Rubik Hub announces the 8th edition of Rubik Garage, its flagship accelerator program, dedicated for the first time exclusively to the healthcare industry. The program runs from October 2025 to February 2026 and is open to European startups at pre-MVP, MVP, or growth stage that are building impactful health solutions. Participation is free and equity-free.

Applications are now open: rubikhub.ro/rubik-garage/

Two Tracks for Healthcare Startups

The program offers tailored support depending on the stage of development:

Pre-MVP (TRL 3–5): From Proof of Concept to Prototype

• Validate the technical and functional feasibility of solutions
• Move from proof of concept to functional prototype
• Prepare for early user testing and market readiness

MVP & Growth (TRL 6–8): From Testing to Market Traction

• Validate technology in operational environments
• Attract first customers or users
• Refine the business model for growth, market entry, or fundraising

“Through the Rubik Garage accelerator, we support healthcare startups in moving towards market-ready solutions, real-world validation, and commercial traction. Rubik Hub has the expertise to guide founders from early validation to building viable business models, providing them with the knowledge and resources they need. We chose to apply this experience to one of the most challenging sectors—healthcare—in order to foster real innovation and long-lasting impact,” said Ionuț Amariei, program manager.

Eligibility

The accelerator targets European startup teams working on solutions in medtech, healthtech, digital medical devices, digital health, health data, longevity, mental health, and consumer health.

Applicants must have:

• Solutions at TRL 3–8
• A founding team with medical expertise
• Ambition to scale into European and global markets

As with all Rubik Hub programs, participation is free and equity-free, but teams must commit fully to the program. Applicants showing strong engagement will be prioritized.

Program Structure

The program starts on October 22, 2025 and includes:

• 100+ hours of workshops, mentoring, and one-on-one feedback sessions
• Meetings with investors, founders, and certified coaches
• In-person gatherings:
  • Milan Bootcamp (Nov 26–28, 2025) – networking with peers, mentors, and the Rubik Hub team
  • Demo Day (Feb 2026) – startups present their progress to investors, partners, and mentors

A Proven Track Record

Since its launch, Rubik Garage has worked with more than 230 founders, with alumni including Rayscape, Synaptiq, Apollo AI, and Beesers. This edition is supported by Orange and Imago-Mol Cluster through the Innovate EU and Cluster4Health projects.

In 2025, Rubik Hub, part of the North-East Regional Development Agency of Romania, was ranked 39th among Europe’s top accelerators, a prestigious list developed by Financial Times, Sifted, and Statista.

At the beginning of October, part of the Rubik Hub team will attend Italian Tech Week, where they can connect in person with the local startup ecosystem.

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After 3 intense months, the second edition of the Rubik Garage pre-acceleration program powered by Rubik HUB, comes to an end and the startups that have built and taken steps for the development of the MVP will enter the pitching session. The event will take place online, on the 25^th of June at 18:00 (EET).

The jury will include investors, mentors from Rubik Hub community, representatives of the academic environment and founders of startups. Depending on the results, they will award prizes for the winning startups. The public will also have the opportunity to vote and choose their favorite startup

The teams from the edition with no. 2 of the Rubik Garage pre-accelerator are:

CodersEden – marketplace for designers and developers; 

Etiquette – application for the pastry, which optimizes their operational activities (stock management, labeling, invoicing, etc.); 

Identive – SAAS, with block chain technology, which fights against the theft of intellectual property and counterfeit products from the fashion world;

Marketio – an application through which you can redecorate your home or office, purchasing furniture, decorative objects or art, which match those already existing in the chosen space; 

NutriPass – Online nutrition platform where you can purchase online nutritional consulting services directly from the comfort of your home, only with laptop and internet connection;

Picto – an Uber of professional photographers; 

Sitter – a platform dedicated to families, where they can find nannies for children or animals, teachers for private meditations, cleaning staff, caregivers for the elderly; 

WaaS – wellbeing as a service, a startup with which companies can offer employees rewards such as relaxation experiences;

Listabit – is an online product directory (online and offline) that shortens the route between sellers and buyers – helping them save time and money; 

ioTEC – creates customized firmware programs; 

Bio Beauty Box – online platform for lovers of organic cosmetics; 

BnBtoGo – a platform dedicated to local entrepreneurs who need help to recover from the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic; 

Pet workshop – clothes for animals of different sizes, tailor-made; 

Batonash – nutritious bars, made from natural ingredients.

