés, rooftops, and creative hubs across the city. It’s where real connections happen, ideas get stress-tested, and collaborations kick off organically.

Explore satellite events: techsylvania.com/satellite-events/attend/

Backed by ecosystem leaders like Super Technologies, UniCredit Bank, Google, Hexagon Offices, Oracle ACE Program, 3Pillar, Aily Labs, Principal33, BMW Techworks, DataEdge, M247Global and RunPod, Techsylvania is more than a conference, it’s a high-density convergence point for builders, backers, and visionaries.

If you’re shaping products, funding innovation, writing code, or tracking where tech is headed next, this is your ground zero.

Event Date: June 24-25 2026

Location: Cluj Innovation Park, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Tickets: Get yours now at techsylvania.com/tickets/

The post OpenAI, Crunchbase and Amadeus Capital Executives Join Techsylvania 2026 appeared first on Startups&TheCity.

The historic Oradea Fortress in Romania is set to become the epicenter of European financial innovation on June 17–18, 2026, as it hosts the 5th anniversary edition of the UNCHAIN Festival. This high-level summit will bring together over 800 senior leaders and decision-makers from more than 40 countries, representing a unified front for the future of finance in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

A Distinguished Keynote and Global Participation

This year’s summit is headlined by Prof. Marek Belka, former Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Poland. A renowned economist with a career spanning the IMF and the European Parliament, Prof. Belka will provide critical insights at the intersection of economics and public policy.

He will be joined by an elite lineup of:

• Central Bank Governors from across the CEE region.
• Regulators from the European Commission and the European Banking Authority.
• Industry Giants and disruptors from Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and beyond.

Navigating the “Finance Fortress”

Moving beyond the “fintech” label, the 2026 edition adopts the theme of the “Finance Fortress,” focusing on regional resilience and the “EU Inc.” vision. The agenda is designed to tackle the most pressing challenges of the decade, including:

• The Digital Euro: Modernizing payments while preserving monetary sovereignty.
• AI Governance: Moving AI from a “blunt tool” to an internal efficiency engine in banking.
• Asset Tokenization: Leveraging DLT to enhance capital market efficiency.
• Cybersecurity: Ensuring operational resilience under the DORA framework.

Spotlight on Innovation

A dedicated segment of the festival will showcase the most dynamic ecosystems in the region, providing a platform for top disruptors from the CEE and Baltic countries. “UNCHAIN Festival was created for meaningful dialogue,” says Alexandra Pollack, Founder and CEO. “The 2026 edition marks a significant step in connecting ecosystems to accelerate innovation”.

The event will conclude by honoring excellence through the UNCHAIN Awards, recognizing the most outstanding innovators shaping the regional financial landscape.

Tickets are almost gone. Secure your spot now: unchainfestival.com/tickets.

The post CEE Finance Leaders to Gather in Oradea for Milestone 5th Edition of UNCHAIN Festival appeared first on Startups&TheCity.

The eYou platform, a Romania-based social media startup currently in pre-launch, aims to become a European alternative to traditional networks, focusing on algorithm transparency, user control over feeds, and AI-powered fact-checking. The project has raised €300,000 in pre-seed funding from Fil Rouge Capital and has already attracted over 10,000 sign-ups on its first day.

Founded by Jasseem Allybokus and Grégoire Vigroux, two French entrepreneurs based in Romania, eYou positions itself as a “trust-by-design” platform in contrast to global players like Facebook and X.

At the core of the product is a real-time fact-checking feature integrated directly into the user experience. With a single click, users can access AI-generated assessments of posts, based on credible and neutral sources, enabling them to verify claims without interrupting the flow of conversation.

The platform also introduces a transparent recommendation system, allowing users to view and adjust the profile built about them. This gives users direct control over the signals shaping their feed and the option to diversify content exposure beyond algorithm-driven echo chambers.

Built in Europe and aligned with strict data protection standards, eYou enters a market increasingly concerned with misinformation, platform accountability, and the dominance of non-European tech giants.

The public launch is scheduled for May 2026. Until then, users can join the waitlist and secure early access at: eyou.social.

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Techsylvania, one of Eastern Europe’s leading tech and business conferences, announces the launch of its 2026 edition. The event will take place on June 24–25, 2026, in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, bringing together thousands of innovators, entrepreneurs, executives, and technology enthusiasts from around the world.

With every edition, Techsylvania strengthens its position as a catalyst for innovation and a powerful platform where global leaders share groundbreaking ideas, emerging startups gain visibility, and meaningful business relationships begin. The 2026 edition promises an elevated experience focused on the future of technology, product building, artificial intelligence, business growth, and the global innovation landscape.

What Awaits You at Techsylvania 2026

Attendees can expect the signature Techsylvania experience:

Visionary Perspectives: Global industry leaders will take the stage to explore the trends shaping the next decade—from AI and emerging technologies to the intersection of business, innovation, and society.

Hands-on Workshops: Expert-led practical sessions designed to help professionals sharpen their skills in areas such as engineering, AI, product strategy, leadership, and data.

