Techcelerator, the organization that designs and implements accelerator programs and events targeting technology start-ups in Romania and South-East Europe, has brought to Romania and Bulgaria the Venture Program, a pre-acceleration program launched by EIT Digital, developed to support early-stage entrepreneurial teams on their journey to market.

The program is open to teams from the Baltics, Eastern Europe and Southern Europe. 

The Venture Program takes young entrepreneurs from idea to investment in less than a year. The selected teams will receive an intense eight-week knowledge training, get support to build their MVP, as well as financial support from investors to navigate efficiently through the first year of building their business. At the final Pitch Days, teams can validate their business solution by presenting it in front of early-stage investors, potential clients, and experts from the tech community. 

The program will select non-incorporated multidisciplinary teams with the best innovative business ideas, PoC, or prototypes in one of the EIT Digital five market verticals: Digital Industry, Digital Cities, Digital Wellbeing, Digital Tech, and Digital Finance. 

Entrepreneurial, non-incorporated teams with digital deep tech business plans are encouraged to apply.

The selection criteria include addressed market or business challenge, the technology underlying the product/service, product innovativeness, global market, and risks associated with the business model.

All accepted teams will receive a EUR 5,000 grant funding upon the selection in the program. The winning teams will receive a grant of up to EUR 25,000.

The pre-accelerator program starts on May 10th; it lasts two months and will be organized online. The entire program lasts until November 30th, 2022. The interested founders can apply by April 8th.

Over the past four years, the EIT Digital Venture Program has supported more than 93 teams and over 200 entrepreneurs in an early stage of their development. Many of these teams have attracted investors during or shortly after the pre-acceleration program.

“We strongly believe in the impact Romania and Bulgaria can have on the European innovation system, therefore we seek to enhance their contribution by opening a path for the young entrepreneurs in the region to start their venture and be successful. It’s always together that we are stronger, more knowledgeable, more efficient. ROTSA is constantly promoting Romanian start-ups, and is always at work to consolidate Europe’s start-up ecosystem,” Tudor Pasc, Incubation Director with the Romanian Tech Startups Association ROTSA, said. 

“In addition to our focus on pre-seed technology start-ups, Techcelerator is keen to support grassroots ventures. This year, we are happy to do so with the Venture Program, as members of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology. There is a great need to work with founders, even from the idea stage, and support the best ones to grow and become the next unicorns in the region. What it takes is the urge and commitment to building a viable venture,” Cristina Țoncu, co-founder Techcelerator, said.

(Photo: Dreamstime)

simona@romania-insider.com