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Bucharest is becoming one of the best places to build a startup, but most of the early-stage entrepreneurs we speak to aren't aware of the local tech resources that are available to help them.

With applications for the Bucharest Founder Institute now open, we're excited to release the Bucharest Startup Resource Guide, which is currently in Draft v1 below! It was developed by the Bucharest Founder Institute and local leaders Alex Dascalu (Lead Director, Founder Institute Bucharest) and Nicoleta Gologan. 

This is just a draft v1, and while we spent many hours on this research, more input is needed. Please leave your comments on this collaborative Google document to help us complete the list. There are definitely omissions on this current version. 

Are you looking to build a startup in Bucharest? Then apply to the Bucharest Founder Institute today!

Text version included below, for ease of searching:

Startup Stages


There is no one right way to build a technology company, but for the sake of simplicity we have outlined a basic, common, sequential framework.


1. IDEA-STAGE

This is where new entrepreneurs get inspired, learn best practices, develop skills, validate ideas, and begin to build their team and product.

  1. Inspire

    1. Startup Media: Centralized local information, listings, and news. (i.e. startup blogs/ publications/ lists/ FB groups/ newsletters, Startup Digest)

      1. Romanian Startups

      2. StartupCafe

      3. Startup Digest Bucharest

      4. start-up.ro

      5. TechCrunch Romania

      6. TechHub Bucharest Blog

      7. Romania Startup & Tech Events Group

  1. Inspirational Events: Open, inclusive, beginner startup events (i.e. Startup Weekend, idea fairs, and inspirational meetups) 

    1. Bucharest Social Innovation Meetup

    2. Bucharest Tech Week Partner Events

    3. Codette

    4. Colors in Projects - Meetup Group

    5. Digital Talks

    6. IoT Fest Bucharest

    7. Modex Blockchain Labs

    8. Softbinator

    9. Startup Weekend FinTech Bucharest


  1. Educate

    1. Best Practices: Beginner knowledge-sharing events. (i.e. beginner events that serve to educate more than inspire, like Startup Founder 101, etc).

      1. Academia Minților Creative

      2. Agile Coaching and Beyond

      3. Angular Bucharest (ngBucharest)

      4. Bitcoin Bucharest

      5. Blockchain Romania

      6. Bucharest BI & SQL User Group

      7. Bucharest Big Data Meetup

      8. Bucharest Cryptocurrency Meetup

      9. Bucharest Data Science Meetup

      10. Bucharest DevOps Meetup

      11. Bucharest FP

      12. Bucharest Golang Group

      13. Bucharest Mobile Development Group

      14. Bucharest Mobile and Web Development Meetup

      15. Bucharest Startup Businesses Meetup

      16. Bucharest Tech Week Business Summits

      17. Bucharest WordPress Meetup

      18. BucharestJS

      19. Business Club

      20. Design Thinking Bucharest

      21. IoT Bucharest

      22. OpenStack Bucharest, Romania Meetup

      23. PentaBAR Bucharest

      24. Security Espresso

      25. Startup Founder 101 Bucharest

      26. Startup Grind Bucharest

      27. Symfony Bucharest

      28. Technology Trends

      29. UiPath RPA Bucharest

      30. Upgrader

    1. Training & Feedback: Skill & Idea development. (Ex. bootcamps and comprehensive training programs, like Founder Institute, etc)

      1. Bucharest AWS User Group

      2. Bucharest Deep Learning

      3. Bucharest Java User Group

      4. Bucharest Machine Learning Applications

      5. Bucharest PHP Meetup

      6. Bucharest Startup: Idea to IPO

      7. BucharestTech

      8. CocoaHeads Bucharest

      9. Coders Lab

      10. Data Science Dojo

      11. DesignThinkers Academy

      12. Founder Institute

      13. Future Makers

      14. Google Cloud Developer Community Bucharest

      15. Google Developer Group Bucharest

      16. Guerilla Camp

      17. Innovators for Children

      18. Jademy

      19. Lean Startup Bucharest

      20. Lean Startup Machine Bucharest

      21. Level-Up

      22. Mobile Growth Bucharest

      23. Product Camp Bucharest Meetup

      24. ProductTank Bucharest

      25. RubikEDU

      26. Software Development Academy

      27. Software Product Development Bucharest

      28. Startup DNA

      29. Startup Idea Bootcamp: How to Evaluate Your Ideas

      30. StartupBootcamp Bucharest

      31. StepFWD

      32. The Bucharest Agile Software Meetup Group

      33. Wild Code School


  1. Validate 

    1. Team Formation: Resources for teaming up. (i.e. events or other resources that facilitate early-stage recruitment and cofounder matching)