Startup Alley: Startup-focused events, exclusive pitching opportunities, and curated interactions with international investors and mentors.

Premium Networking: Curated spaces including the B2B Matchmaking Area, Executive Lounge, and invite-only gatherings that foster strategic connections between leaders, founders, and top-level professionals.

Interactive Experiences: Technology showcases and installations highlighting cutting-edge products, tools, and emerging technologies.

First Confirmed Speakers Announced

Techsylvania 2026 has already confirmed its first international speakers, bringing together founders, investors, and operators shaping the future of technology and business.

Among them are Andrei Șerban, Founder & CEO of Console, an AI-native platform backed by Thrive Capital and DST Global; Sam Lipoff, Partner at Liminal, the venture studio and fund founded by Temasek Holdings; and Sheel Mohnot, Co-Founder & General Partner at Better Tomorrow Ventures, a leading seed-stage fintech fund.

These early confirmations set the tone for a high-impact lineup focused on applied technology, AI, and real-world business insights.

Strategic Partnership Announcement

Techsylvania 2026 is proud to welcome Super Technologies as the Strategic Partner for this year’s edition.

As a fast-growing company in the global technology and entertainment space, Super Technologies shares Techsylvania’s vision of driving progress through technology, entrepreneurship, and bold thinking. This partnership further strengthens the event’s mission to create meaningful connections between global leaders, innovative companies, and the next generation of community builders.

A New Chapter for Eastern Europe’s Innovation Landscape

Techsylvania 2026 marks an important moment in positioning Eastern Europe as a rising force in global technology and business. The event continues to attract a diverse audience of engineers, founders, executives, investors, corporate innovators, and community builders from more than 30 countries.

Additional speakers, partners, and special initiatives for the 2026 edition will be announced in the coming weeks.

More information and updates on techsylvania.com.

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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.

The post Young Minds, Bold Ideas: Inside the Winning Projects at Cluj Hackathon 2025 appeared first on Startups&TheCity.

On February 27, 2025, the LevelUP Health & Life Sciences Accelerator Demo Day took place at Hub UTCN in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, bringing together some of the most promising health tech startups. The program’s finalists pitched their innovative solutions in nutrition, psychiatry, surgery, telemedicine, and healthcare management before a jury of investors, doctors, and business experts. The event also featured a panel discussion on the collaboration between healthcare professionals and startups, as well as a networking session.

After five intense months of work, including seven workshops, 29 experts, and over 70 hours of mentorship and consultancy, the six most promising health & life sciences startups reached the grand finale of the second edition of LevelUP Health & Life Sciences Accelerator.

At the end of the Demo Day evening, Argus AI won the Best Startup, Jury’s Choice, while Neurocare was awarded the Best Startup, Public’s Choice, recognizing their outstanding contributions to health innovation.

Argus AI: Augmented Reality to Support Neurosurgeons

One of the standout startups at Demo Day was Argus AI, a company leveraging augmented reality to assist neurosurgeons in reducing surgical errors, operation times, anesthesia exposure, and post-operative complications. Their solution integrates MRI/CT scans into VR headsets, allowing surgeons to visualize critical structures such as tumors and blood vessels, helping them better prepare for complex interventions.

Vladimir Verbulski, the founder of Argus AI, highlighted the immense value of the LevelUP Accelerator in shaping their journey. “The industry-specific mentorship and tailored sessions were exactly what we needed. The program helped us refine our approach and move towards real-world application,” he shared.

Currently, Argus AI has developed a minimum viable product (MVP) and is starting trials in collaboration with clinics and hospitals to gather feedback and refine their technology. They are also seeking €1.9 million in investment to sustain operations for the next two and a half years. “This funding will allow us to bring the product to market, validate its impact in real-world settings, and ultimately improve neurosurgical procedures,” Vladimir Verbulski explained.

Argus AI’s innovation and potential were recognized at the event, earning them the Best Startup, Jury’s Choice award.

Neurocare: Enhancing Dementia Care with Smart Wearables

Another promising startup at Demo Day, Neurocare, is revolutionizing dementia care through smart wearables and a connected platform. Their solution monitors vitals, activity, sleep patterns, and fall risks, ensuring greater safety for patients. Caregivers benefit from real-time insights and AI-powered support, while healthcare professionals gain access to data-driven patient management tools, leading to improved care coordination.

Founder Florin Leu, along with Vladimir Plotean, emphasized how the LevelUP Accelerator helped refine their strategy and accelerate growth. “The experience has been invaluable—we’re now better prepared to navigate the market and avoid past mistakes,” they shared.

The team is currently focused on finalizing their MVP by the end of Q2 and preparing for clinical trials. Their goal is to launch first in Romania, then expand across the EU. To make this happen, they are seeking a €500,000 pre-seed investment and strategic partnerships with hospitals and healthcare organizations. “We need strong endorsements to build trust and scale our solution effectively,” Florin Leu explained.

