One of the ways to gauge the health of a startup ecosystem is to follow the activity at the early stages: the startups on their way to build an MVP, the ones fighting to raise funding rounds or the product-market fit searchers.
For entrepreneurs the biggest aid comes in the form of accelerator programs, competitions and incubators. They get access to multiple opinions and knowledge from mentors, investors and successful business founders.
For startups concerned with climate tech and social impact, these support programs have become essential, especially considering the relatively early stage of the vertical in Southeast Europe.
In this listicle, The Recursive focuses on early stage startups from Romania, which we have recently spotted at local startup accelerators, incubators, and competitions.
Early Stage Startups from Romania
Name: Cruze
CEO: Ioana Anutoiu
Vertical: Urban Mobility
Solution: Cruze takes up the task of reducing city traffic by the means of carpooling. Employers can enjoy rewards when they provide a ride for their employees, who in turn, save time and money on gas.
Highlights: They received €20K at the Black Sea ClimAccelerator 2022.
Name: CityDock
Founder: Mariat Musat
Vertical: Micromobility
Solution: CityDock is an urban micro mobility solution, offering fast-charging docks for all battery types in e-scooters.
Highlights: They are participating in the 2022 Black Sea ClimAccelerator.
Name: Cooperativa de Energie (The Energy Cooperative)
Founders: Victor Iancu, Gijsbert Huijink, Dinu Drog, Nicu Plai, Andrei Ilaș, Adrian Munteanu
Vertical: Energy
Solution: Cooperativa de Energie is a renewable energy provider, with a cooperative business model, in which its members are energy investors, stakeholders, consumers, and producers of energy.
Highlights: They reached over 750 members, supplied with a total of 42GWh of electricity in 2021. They also acquired Apuron Energy to enter the market directly as an energy supplier.
Name: Digital Dryads
CEO: Razvan Pistolea
Vertical: Forestry Management
Solution: Digital Dryads believes society is not yet ready to stop relying on wood as a material. They offer interactive satellite maps for deforestation and unique prototypes for a far more stringent monitoring of log volumes.
Highlights: First Place in the 2020 edition of the EU Datathlon, an open data competition for startups and social enterprises.
Name: Logistia
Founders: Roxana Bitoleanu, Vlad Retca
Vertical: Urban Mobility
Solution: A more optimized route planner, Logistia is a B2B solution to reach addresses faster. The app also caters to businesses by allowing multiple vehicles to be synchronized. Customers of these businesses can enjoy a transparent relationship with them and fast delivery times.
Highlights: They are participating in the 2022 Black Sea ClimAccelerator.
Name: NIDUS Home
Founder: Daniel Butucel
Vertical: Construction
Solution: NIDUS Home is a way for customers to buy a one or two person home built from sustainable materials and in a timely manner. It offers low-energy, modular and natural houses, 100% prefabricated according to the indications and wishes of clients.
Highlights: NIDUS recently built a house near Bucharest. They are participating in the 2022 Black Sea ClimAccelerator.
Name: Pod.ish
Founders: Tabitha Gavriliuc, Miruna Manole
Vertical: E-commerce, Circular Economy
Solution: Pod.ish aims to create a more sustainable commerce by offering an array of lifestyle products – plastic-free, vegan, and local. The materials and method of creation of each product are listed with the aim of a more sustainable commerce. Customers can find items such as electronics, accessories, cosmetics and children’s pacifiers and diapers.
Highlights: They are participating in the 2022 Black Sea ClimAccelerator.
Name: Rastel.io
Founder: Horea Tonuic
Vertical: Urban Mobility
Solution: Rastel.io helps bike riders find a parking spot in busy urban areas with their app. Users have access to parking locations, which they can reserve in advance. In addition, their bike can be locked safely.
Highlights: They are a 2021 Urbanize Hub Hackathon winner and SustainCity Hack 2022 winner.
