Orange Fab is Romania’s first corporate accelerator, and this story follows four visionary founders as they reveal how their partnership with a telecom giant is sparking breakthroughs across different technologies, industries and geographies.
Their stories offer a glimpse into how strategic collaboration helps accelerate growth and scale global solutions.
How does partnering with Orange Fab accelerate your growth plans, and what unique opportunities does this collaboration offer?
Cornel Amariei, Founder & CEO of .lumen: We build a self-driving car, for the pedestrian world, minimized to a wearable. This is a tremendous feat of Software & Hardware Engineering and it showcases the best of what current technology can do.
Connectivity is part of it – we have a device that produces 10 GB/minute of data, more than anything ever seen on the pedestrian side. Imagine having close to real-time on the ground data about urban and rural infrastructure. Nobody could do it, until now. We are the first, and to achieve it you need a new class of connectivity. A new class of connectivity which Orange Fab can provide.
Marian Voicu, Co-Founder & Deputy CEO of PROCESIO: Partnering with Orange Fab comes at a pivotal moment for PROCESIO, as we expand our reach into new industries and geographies. This collaboration provides access to Orange’s enterprise ecosystem, which includes large-scale clients, expert mentorship, and opportunities to integrate PROCESIO with critical business processes. Through this partnership, we gain credibility, market access, and validation that accelerates our growth and helps us refine our product for enterprise needs.
Matei Stratan, Co-Founder & CEO of Ogre AI: Partnering with Orange Fab could be a game-changer for Ogre AI, providing us with direct access to a global leader in telecommunications and digital transformation. This collaboration accelerates our growth by offering market access and pilots, technical and business expertise, networking and strategic partnerships, as well as brand credibility.
We have the opportunity to validate our AI-driven energy forecasting solutions through real-world deployments with Orange’s ecosystem, refining our products to align with industry needs and connecting with key stakeholders in the energy and telecom sectors.
Andrei Manolescu, founder & CEO of Xfleet: We solve challenges in smart logistics, last-mile delivery, and waste management through AI Analytics, dynamic routing, GPS integrated and enterprise-level cloud infrastructure. Orange Fab helps us understand faster, optimize cloud platforms, and integrate new technology in GPS Tracking, with a focus on AI components.
What are some of the biggest challenges in your industry, and how do you see your startup paving the way for broader adoption or change?
Cornel Amariei: We are pioneers in 2 things: The first is Pedestrian Autonomous Driving (PAD AI), the self-navigation stack that can perform autonomous navigation in the pedestrian world. The second is Glasses for the Blind, using Pedestrian Autonomous Driving, providing the first solution to mimic the benefits of the Guide Do.
The challenges? A billion, coming from pushing the limits of technology to make this possible, up to international regulatory acceptance. Where do I start?
Marian Voicu: One of the biggest challenges in automation is the fragmentation of business processes—companies rely on multiple disconnected tools that slow them down. Another major challenge is balancing flexibility with security and compliance.
We address these challenges with a hybrid, scalable automation platform that enables companies to seamlessly integrate their workflows, whether on-premise, in the cloud, or hybrid. We empower both technical and non-technical teams, breaking down barriers to automation adoption and making advanced automation accessible without long development cycles.
Matei Stratan: The energy industry is facing several major challenges, including: grid integration of renewables, data fragmentation, and the lack of scalability of existing AI solutions. We are solving these issues by developing highly accurate, real-time forecasting models that improve grid resilience, optimize renewable energy integration, and enable predictive maintenance for utilities.
Andrei Manolescu: One of the biggest challenges we tackle is inefficient urban waste collection and last-mile logistics, where static routing and outdated dispatching lead to higher costs and delays. With real-time route optimization, we instantly adapt to demand surges, automate waste collection, and streamline last-mile delivery to reduce emissions and improve efficiency. Optimizing waste collection processes reduces energy usage, carbon emissions, and preserves natural resources.
Looking ahead, what does success look like for your company in the next 12–18 months?
Cornel Amariei: I can tell my personal view – I was born in a family where everybody but me has a disability. I’m the only person without a disability in my family. And when I look at visual impairment, it took 5.000 years to train a maximum number of 28.000 guide dogs. The moment more than 28.000 .lumen devices will be manufactured, we changed a millennium old paradigm. That’s step 1 of “success”.
Marian Voicu: Success for us starts with integrating our automation platform into Orange Business Services and exploring joint projects with their enterprise clients. Beyond Orange Fab, we aim to expand our presence in the USA market, to strengthen our automation solutions, and to grow our ecosystem of integrations. We are also actively working towards scaling our customer base into North America, and Orange Fab accelerates this roadmap.
Matei Stratan: Over the next year and a half, success for us will be defined by securing partnerships with major energy providers and grid operators to implement our forecasting technology. Scaling internationally is another priority, and so are product enhancements. We are also looking to strengthen our financial position to support long-term growth and innovation.
Andrei Manolescu: In the next 12–18 months, we’re focused on finalizing our application suite and integrating advanced AI components, with a strong focus on our customers as well. We have a goal to onboard 100 new clients.
Our solution currently addresses four distinct client profiles: route planning, an individual GPS tracking system that integrates with our routing features, an integrated maps module, and a comprehensive analytics module. By fully automating waste collection scheduling, we aim to cut unnecessary fleet movement by 30% and increase last-mile efficiency by 40%.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs looking to partner with a corporate accelerator like Orange Fab?
Cornel Amariei: If your solution would benefit from enhanced connectivity, wouldn’t you want to work with the best?
Marian Voicu: First, make sure your solution aligns with the corporate’s vision and challenges. Then, be ready to integrate your technology into enterprise environments. This means scalability, security, and seamless integration to legacy systems.
Orange Fab gives you direct access to industry leaders, customers, and decision-makers—use it wisely. Ultimately, think long-term. The value of working with Orange Fab goes beyond the accelerator program.
Matei Stratan: Corporate accelerators seek startups that can solve real industry challenges, so be clear on your value proposition. Make sure to take full advantage of mentorship, networking, and pilot opportunities. The more you engage, the more you’ll benefit. Be ready to refine your product based on real-world insights. Last but not least, use this improved credibility to open doors to investors, customers, and partners.
Andrei Manolescu: Our experience with Orange Fab has been intuitive and helpful. The transition was smooth—I came by recommendation from a partner already collaborating with Orange, and the support in the onboarding process was invaluable, for which I’d like to extend my thanks to the team. Our advice to other entrepreneurs is to embrace the opportunity that a corporate accelerator offers: robust infrastructure, access to critical data, and real-world scaling opportunities.