Neurocare’s efforts resonated strongly with the audience, earning them the Best Startup, Public’s Choice at Demo Day.

Other Startups That Pitched at Demo Day

Besides Argus AI and Neurocare, four other promising startups showcased their solutions at LevelUP Demo Day:

• Dr-Online – A telemedicine app that facilitates easy access to quality medical services. Through partnerships with doctors, clinics, and service providers, their platform offers virtual consultations, integrates medical devices, and enables efficient electronic medical record (EMR) management.
• Forkpie Kids – An AI-powered app that helps parents monitor their children’s nutrition. Users take a photo of their meals, and the app analyzes nutritional values while providing personalized recommendations based on Healthy Eating Plate principles. Parents receive daily and weekly reports to support healthier eating habits for their children.
• MaeveAI – An AI-powered virtual assistant designed to simplify the workload of healthcare professionals. MaeveAI automates tasks such as patient communication, appointment scheduling, and inventory management, allowing doctors to focus more on patient care.
• Smart Bites – A comprehensive nutrition solution, offering personalized meal plans, expert consultation, quick online grocery shopping, and ingredient delivery. Smart Bites simplifies the journey toward healthy eating for the entire family.

LevelUP’s Vision: Personalizing the Startup Journey

Reflecting on this edition of LevelUP, Anca Roman, Head of the Accelerator, highlighted the impressive progress made by the participating startups. “Innovation in healthcare is often a slow process, but with the right mentorship, expertise, and partnerships, we’ve seen remarkable growth,” she noted.

Looking ahead, the accelerator plans to further personalize the journey for each startup and explore a challenge-driven approach, potentially focusing on areas like oncology or green health tech. Another key priority is fostering long-term engagement through community events, bringing together alumni and experts to discuss funding opportunities and sustain momentum.

“We want to keep supporting startups even after the program ends, ensuring they have the resources and connections to scale,” Roman emphasized.

LevelUP Health & Life Sciences Accelerator

Launched in March 2023 by INNO, the North-West of Romania Regional Development Agency’s department responsible for regional innovation and attracting investors, LevelUP is the first accelerator in Romania exclusively dedicated to startups in the fields of health and life sciences. The program has been developed with assistance from EIT Health as part of their DRIVE program, further strengthening its commitment to fostering cutting-edge healthcare solutions.

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Between November 2024 and February 2025, the Cluj IT Association, in partnership with Smart Innovation Norway, carried out the project “AI-Driven Green Digital Transformation in Public Administration”.

The project pursued the development of an approach model for evaluating the degree of digitization and the level of preparation of the town halls for the adoption of modern digital tools, including artificial intelligence, taking into account at the same time the need to ensure the lowest possible level of negative impact on the environment. The mayors of Romania and Norway were primarily targeted, and the project could later be expanded to include local administrations from other countries.

Within the project, a web platform was implemented that allows evaluation processes to be carried out by going through a form in multiple steps, answering multiple-choice questions.

The set of 180 questions, grouped into 11 categories, was made by the implementation team through a process of research and analysis, aiming at the full coverage of all activities carried out within a local administration organization and specific aspects related to sustainability and reducing the negative impact on the environment.

Artificial intelligence algorithms were used to train the interpreter of the evaluation responses so that he could create a comprehensive diagnosis of the current state regarding digitization, preparation for the adoption of AI tools and ensuring sustainability, and to be able to generate actionable, personalized recommendations in this regard. For the interpretation and formulation of the results, a large language model (LLM) from the Llama family was integrated. From the beginning, the system is available in three languages, Romanian, Norwegian and English, making automatic translations through Deepl integration to ensure efficient collaboration between administration representatives and consultants from both participating countries.

The system was piloted and validated through training and work sessions with municipalities from Romania and Norway, including on the Romanian side the municipality of Bistrita, the municipality of Turda, and the city of Cugir, and on the Norwegian side the municipalities of Kongsvinger, Kristiansund, and Bamble.

The participating municipalities appreciated the relevance of the project and the result of the implementation, showing interest in using it further and recommending it to other institutions.

Following the implementation of this pilot project, the partners, the Cluj IT Association and Smart Innovation Norway intend to continue developing the system and implementing it further both in their countries, Romania and Norway, as well as in other countries.

The project is supported by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA grants Romania 2014-2021, in the frame of the “SME Growth Programme Romania”.

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EIT Health, a network of best-in-class health innovators supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, began engaging with the Romanian healthtech ecosystem by opening a call for a local hub at the beginning of 2018. Since then, EIT Health has provided networking opportunities, expertise, and a platform for collaboration to Romanian healthtech startups and innovation projects.

By connecting the local ecosystem to European healthtech innovation centers such as Barcelona, Budapest, Berlin, and London, EIT Health has elevated the level of activity and understanding in Romania. Represented by FreshBlood HealthTech, a Cluj-based NGO dedicated to supporting health innovation, EIT Health has played a critical role in mentoring innovators, offering feedback, and fostering essential connections.

