BVB Arena: Autonom, a market leader in mobility guided by Stoic philosophy

The story of Autonom began in 2006 in Piatra-Neamţ, in North-Eastern Romania. The company has developed sustainably, step by step, with optimism and trust in the future. Over the course of its 19 years of activity, Autonom has grown into one of the leading providers of integrated mobility services in Romania, managing a fleet of over 16,000 cars.
“What made us start this company was an idea that I discovered in the United States, which I decided to test in Romania and was very quickly validated by the market here,” says Marius Ștefan, Co-founder & CEO of Autonom.
The company began by offering car rental services to Romanians returning from the diaspora. Today, Autonom is a top 5 player by turnover in operational leasing and car rentals in Romania. The company operates the broadest mobility network in the country, present in over 30 cities in Romania and Hungary, providing a variety of modern transportation and financing solutions such as: short- and medium-term rentals, operational leasing, chauffeured transfers, temporary fleet rental and management services, road assistance, car wash and equipment rental services.
“Since its inception in 2006, the Autonom group has recorded double-digit growth each year, reaching a turnover of approximately EUR 147 million in 2023. We currently have a team of over 600 employees in all our divisions,” adds Dan Ștefan, Co-founder of Autonom.
Autonom is an example of a 100% Romanian business that has grown progressively and organically on the local market, creating a successful organizational culture based on continuous learning, autonomy, and a positive impact in the community. The company was always committed to doing everything necessary to help customers, find solutions to their problems, take on risks, and provide services with respect and a smile on their faces.
"In the last 7 years, we have been very active on the merger market, investing in companies from different sectors such as finance, insurance, technology, and mobility,” explains Marius Ștefan.
Many times, they had to make difficult decisions, and in such moments, they returned to their fundamental values, inspired by the principles of Stoic philosophy.
"The Stoics teach to focus on what we can control – our reason, actions, and principles – and address each decision with calm and clarity, without being overwhelmed by external circumstances. Stoic philosophy emphasizes that true power lies in remaining faithful to your principles, regardless of the challenges. This has also guided us, helping us overcome difficult moments with integrity, courage, and a deep sense of responsibility towards the team, customers, and community," says Dan Ștefan.
Autonom’s future goals reflect the constant commitment to sustainable growth and innovation. In the medium and long term, the founders continue to focus on consolidation and development in the markets where the company operates - operational leasing and car rental - capitalizing on synergies and providing innovative solutions.
“In the short term, we focus on expanding our business lines and introducing new and complementary services to diversify Autonom’s portfolio. Our goal is to offer integrated solutions, adapted to our customers’ ever-changing needs”, says Marius Ștefan.
"In the long term, our vision is to develop a hub for mobility hub and business growth solutions that becomes a landmark in our industry. We want to be a constantly learning company, an authentic model for responsible business, capable of generating a positive impact in society and on the environment,” adds Dan Ștefan.
---
*The company’s full story was published in the BVB Arena 2024 booklet, which gathers the stories of the 15 finalist companies selected last year in the program. A new edition of the BVB Arena program started in April. More details about the program and the BVB Arena 2024 booklet are available here.