      1. Bucharest A.D.C.E.S. Meetup

      2. Bucharest AI Meetup

      3. Bucharest Indies & Friends

      4. Bucharest IoT Meetup

      5. Bucharest Tech Startup Cofounder Matchmaking

      6. Bucharest User Experience Design Meetup

      7. CoFoundersLab

      8. DevTalks Romania

      9. Entrepreneurs in Romania

      10. FounderDating

      11. PWN Romania

      12. SQL Server User Group Romania

      13. Startup Co-Founder Matching: Find the Right Partner for Your Idea in Bucharest

      14. Startup Matchmaking Event

      15. Tech & Startups

    1. Build First Product: Hackathons & resources to build. (i.e. hackathons and other builder-focused events and resources)

      1. Bucharest DevOps Hackers Meetup

      2. Bucharest Software Craftsmanship Community

      3. Code for Romania

      4. Comunitatea Hatch Bucuresti

      5. Devhacks

      6. Elevator Lab

      7. FabLab Bucharest

      8. Global Legal Hackathon

      9. Hatch Hackerspace

      10. InnovationLabs 2019 Hackathon

      11. Inventeaza

      12. Meteor Romania

      13. Modulab

      14. Nod Makerspace

      15. Single Digital Gateway Hackathon

      16. Space Apps Challenge Bucharest

      17. Sponge Lab

      18. Worldpay Hackathon


2. LAUNCH-STAGE

In this stage, entrepreneurs establish and formalize the company, develop the product, get feedback from customers, and prepare for the next step.


  1. Start

    1. Establish: Law firms & banks for startups 

      1. Alpha Bank Romania

      2. Banca Comercială Română

      3. Bank Leumi Romania

      4. Banca Transilvania

      5. BCPA

      6. BCR

      7. Biris Goran

      8. BLOM Bank France

      9. bpv GRIGORESCU ŞTEFĂNICĂ

      10. BRD

      11. CEC Bank

      12. CMS Law

      13. Credit Europe Bank

      14. Dentons

      15. Deutsche Bank

      16. DLA Piper

      17. Idea::Bank

      18. ING Romania

      19. Intesa Sanpaolo Bank

      20. OTP Bank Romania

      21. PETOŠEVIĆ

      22. First Bank

      23. ProCredit Bank

      24. R&R Partners Bucharest

      25. Raiffeisen Bank

      26. UniCredit Bank 

  1. Workspace: Co-working and flexible workspaces (note: “official” office space goes in 3.1.a. Infrastructure) 

    1. 360HUB

    2. ARTHUB Bucharest - art hub in Romania

    3. aSpace

    4. City-Hub

    5. Commons

    6. Coworking București 160

    7. Impact Hub

    8. Ingenius Hub

    9. MindSpace

    10. Nod Makerspace

    11. OMEGA HOUSE

    12. Pura Vida Hub Bucharest

    13. Seneca Anticafe

    14. Spaces

    15. Talent Garden Bucharest

    16. TechHub Bucharest

    17. The Atelier

    18. The Office Hub

    19. V7 Startup Studio

    20. We accelerate

    21. We Love Digital Unirii


  1. Develop

    1. Formalize: Accounting, development and HR for early-stage startups. 

      1. Computaris

      2. Contabilul Tau

      3. Ecovis Global

      4. George Butunoiu Executive Search Consultants

      5. HR TIME

      6. Hypersense Software

      7. INNOBYTE

      8. JPA Romania

      9. Keez

      10. Mazars

      11. mReady

      12. NNDK

      13. RoWeb

      14. Soma Social

      15. SmartBill

      16. TPG Group

      17. Von Consulting

      18. V&™

      19. Turca Zbarcea & Asociatii

      20. Web Dots

    1. Prepare for Seed: Incubators and advanced mentorship. (i.e. advanced knowledge sharing, later stage events and resources for startup TEAMS)