The Romanian healthtech ecosystem has undergone significant transformation over the past seven years, with EIT Health playing a pivotal role in driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and supporting startups.

Romanian HealthTech Ecosystem Performance and Notable Achievements

Insights from the “InnoStars Innovation Ecosystem Maturity Assessment” highlight the strong performance of Romanian companies participating in EIT Health programs. These startups excel in external grants received, valuation, and the percentage of market-entry startups, although they underperform in external funds raised compared to their peers. The ecosystem’s maturity level is classified as “experimenter,” supported by robust numeric indicators and extensive questionnaire responses. Notably, Romanian participants contributed more than any other observed countries to the questionnaire, reflecting EIT Health’s exceptional collaboration network in Romania, facilitated by FreshBlood HealthTech Community based in Cluj-Napoca.

A standout success story is Lumen, a Romanian startup creating glasses for blind individuals unable to use advanced mobile solutions. Lumen replicates the primary functionalities of a guide dog in a scalable product. In 2020, the startup was a winner at the EIT Health Headstart Grand Final and the EIT Health Healthy Longevity Catalyst Award. The startup also gained significant industry support, collaborating with Kaufland Romania and Ascendis. Lumen’s achievements include winning the prestigious Red Dot Luminary Award in 2021 and receiving €9.3 million in funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC), marking a milestone as the first Romanian startup to secure this level of support.

Mapping and Maturing the Romanian HealthTech Ecosystem

The Romanian HealthTech ecosystem is evolving rapidly, showcasing an increasing number of competitive and innovative startups. A recent report, the Romanian HealthTech Startups Overview, categorizes these startups into four main groups:

1. Tools for self-care (with a focus on nutrition and mental health).
2. Tools for patients and their relatives.
3. Tools for healthcare professionals (not limited to doctors).
4. Tools for institutions (healthcare providers and companies).

The ecosystem now boasts over 100 Romanian healthtech startups deemed worthy of follow-up, alongside 10 Moldovan startups increasingly collaborating with Romanian counterparts to enter the EU market. This growth is a significant leap from the 70 startups highlighted in previous reports, reflecting both maturity and regional connectivity.

The Romanian ecosystem is marked by a pragmatic approach, with many startups targeting professional and institutional players rather than solely focusing on consumer-driven trends. This shift, compared to the hype of five years ago, underlines the founders’ focus on delivering impactful and scalable solutions.

Some of these startups have gained international recognition, presenting at global medical conferences and entering international markets. At the same time, Romania has become a hub for startups from countries such as Poland, Czechia, and Estonia, attracted by collaboration opportunities.

Opportunities and Challenges for Growth

The ecosystem’s maturity is evidenced by its “experimenter” status (level 3 out of 5), as confirmed by an evaluation conducted by EIT Health in April 2023. This positions Romania alongside Italy and Poland in healthtech ecosystem maturity. However, significant challenges remain, especially regarding governmental support. The upcoming National Digital Health Strategy, set to begin implementation in 2025, is expected to provide a clearer path for integrating digital tools—many developed by startups—into the national healthcare framework.

Additional funding opportunities are also on the horizon. The Draghi Report by the new European Commission revealed that innovation should be a priority for all EU member states and the currently under implementation PNRR Digitalisation for Hospitals program will strengthen the framework that can drive  hospital-startup collaborations. Notable projects such as Healthchain, where the Medisprof Oncological Center collaborates with Rayscape, exemplify the potential for such partnerships to foster trust, innovation and impact for all stakeholders involved.

Scaling Up and Building Bridges

Ion-Gheorghe Petrovai, Co-Founder and Director of Innovation at FreshBlood HealthTech, the EIT Health RIS Hub for Romania, highlights the maturation of Romania’s healthtech ecosystem, which has grown, with over 100 startups, to a dynamic community of innovators. Successful examples include Synaptic, which expanded to over 20 oncology centers and secured €1.5 million in grants, demonstrating the potential for scaling impactful solutions.

“Despite limited resources, Romanian startups are becoming increasingly competitive,” Dr. Ion Petrovai observes. EIT Health’s efforts to connect these startups with the European ecosystem have been instrumental. 

However, Dr. Petrovai emphasizes the need for greater local contributions, advocating for increased allocation of resources and the creation of flagship events. Among the ambitious plans is organizing a medical hackathon in collaboration with MIT Hacking Medicine, envisioned as a reference event for Eastern Europe.

Ion-Gheorghe also acknowledges challenges brought on by the IT crisis, which exposed gaps in product development. Yet, this period also revealed opportunities for startups to focus on quality over quantity. “Customer feedback is now at the forefront of validating innovative solutions,” he says.

He further elaborates on the role of programs like LevelUP, Hubvantage and Health Innovation Zone in preparing startups for market entry. These programs provide practical feedback, connections to advisors, and a platform for refining ideas. Dr. Petrovai emphasizes that fostering collaboration between Romanian and international stakeholders remains critical for scaling efforts.