Name: Sacosh
Founder: Maria Cristina Ianau
Vertical: Circular Fashion
Solution: Sacosh offers a variety of fashionable bags and backpacks, created from sustainable materials.
Highlights: They have participated in the Startarium 4GOOD: Impact Accelerator.
Name: Rreports
Co-Founder: Daniel Bîrsan
Vertical: Social Impact
Solution: Rreports is an app with numerous features that offers a convenient way to report community problems to the local governments.
Highlights: They are a 2022 Winner of the Social Impact Award in Romania.
Name: Woodn Studio
Co-Founder: Adeus B.
Vertical: Furniture
Solution: Woodn Studio is a brand of solid wood furniture, sporting a sleek design, made through local workshops in Romania. They sell their products at European level through a web platform.
Highlights:They are a 2022 winner of the Social Impact Award in Romania.
Name: Decopertat
Founder: Mutrescu Tudor
Vertical: Social Impact
Solution: Decopertat is a newly-found social business idea. It forms a community of small artists that are encouraged to grow, thus proposing to change the current context of art in Romania.
Highlights: They are a 2022 winner of the Social Impact Award in Romania.
Name: Favr.
Founder: Alexandru Cristinoi
Vertical: Food Tech
Solution: By obtaining fruit and other food that is about to be thrown away, Favr. creates sustainably-made snacks, sometimes with their own unique recipes. Their products are offered on their easy-to-navigate website.
Highlights: They are participating in the Transformator sustainability accelerator program.
Name: Capace cu Suflet (Caps with a Soul)
Founder: Anca Tataru
Vertical: Recycling
Solution: Capace cu Suflet is an organization that collects bottle caps and sells them to plastic recyclers. The money is then donated to various charity causes.
Highlights: They are participating in the Transformator sustainability accelerator program, organized by Social Innovation Solutions.
Name: SmartBuggy
Founder: Marius Risteiu
Vertical: Urban Mobility
Solution: SmartBuggy is an electric buggy, which possesses solar panels and regenerative braking technology. The current prototype is going to be used for various types of terrains – from urban areas to park settings.
Highlights: They are participating in the ADRVest Accel accelerator program.
Name: OmniOrto3D
Founder: Stefan Costea
Vertical: Medtech
Solution: OmniOrto3D is a medical start-up that aims to make an improved medical product, using 3D printing technology, offering a modular, ecological and waterproof alternative for medical tools. It is easier to use by medical professionals and more comfortable for the patients.
Highlights:They are participating in the ADRVest Accel accelerator program.
Name: eQualifai
Founder: Jaco Fok
Vertical: E-learning
Solution: eQualifai is an online learning tool for students, which aids regular education and enhances in in an interesting way. Students can choose between different instructors in a variety of disciplines. Instructor ratings and pricing are showcased, as well to help parents make their choice of an instructor together with their children.
Highlights: Presented their idea on the TV show Imperiul Leilor on the Romanian PRO TV.
Name: Manuscrito
Founders: Anastasia Susciuc, Tudor Tișe, Octavian-Alexandru, Paul Pop
Vertical: E-learning
Solution: Manuscripto is an e-learning solution for children to learn math, reading, writing, and other skills. It offers a digital notebook, which keeps track of the child’s progress and informs parents and teachers.
Highlights: They were awarded €8K in the 2022 Innovators for Children program.
Name: ONE Learning
Founder: Ioana Axinte
Vertical: E-learning
Solution: ONE Learning gives parents ideas for practical activities to help their children with problem solving, critical thinking, communication, emotional intelligence. Moreover, it facilitates a stronger bond between the two.
Highlights: They were awarded €7K in the 2022 Innovators for Children program.
Name: Investory
Founders: Valentin Filip, Monica Tarmure
Vertical: E-learning
Solution: Investory is a financial education game, suitable for children between the ages of 6 and 10. Through easy to use interface and simple language, the app helps them experiment and develop their critical thinking skills.
Highlights: They were awarded €5K in the 2022 Innovators for Children program.
