In a Nutshell
- The ROStartup Ecosystem Association, the umbrella organization representing Romania’s national startup ecosystem, has been officially established.
- ROStartup aims to align strategies, improve communication, and amplify impact through the synergies created among the ecosystem’s organizations.
Uniting Key Players to Drive Romania’s Startup Success
ROStartup is an independent organization that unites investors, startup program providers, public authorities, and other relevant entities. The aim is to bring together the key players who drive the success of startups in Romania.
The ROStartup initiative began in 2020 and has received the support of the European Commission, the World Bank, the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization, the Ministry of Investments and European Projects, and other governmental authorities.
Following public consultations with over 100 startup industry participants, a major recommendation was to create an umbrella organization to unite the ecosystem. Such organizations are vital for coordinating support, advocating for favorable legislation, and promoting international growth.
The Startup Community on the Launch of ROStartup
“Until now, Romania was one of the few European countries without an organization representing the startup ecosystem. It is time for ROStartup to officially become the voice of the ecosystem, and this official recognition is the result of the continuous efforts of a core group of people. From the beginning, ROStartup was envisioned as a community project for the community, led by the community,” says Adina Simionescu, CEO of ROStartup.
As a result of the efforts over the past four years, which included workshops, market research, conferences, and discussions with successful global ecosystems, a budget has been allocated to the ROStartup Association through POCIDIF. This budget will be directed through public calls to increase capacity and amplify the impact of programs run by organizations within the ecosystem.
The Association’s Board of Directors includes Bianca Muntean (Co-founder & Cluster Manager Transilvania IT Cluster), David Achim (Executive Director Make IT in Oradea), Mircea Vădan (Managing Partner Activize), Răzvan Crăciunescu (Vice Dean of the Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications, and Information Technology at the POLITEHNICA University of Bucharest), Vlad Craioveanu (Co-founder & CEO Impact Hub Bucharest), Andrei Cosmin Munteanu (Co-founder & CEO Cowork Timișoara).
“By establishing the ROStartup Ecosystem Association, we mark a historic moment and open new horizons. ROStartup aims to support organizations in their activities rather than create competing programs, thus becoming a catalyst for them. The Association’s vision is for Romania to become one of Europe’s leading innovation hubs, the ideal place to start and develop a scalable startup,” declares Vlad Gliga, President of the Association.