Growing Startup Support through Tailored Programs

Adriana Dunca, RIS Program Manager FreshBlood, underscores the evolution of the Hubvantage program, designed to provide Romanian startups with the mentorship and resources they need to thrive. Now in its third year, Hubvantage offers tailored mentorship based on a rigorous needs assessment conducted by specialists from partner organizations. 

Hubvantage is a personalized support program for HealthTech startup founders, with all year round activities specifically designed to help HealthTech startup founders get the support they need to move to the next level. The program offers founders: thorough needs assessment and identification of the immediate needs to address, personalized one-on-one mentoring with healthcare, technical mentors and relevant patients/users, the opportunity to be part of an exclusive club of health founders that inspire and support each other, specially designed events with relevant high quality content, access to opportunities and resources, national and international exposure through the consortium network.

The Hubvantage program is organized in collaboration by FreshBlood HealthTech, HIVE Center for Health Innovation of Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca and Activize and is supported by EIT Health.

A notable enhancement in 2024 was the introduction of a “mix and match” event, where startups engaged in focused 15-minute sessions with stakeholders, including hospital representatives and specialists. “Startups appreciated this fast, contextual approach,” says Dunca. Looking ahead, plans for 2025 include further customization to align with startups’ evolving needs

The EIT RIS Hub in Romania has also flourished under EIT Health’s guidance, particularly in the health sector. “We’ve seen significant growth in startups’ interest in tackling mental health problems, which is aligned with European health trends, “Dunca notes. Programs like LevelUP (Health & Life Sciences Accelerator) and FIX (Cluj Innovation & eXperiment Fund) have accelerated this growth, emphasizing the importance of tailored support and community-building.

Accelerating Health Innovation with Community Support

The LevelUP Health & Life Sciences accelerator, led by Anca Roman, exemplifies how healthtech programs adapt to ecosystem needs. Initially launched with a straightforward structure, the program’s second edition introduced competitive elements, including a mid-program ‘cut-off’ to enhance focus and drive. 

 LevelUP Health & Life Sciences Accelerator program in Cluj-Napoca has been developed with assistance from EIT Health as part of their DRIVE program by INNO, the North-West of Romania Regional Development Agency’s department responsible for regional innovation and attracting investors.

“We’re considering aligning the program’s schedule with specific health challenges, possibly integrating hackathons,” Roman explains. She highlights the program’s broader impact in fostering a supportive community where networking and collaboration thrive. “Around 20% of accelerated ideas have potential market viability, which is a promising outcome,” she adds.

Validating Ideas and Tackling Global Health Challenges

The impact of the LevelUP accelerator extends to projects like Forkpie, a startup addressing childhood obesity through personalized nutrition advice for parents. Entering the program with an unclear direction, the team received valuable feedback that helped them validate their idea, pivot their project, and focus on market-specific solutions. “The accelerator emphasized the importance of testing and validating ideas,” they shared, noting significant changes in their product development.

Forkpie’s app uses AI to analyze children’s meals and provide personalized insights to parents, starting locally in Romania with plans for EU and global expansion. The team credits the program for teaching them to focus efforts and avoid non-essential tasks, ensuring a targeted market approach. “The program helped us plan for scalable growth while solving one problem at a time,” they emphasized.

Reflecting on Seven Years of Progress

EIT Health’s presence in Romania has catalyzed the healthtech ecosystem’s evolution. Programs like Hubvantage and LevelUP have nurtured startups, while initiatives such as the EIT RIS Hub and Health Innovation Zone have cultivated a culture of collaboration and innovation.

Adriana Dunca’s focus on tailored mentorship, Ion Petrovai’s advocacy for scaling impactful solutions, and Anca Roman’s dedication to community-building all underscore a shared commitment to advancing health innovation. 

As Romania’s healthtech ecosystem continues to mature, the lessons learned from EIT Health’s journey provide a roadmap for future growth—one that emphasizes adaptability, collaboration, and the unwavering pursuit of innovation.

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Between November 2024 and February 2025, the Cluj IT Association will run in partnership with Smart Innovation Norway the project “AI-Driven Green Digital Transformation in Public Administration.”

The project will follow the development of an approach model for evaluating the degree of digitalization and the level of preparation of the town halls for the adoption of modern digital tools, including artificial intelligence, taking into account at the same time the need to ensure the lowest possible level of negative impact on the environment. 

The municipalities of Romania and Norway are primarily targeted, and the project may later be expanded to include local administrations from other countries.

The project aims to implement an application accessible via the Internet, through which to collect information from the municipalities and to carry out evaluations based on artificial intelligence algorithms, a knowledge base explicitly developed for this project and a large language model (LLM) which is to be chosen in such a way as to confer the highest possible accuracy of the evaluation and recommendations, as well as the least possible dependence on commercial licenses of the technical instruments.

The project is supported by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA grants Romania 2014-2021, in the frame of the “SME Growth Programme Romania”.

