In 2020, classrooms worldwide fell silent almost overnight. Teachers scrambled to adapt, parents became unofficial tutors, and students struggled to keep up. In Romania, the challenge was especially stark—finding a reliable tutor had always been tough, but the pandemic turned it into an urgent problem.
We didn’t set out to “revolutionize education.” At first, we just wanted to solve something simple: how could students quickly find a good tutor without endless back-and-forth messaging? That question led to Meditatii.ro, a small idea that grew into something much bigger.
From day one, we knew that for online tutoring to work, it had to serve three groups equally: Students, who needed engaging lessons and timely feedback; parents, who wanted transparency and real results and tutors, who needed better tools to manage their workload and connect with more learners.
Every feature we built—from search filters to AI-driven progress reports—was designed with this balance in mind.
Early missteps and hard lessons
Like most startups, we had our fair share of wrong turns. Initially, we thought price would be the biggest factor for parents choosing a tutor. We built our entire model around affordability, assuming everyone would go for the cheapest option.
We were wrong.
Parents weren’t just looking for low-cost lessons; they wanted someone they could trust with their child’s education. A good track record, strong credentials, and positive testimonials mattered more than saving a few euros per session. When we shifted our focus to transparency—detailed tutor profiles, student reviews, and verified qualifications—engagement shot up. It was a humbling reminder that assumptions mean nothing without real user feedback.
This lesson shaped the way we built Meditatii.ro: test, listen, adapt. We regularly check in with students, parents, and tutors before rolling out new features. It’s not about what we think they need—it’s about what actually makes learning easier.
More than just a marketplace
At first, Meditatii.ro was a simple matchmaker between students and tutors. But the more we spoke to teachers, the more we saw the deeper struggles: endless lesson planning, repetitive grading, and a constant battle to keep students engaged online.
One teacher told us bluntly: “I love teaching, but half my time is spent on things that aren’t actually teaching.”
That’s when we started experimenting with AI tools—not to replace teachers, but to give them back their time. Our AI-powered assistant began handling small but time-consuming tasks like grading quizzes and tracking student progress. The goal wasn’t automation for automation’s sake; it was to free up teachers so they could focus on what really mattered—one-on-one mentorship and real learning.
A story that stuck with us
One of the moments that made this journey feel real was hearing from a father whose son had failed the baccalaureate exam multiple times. Despite years of tutoring, nothing seemed to click. Through Meditatii.ro, they finally found a tutor who spotted the real issue—gaps in foundational knowledge, not just test-taking skills.
With a more personalized approach (and some AI-powered reinforcement between lessons), he finally passed. It wasn’t just about flashy technology or metrics; it was about one student regaining confidence in himself.
That’s when we knew we were onto something bigger than just a platform.
Lessons from a mentor who’s been there
As we navigated our early challenges, having the right guidance made all the difference. We’ve been fortunate to have Mihai Rotaru—known for Daimler acquiring Clever Taxi—as an advisor. His mentorship helped us shape our growth strategy, refine our pitch, and avoid common startup pitfalls.
One of the biggest lessons Mihai taught us? Think globally, but execute locally. Build a strong foundation in one market before expanding, but design the product from day one so it can scale. That mindset has shaped how we approach growth—deliberate, adaptable, and always focused on delivering real value before chasing bigger markets.
Results that matter
In 2024, Meditatii.ro reached €120,000 in revenue, a milestone that showed us we were on the right track. But numbers alone don’t define success. The real impact is in the thousands of students who find the help they need, the teachers who get to spend more time actually teaching, and the parents who finally feel confident about their child’s progress.
Looking ahead, our goal for 2025 is to reach €100,000 in monthly recurring revenue (MRR) while still focusing on Romania. At the same time, we’re analyzing opportunities in other countries—because the challenges we’re solving aren’t just local.
What’s next: The Future of Learning
Edtech is evolving fast, and AI will play a huge role in shaping its future. We’re testing voice-enabled AI tutors that walk students through exercises step by step, making sure they understand concepts instead of just memorizing answers. But we also know that technology alone isn’t the solution—people are.
The biggest lesson we’ve learned? Stay flexible. Keep listening. Don’t assume you know what users need (in our case students, parents, or teachers) — ask them. The more we do that, the better we can build something that actually makes a difference in this world.
Mediatii.ro started as a response to the crisis, but it’s grown into something more—a platform that blends technology with real human connection. And if we do our job right, the best stories are still ahead of us.