      1. Carbon Incubator

      2. Gemini Solutions Foundry

      3. Hubcelerator

      4. Impact Hub

      5. Innovation Labs 2019

      6. Orange Fab

      7. Risky Business

      8. Startarium

      9. Startup Next Bucharest

      10. Startup Spinner Markeathon

      11. Spherik Accelerator

      12. Tech Ventures Startup Incubator

      13. TechHub Bucharest

  1. Launch

    1. Seed Accelerators: Seed funding mentor programs (Techstars-style programs that provide funding)

      1. Carbon Incubator

      2. Data Market Services

      3. Early Game Accelerator

      4. InnovX BCR Business Accelerator

      5. Orange Fab România

      6. Techcelerator

    1. Pitch & Demo: Show local startups for investment (i.e. demo days for companies seeking seed investment)

      1. Changeneers

      2. Global Pitch

      3. How To Web

      4. Innovation Labs 2019 Demo Day

      5. Orange Fab Romania Demo Day

      6. Pitch for Purpose Online Demo Day

      7. PowerUp! Country Final - Startups Pitching Event

      8. Startup Live Bucharest

      9. Techcelerator DemoDay

      10. UPGRADE100


3. GROWTH-STAGE

Here, a startup proves their utility, receives recognition, and scales up. This usually requires funding, angels, VCs, and ways to connect them to startups.

  1. Recognition 

    1. Investor NetworkingConnect professional investors with founders. (i.e. events or groups that facilitate connections with professional investors)

      1. Access Silicon Valley Bucharest  

      2. Angel Investment Network

      3. BNI Romania

      4. Business Angels Romania

      5. Business Circle

      6. Human Finance

      7. TechAngels

  1. Major Media: Mainstream local business press. (i.e. major local or regional publications that frequently champion local businesses)

    1. Azi

    2. Biz

    3. Bursa

    4. Business Review

    5. Capital

    6. Cotidianul

    7. Curierul National

    8. Daily Business

    9. Evenimentul Zilei

    10. Forbes Romania

    11. Jurnalul National

    12. Romania Journal

    13. Wall Street

    14. Ziarul Financiar


  1. Funding

    1. Angels / Micro-VCs: Seed-stage investors (search AngelList, Gust, Crunchbase)

      1. Bogdan Atanasiu

      2. Catalina Rusu

      3. Dragos Nicolaescu

      4. Max Gurvits

      5. Mihai Guia 

      6. Mike Costache

      7. Purcarea Mihai

      8. Radu Atanasiu

      9. Radu Georgescu

      10. Saulius Adomaitis

    1. Venture Capitalists: Series A and beyond

      1. 3TS Capital Partners

      2. Axxess Capital

      3. Black Sea Capital

      4. Carpathia Capital

      5. Catalyst Romania

      6. Early Game Ventures

      7. Gapminder VC

      8. Gecad Ventures

      9. Morphosis Capital

      10. PrimaInvest 

      11. Roca X

      12. Sparking Capital

      13. Zeyshare Group


  1. Growth

    1. Infrastructure: Office space, HR, local business insurance. (i.e. office space/ HR/ insurance providers for capital-rich companies to grow and scale) 

      1. Amrop

      2. Antal International

      3. Asirom

      4. DCA Insurance

      5. F Recruitment International

      6. Groupama

      7. Head Hunting IT

      8. Inchiriere-Birou

      9. Instant Offices

      10. International Insurance Broker

      11. Lugera

      12. Manpower

      13. Office Rent Info

      14. Otto Broker

      15. Randstad

      16. Regatta Real Estate

      17. Regus

      18. Search Office Space

      19. Target Offices

    1. Expansion: Growth accelerators/consultants. (i.e. programs and business consultants for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)

      1. Accenture

      2. Amaris Consulting

      3. Antreprenoria

      4. Aon

      5. A.T. Kearney

      6. BearingPoint

      7. Capgemini

      8. Deloitte

      9. Ensight Management Consulting

      10. Ernst and Young

      11. Gartner

      12. Grant Thornton Romania

      13. Kantar Millward Brown

      14. Kantar TNS

      15. Korn Ferry

      16. KPMG

      17. McKinsey & Company

      18. Milliman

      19. North Highland

      20. Omega Consulting

      21. PwC

      22. Roland Berger


4. SUCCESS STORIES

Successful homegrown companies that have raised significant institutional funding, employ a large workforce, or have achieved liquidity.