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On September 18th 2023, the inaugural edition of the LevelUP Health & Life Sciences Accelerator program in Cluj-Napoca culminated in an impressive Demo Day, marking the successful conclusion of a pioneering initiative for health and life sciences startups in Romania. 

Over a span of six intensive months, 50 industry experts actively engaged in mentoring, contributing over 500 hours of invaluable consulting. The program included two bootcamps and an array of enriching workshops, equipping 13 startups with essential skills and knowledge to thrive in this dynamic sector.

Launched this March by INNO, the North-West of Romania Regional Development Agency’s department responsible for regional innovation and attracting investors, LevelUP is the first accelerator in Romania exclusively dedicated to startups in the fields of health and life sciences.

On the Demo Day of the program, 12 innovative startups showcased their cutting-edge solutions before a distinguished jury panel comprising eminent figures from investment funds, private clinics, and EIT Health, underlining the exceptional progress achieved through this accelerator program.

On this occasion, we conducted interviews with 12 key stakeholders of the program, including participants and jury members, with the aim of garnering their perspectives and insights on the healthcare innovation ecosystem in Romania.

The winning startups of the LevelUP accelerator

The jury conferred four awards, which were claimed by two of the pitching startups, Neurorevive an innovative and cutting-edge technology for post-stroke rehabilitation and Hempaid, developing product ranges based on various medical innovations such as medical cannabis for the prevention or treatment of conditions like anxiety, insomnia, autism, or neurodegenerative diseases with minimal side effects. 

The accounts of the winning startup founders exemplify the profound impact of accelerator programs on startups, showcasing how dedicated mentorship, structured tasks, and collaborative environments can accelerate progress and drive success in innovative ventures.

Viviana Cornețeanu, COO and co-founder of Hempaid, shared her perspective on the transformative journey within the accelerator program. She remarked, “The experience in the accelerator was better than expected actually. We met a lot of wonderful people, starting with the experts that really helped us understand the world that we just went through, and then the ideas of the startups. It really was an amazing experience and we are glad we took part in it. Our startup already has revenue, so the funding was not the problem for us, but rather making sure that we took care of all the steps necessary towards international expansion. If I take a look at how we went into the accelerator at the beginning of the year, and six months later, I’m seeing a huge progress and the program really helped us focus on the main objectives and the things that needed to be done were very clear to us, and also the visibility helped us a lot.”.

Adrian Fechete, CTO of Neurorevive, emphasized the pivotal role of the accelerator program in their fledgling venture. He remarked, “Regarding the experience with the accelerator, I’m not overstating when I say that for us it’s the greatest thing that could have happened. And I say this because our project is extremely young. It only started one month prior to the accelerator. And the fact that we got tasks to do every two weeks seemed daunting. At first, we never fully achieved the task that we wanted, but at least we got something done, and the fact that we got little things done consistently, greatly accelerated the entire process for us. So it was truly an accelerator experience.”

Views from the jury members about the acceleration program and the innovation ecosystem in general

The jury expressed satisfaction with the program and the results showcased by the startups. Subsequently, we availed ourselves of the opportunity to glean their perspectives on the startups, as well as their assessments of the other participants, the accelerator, its achievements, and their vision for its future evolution.

Roel Kamerling senior program developer at TU Delft, coordinator of the DRIVE Innovation Ecosystem Development at EIT Health was one member of the jury of the Demo Day. Four years ago Roel told us in an interview about the need of creating such a program and later an incubator in Cluj, and shared with us some best practices for creating an innovation ecosystem in healthcare, from TU Delft, the Netherlands. We asked Roel how he sees now, as an arch over time, the performance of the ecosystem with the help of this acceleration program.

“I see the outcomes and it’s really different from last time I met some of the teams. They are so much more mature in how they present themselves, they have a professional way of defining where they are and what they still need to do, and they have pitched very well. That’s just a tremendous result to see, and I think that’s what you need to build. If you want to create a bigger innovation ecosystem, you need to have a lot of such teams working on it, being supported by the community and by the experienced people, and then become experienced people themselves. And that’s what we see happening here. So that’s very encouraging. As an observer and a witness of this, that makes me very happy”, said Roel Kamerling.

Roel contends that the Northwestern region of Romania possesses a wealth of favorable elements conducive to fostering innovation, including esteemed universities, a robust regional innovation ecosystem, and a strategically devised smart specialization framework. He further highlighted the LevelUp program as a valuable addition to this milieu and provided specific recommendations for its continued advancement.

“I would recommend to continue running the program like this and maybe extend, as now is focused on Life Sciences and Health, but could be focusing on other things as well. My personal recommendation would also be to make sure that you will get a physical space, like a multi-tenant building with some basic facilities, but also lab facilities or computer facilities. I think it is important for the teams to meet each other at a regular basis in physical spot, with mentors, with VCs, local doctors like from the rehabilitation center or other hospitals from here, a place to meet up and see each other, organized or at random, that facilitates the innovation effort”, added Roel Kamerling.