Trough the time of the program, the startups selected within the program, had 12 webinars, countless mentoring sessions, pitching sessions and presentation to investors. All this thanks to the access gained through participation in the program of the entire network of mentors, experts and investors within the Rubik HUB community (over 100 experts and professionals).

During all this time, startups had the opportunity to validate and test their ideas, establish their marketing strategy, meet the right people, strengthen relationships and connections to help them continue to develop their business including after the completion of the program. They managed to get valuable feedback from experienced mentors, but also from investors, who helped them to avoid mistakes and speed up the business development process.

Basically, through the pre-acceleration program Rubik Garage, the startups in this edition and those that will follow fully enjoy “equity free knowledge”, having access to know-how and guidance without giving up social shares in exchange for all benefits received.

You will see validated solutions & MVPs form verticals like SaaS, Dev, market places, block chain, security, AI & other algorithms. All are built to make life easier for people in fields like dev & design, wellbeing, fashion, homes, nutrition, small bakeries, e-commerce, photographers, families & nannies.

The Rubik Garage pre-accelerator for early stage startups ends its second edition with 3 guests who will bring news from the ecosystems where they are present on the topic of New Trends for Startups. In the dedicated Fireside Talk panel you will be able to see:

• Paul Kallmes – Co-founder of WhiteSpace X and Managing Director @ Silicon Valley Business School – U.S.A.

• Joel Larsson – Co-founder Fast Track Malmö – Sweden

• Marcin Kurek – Co-founder of Market One Capital – Poland

The 3 representatives of the startup ecosystems from Europe and USA will talk about the new trends in the world of startups, in the context of the current pandemic, but also about the need to be agile and adapt to new situations.

Registrations for the event are made here: www.facebook.com/events/188479045764413/

Rubik Garage is a pre-acceleration program dedicated to early-stage startups, designed by Rubik Hub powered by the Northeast Regional Development Agency and supported by Orange.

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Rubik Hub has opened the application process for Rubik Garage | Batch 2, a 6 month pre-accelerator program for early-stage startups in Romania, supported by Orange.

Rubik Garage is a free program that requires a high level of commitment from the startup founders. The founders will spend 6 months with dedicated professionals in order to overcome any current blockages and identify together your development needs.

The application deadline is on 22nd of March 2020, startup founders can apply here. 

After being accepted in the Rubik Garage program, the startups will receive a personalized roadmap, that includes office hours, workshops, events, meetings, mentors, training and skill share keynotes. The completion and progress of the goals will be tracked periodically, as the founders will be held accountable by an Advisory Board.

For the startups showing growth & commitment Rubik Hub aims to facilitate great opportunities: from spending one week in an accelerator & startup ecosystem, offering scholarships for housing & traveling to facilitating one booth at a Global Startup Conference.

Even more, all the startups accepted in the program will have free access to the mentor community, to funding opportunities, to the co-working spaces that are part of the Orange Hub Pass and the Rubik Hub startup library, with over 150 titles.

In the 1st batch of Rubik Garage, 22 teams were selected, out which to 5 were offered scholarships, while the best startup team got access to Disrupt Berlin 2019. More than 50 mentors and specialists were involved in tutoring the startups.

Rubik Hub started in the small town of Piatra Neamț, situated in the North-East Region of Romania, but in short time they became relevant for the entire startup ecosystem of the region and today their programs are delivered nationwide, with a mission to help develop the existing entrepreneurial ecosystem of Romania.

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