  1. AlphaBlock

  2. Amber Studio

  3. Appsulate

  4. Axigen

  5. Bitdefender

  6. Bittnet

  7. Blugento

  8. Brainient

  9. Clever Taxi

  10. DeviceHub

  11. Elefant

  12. eMAG

  13. FaceRig

  14. FintechOS

  15. FeedCheck

  16. How to Web 

  17. Hubgets

  18. Instant Factoring

  19. Liverail

  20. Maven Hut

  21. Mondly

  22. Questo

  23. RAV Antivirus

  24. Skobbler

  25. SmartDreamers

  26. SymphoPay

  27. UiPath

  28. Unloq

  29. Vector Watch

  30. Zitec

  31. FintechOS



Supporters


To facilitate the steps, every ecosystem needs strong supporters.


1. EVANGELISTS

Successful local founders who lead the ecosystem & frequently mentor newbies.  (i.e. Local leaders who have taken a leadership position, speak at a lot of startup events, mentor all the programs, etc)

  1. Alex M. Dascalu

  2. Alexandra Petruș

  3. Alexandru Radovici

  4. Ana Iorga

  5. Ana-Maria Udriste

  6. Andrei Pitis

  7. Antonio Eram

  8. Bogdan Iordache

  9. Bogdan Manoiu

  10. Condruz Ionut Catalin

  11. Cosmin Curticapean

  12. Cristian Orasanu

  13. Cristian Patachia-Sultanoiu

  14. Dan Calugareanu

  15. Dan Cearnau

  16. Dan Mihaescu

  17. Daniel Marin

  18. Daniel Rosner

  19. Daniel Secareanu

  20. Dan Stefan

  21. Diana Dumitrescu

  22. Dragos Anastasiu

  23. Dragos Nicolaescu

  24. Dragos Rosca

  25. Florin Cioaca

  26. Florin Grosu

  27. Gabriel Păunescu

  28. Gregoire Vigroux

  29. Horia Velicu

  30. Ilinca Paun

  31. Liviu Dragan

  32. Magda Ropotan

  33. Malin Stefanescu

  34. Marius Alexandru Mitroi

  35. Marius Dosinescu

  36. Marius Ghenea

  37. Marius Stefan

  38. Mihai Rotaru

  39. Mircea Capatana

  40. MIrcea Criveanu

  41. Oana Craioveanu

  42. Ovi Negrean

  43. Ozana Giusca

  44. Paraschiv-Pop Elena

  45. Razvan Crisan

  46. Sergiu Negut

  47. Tudor Stanciu

  48. Valentina Zaharia

  49. Vladimir Oane



2. GOVERNMENT

Public organizations that facilitate local economic development

  1. AmCham Romania

  2. British Romanian Chamber of Commerce

  3. Bucharest Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  4. Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania

  5. Institute for Digital Government

  6. Invest Romania

  7. Ministry for Business, Commerce and Entrepreneurship

  8. Ministry of Economy

  9. Start-up Nation

  10. Startup Romania

  11. US Embassy Entrepreneurship Program



3. TALENT

Major local business or tech universities and employers that attract and retain local talent.


  1. Local Universities (universities with prominent technical or business programs)

    1. Bucharest University of Economic Studies

    2. Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University

    3. Hyperion University of Bucharest

    4. Politehnica University of Bucharest

    5. Romanian American University

    6. Spiru Haret University

    7. The Entrepreneurship Academy

    8. Titu Maiorescu University

    9. Universitatea Artifex

    10. University of Bucharest

    11. University Nicolae Titulescu

  1. Local Employers (Major technical employers, like Microsoft or Google or large local companies, with large local offices) 

    1. 3M

    2. Adobe

    3. Amazon

    4. ATOS IT Solutii si Servicii

    5. Avira

    6. BOSCH

    7. Cisco

    8. Dell

    9. Deutsche Telekom

    10. DXC Technology

    11. Electronic Arts

    12. Endava

    13. Ericsson

    14. Fitbit

    15. Gameloft

    16. GE

    17. Google

    18. Hootsuite

    19. HP

    20. Huawei

    21. IBM

    22. Infineon

    23. Intel

    24. Metro Systems

    25. Microsoft

    26. Nobel

    27. Nokia

    28. NXP Semiconductors

    29. Oracle

    30. Orange

    31. Philips

    32. Samsung

    33. SAP

    34. Siemens

    35. Softvision

    36. Ubisoft

    37. Vodafone

    38. Zitec


 

*  *  *

Learn more about the Startup Ecosystem Canvas here, and leave us your thoughts on the Bucharest Canvas on this collaborative Google document (This is just a draft, and more input is needed!)

Are you looking to build a startup in Bucharest? Then apply to the Bucharest Founder Institute today

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