Montse Daban, Director of Science Policy & Internationalization at BIOCAT, Barcelona, emphasized that supporting innovation in healthcare is much more than supporting the startup scene, supporting the health of the people is supporting the economy and jobs, testing technology is advancing on the wellbeing of the population. She also mentioned the need to attract talented people and to get the openness of the public health system.

“An accelerator is a necessary step to support the growth and to identify which are the gaps and provide a system of support to overcome barriers. But the main aspects that we have to tackle for an ecosystem to grow has to do with talent. So we have to work on skilled people to lead the solutions. Also from the innovators, but also from the policymakers and from the healthcare professional side. So talent, attracting talent, increasing capabilities, also accompanied to identify opportunities of corporate funding. Of course, adopting the innovation, having innovators in a country that is not ready to include these innovations in their health system is missing huge opportunities. So we need also to work on the capability of the health system or the public procurers to buy innovation for the sake of the society.”, said Montse Daban.

Ioana David, Managing Director at Cleverage, a VC fund investing in technology-based solutions for the healthcare sector, underscored the significance of accelerators in equipping startups for effective engagement and presentation to potential investors.

“Accelerators are an important part of the startup ecosystem and we were very happy to find out that in Romania we have an accelerator dedicated to the healthcare sector. The number of HealthTech startups coming to market increased significantly from last year, and the number of startups coming and pitching for us has also increased in recent months and I think this is quite a positive side. Of course, there is still work to do for the entrepreneurs to be well prepared, to know what to expect, and this is why an accelerator like we attended here today is important”, said Ioana David.

An insight into the healthtech innovation ecosystem

The healthcare innovation ecosystem in Romania is still in its infancy, but things have been growing quite a lot and quite steady in the past six years. At the moment, Activize, a Cluj -based organization supporting startups is monitoring around 200 startups which have a health related component in the product, in Romania. Some of them are growing, having 50.000 Euro per month in revenue some others are very definitely at the beginning. Mircea Vadan, Managing Partner of Activeze gave us a valuable insight into the Cluj innovation ecosystem.

“In Cluj, one of the smart specializations of the region is medical tech, and we see a lot of activity here, Cluj being also a medical center, having companies which are doing health connected products or research. We need to improve in terms of funding HealthTech, private funding. This is tricky for investors because they’re a little bit more reluctant in the HealthTech area. The reason is that they consider it a slower market, slower to change, slower to grow. But once you get a foothold in the market, you can grow steadily. And there’s a lot of regulations which can stop a startup from actually growing and as well as many other interests in the domain. So that’s why it can be challenging to have HealthTech startups, but we’re hopeful, having a lot of medical students, having a lot of doctors, having hospitals, having an open municipality, having many startup players here, support, and a little bit of funding to run programs like LevelUP. I think it’s promising, but still definitely needs a lot of things to evolve. Happily, we have the EIT Health support which is enabling programs like this to happen.”, said Mircea Vadan.

Views from different other stakeholders of the program and participants at the Demo Day

One of the partners of the accelerator was the IT company Nagarro, and Cristiana Bogateanu, Business Development Specialist in Life Sciences & Healthcare at Nagarro, and mentor of the program, expressed her views about the accelerator.

“We were very happy to support this initiative in the Life Science and Healthcare domain as Nagarro is one of the companies that has a dedicated business unit in this field, therefore for us it is very important to join technology and innovation programs and not only this but also support them and get involved. What we did is to help them in the facilitation consultancy, but also in the field of offering infrastructure for facilitation sessions. My opinion is that we need such clusters in Life Science and HealthTech, because, as we know, most of the innovation in that digitization process comes from startups. On the other hand, I believe that the path that a startup went through this program is very important for them, to be able to design their business model and business case and get a good market fit.”, said Cristiana Bogateanu.

At the event, there were present also representatives of other local innovation ecosystems from Romania, like Rebeca Avram, Community Manager of Make it in Oradea and Elena Ovreiu, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of BIOdyssey incubator, Bucharest, which shared with us their views about the LevelUp program and innovation in healthcare.

Elena Ovreiu, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of BIOdyssey incubator, highlighted the significance of the growing healthcare innovation ecosystem in Romania, emphasizing the role of accelerators like this in its expansion. She remarked: “I’m happy to see that the ecosystem is growing, and this accelerator is part of the bigger ecosystem in healthcare innovation in Romania. When I started to build programs in Romania in 2015, the ecosystem was just in the beginning, but now more and more programs like this one are being developed in Romania and this accelerator is a very good initiative that will help increase innovation in healthcare in Romania and in Eastern Europe. Romania has the potential to become an important player at the regional and global level in this field, because it has the human resources, both doctors and technical experts in technology, to develop this field. These kinds of programs have the potential to bring together the tech and medical communities, and to catalyze them and make them work together, also giving them business support”.

Rebeca Avram, Community Manager of Make it in Oradea, highlighted Oradea’s also favorable position for advancements in medical and scientific innovation. She stated, “Oradea is also very well positioned for innovation in medical and science and we have the openness of the public sector and also of the medical sector. Oradea is very eager to find innovative solutions which can develop the hospitals and the communications with the patients. Our organization, Make it Oradea, is offering mentorship, investment and all kinds of support with partnerships”.

An accelerator for the whole innovation ecosystem in Romania

The 2023 assessment of the healthcare innovation ecosystem by Innostars finds that companies involved in EIT Health programs in Romania are excelling in areas like getting external grants, valuing their businesses, and having a high percentage of startups that are entering the market. However, they are lagging a bit behind their peers in terms of raising funds from external sources. The survey responses indicate that Romania has a strong level of maturity in terms of experimenting and trying out new ideas, as supported by the numbers. It’s worth noting that Romanian participants contributed more to the survey than those from other countries, which highlights the excellent network and collaboration fostered by EIT Health and their local representative FreshBlood HealthTech.

Dr. Ion-Gheorghe Petrovai, Co-Founder and Director of Innovation at FreshBlood HealthTech, shared his perspective on the transformative impact of the LevelUP 2023 program, stating, “Based on the ecosystem mapping of 2022 the Romanian HealthTech innovation ecosystem was lagging in public authorities support. The LevelUP program organised by ADR North West with EITHealth support is showing to the other authorities and to the ecosystem that it can be done and it can be done very well, with strong feedback, involvement of all regional stakeholders (universities, companies, investors, etc.). I am looking forward to the business and to the mindset impact that this project will have starting from this year already!”.

Dr. Petrovai’s remarks underscore the catalytic role of the LevelUP program in not only addressing a critical gap in public support for the Romanian HealthTech ecosystem but also in setting a high standard for collaborative engagement among various regional stakeholders. His anticipation for the forthcoming business and mindset transformation signals the potential for long-lasting positive effects in healthcare innovation in Romania.

The story of LevelUP

LevelUP Health & Life Sciences Accelerator program in Cluj-Napoca has been developed with assistance from EIT Health as part of their DRIVE program by INNO, the North-West of Romania Regional Development Agency’s department responsible for regional innovation and attracting investors. Laviniu Chis, Head of Department INNO – Rethinking Business Networks, explained how the program took shape.

In their journey towards fostering a robust innovation ecosystem, the INNO team initially engaged with the healthcare sector through the EIT Drive program. This experience prompted them to contemplate the development of an ecosystem specifically tailored to the healthcare domain. Upon returning with invaluable insights, a thorough analysis of the existing ecosystem was undertaken. Patterns began to emerge, highlighting significant needs within both the regional and national healthcare landscapes. Recognizing the profound importance of the healthcare sector, they swiftly turned their attention towards it. This decision was further validated by the inclusion of healthcare in the RDA’s smart specialization strategy, reinforcing its status as a top-tier priority. With strategic alignment and a firm foundation, they embarked on the logical next step: the creation of a program and initiatives geared towards strengthening the regional health ecosystem.

“The main stakeholders that we see around the program and which we are trying to target are from the quadruple helix. So we mainly target public institutions like hospitals and clinics, because you want them to be more open to new ideas, innovative ideas, and work more and closely with startups. Then, we go towards the private sector. We are trying to build partnerships with bigger companies like Samsung or Philips who have health divisions that can support us with know-how and some incentives, or even help with scaling and internationalization of the startups. So this will be the second group of stakeholders. Then we have the enablers as we like to call them, NGOs who are active in this field who want nothing more than a healthy ecosystem to persevere and prosper here. They will be the third stakeholder and the fourth will be academia so we are trying to get involved in the medical universities and all the other important universities that we have in our region, because they sit on a mountain of knowledge and we want to help them transfer that knowledge into the market. Of course, not all knowledge is applicable, but I think that we can find some part of that to be applicable and we will want to make it available to startups and the private sector.”, explained Laviniu Chis.

On the Demo Day of the LevelUp 12 startups pitched in front of the jury, there were 13 graduating startups out of the 14 that were selected. Stefan Rusu, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Expert at INNO Platform and LevelUp program coordinator explained which support the graduating startups will get next.

“We’re also going to have some other programs to support them. Whether being partnerships, webinars, information regarding other projects. They’re going to receive mentoring from the EIT Health’s coaching network up until the end of the year. I know for sure that some of these startups will go on and impact the lives of others positively. So I’m really glad for that. It’s been a challenge. I know what to improve for the next editions and the project will live on and help other startups in Health and Life Sciences, changing the lives for everybody.”, said Ștefan Rusu.

As a conclusion, Romania is becoming more visible on the map of HealthTech Innovation in Europe and we are seeing both the tip of the pyramid, with startups like dotLumen and Re.Flex and the consolidation of the base through initiatives like LevelUP, HealthInnovation Zone, BIOdyssey, FutureMakers and Hubvantage, that can contribute to both stronger stakeholders involvement and to the future stars, with european and global impact.

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