Ready to Raise Program

Second edition | September 2023 – January 2024

An exclusive  program tailored to top startups in our
accelerator, looking to raise investment in the next 3-6 months 

Are you an investor? Fancy some prime time
with our most promising startups?

Logouri

Ready to Raise Program

Second edition | September 2023 – January 2024

An exclusive program tailored to top startups in our accelerator, looking to raise investment in the next 3-6 months

Are you an investor? Fancy some prime time with our most promising startups?

Logouri

After working with more than 300 startup founders in the past six years, we have learned that the fundraising process can be both scary and exhilarating. It cannot be taken lightly, and our goal is to help founders learn how to navigate this emotional rollercoaster more effectively. That’s why we created the Ready to Raise Program, which is structured in two phases:

Phase 1 (1.5 months)

Investment Readiness

  • Interactive workshops covering a wide range of key aspects involved in the fundraising process. These include strategies and tips on identifying and approaching ideal investors/VCs, raising your first/second round, valuation methods, the flow of a successful investment process, pros and cons of various financing options, key metrics to consider, and cultural differences between investors in Europe and the USA. The list of topics is tailored to the needs of startups in the program.
  • Peer-to-peer learning groups
  • Feedback sessions with Rubik Hub experts
  • Ask Me Anything sessions with startup founders who have successfully raised funds ranging from 1-10M Euros 

Phase 2 (3 months)

Raising Investment

  • Mapping the investors (ticket size, verticals, geographies, etc)
  • Warm intros to exclusive investors
  • Feedback sessions with Rubik Hub experts
  • Peer-to-peer learning groups

After working with more than 300 startup founders in the past six years, we have learned that the fundraising process can be both scary and exhilarating. It cannot be taken lightly, and our goal is to help founders learn how to navigate this emotional rollercoaster more effectively. That’s why we created the Ready to Raise Program, which is structured in two phases:

Phase 1 (2 months)

Investment Readiness

  • Interactive workshops covering a wide range of key aspects involved in the fundraising process. These include strategies and tips on identifying and approaching ideal investors/VCs, raising your first/second round, valuation methods, the flow of a successful investment process, pros and cons of various financing options, key metrics to consider, and cultural differences between investors in Europe and the USA. The list of topics is tailored to the needs of startups in the program.
  • Peer-to-peer learning groups
  • Feedback sessions with Rubik Hub experts
  • Ask Me Anything sessions with startup founders who have successfully raised funds ranging from 1-10M Euros 

Phase 2 (3 months)

Raising Investment

  • Mapping the investors (ticket size, verticals, geographies, etc)
  • Warm intros to exclusive investors
  • Feedback sessions with Rubik Hub experts
  • Peer-to-peer learning groups

Discover the Mentors & Curricula

Fundraising for Startups

Rumen

Rumen Iliev is a Partner at LAUNCHub Ventures (Launch hub), a Seed fund, focused on investing in entrepreneurs from the SEE region.

Working every day with bright and dedicated founders and entrepreneurs is what Rumen does for a living. A long, long time ago Rumen received a degree in business and got involved with several multinational organizations before setting up his own consultancy business and then leaving it to become a VC.

Cap Table Modeling

Gautam Kumar

Gautam is the Head of Accelerator Investments & Education at GoingVC which is a Silicon Valley based firm training the next generation of VCs and investing in pre-seed and seed-stage companies across the world. Formerly, Gautam was a Senior Investment Manager at SeedBlink. He is also a founding partner of Inbond Tech, a growth studio based in France and Germany focusing on pre-seed to seed SaaS B2B companies. Prior to founding Inbond Tech, Gautam had cross-functional roles in fund management, dealflow generation and portfolio management at Quake Capital Partners and Multiple Capital. Besides venture capital, Gautam was a content strategist at Kushim where he grew the revenue by 10x in less than six months.
He leverages his operational and venture capital experience to back ambitious founders to achieve their next round of funding and growth. He is also an active mentor at WeWork Labs, Supercharger Ventures, IIDF, Rubik Hub, WEVE New York and many others.

Startup Valuation & Structuring the Round

Karolina

Karolina was born and raised in Prague before moving to New York in her early 20s. She began her professional life at 18, building a successful career as a fashion model. While modeling, Karolina graduated cum laude from NYU Stern School of Business with a dual degree in Finance and Marketing. In 2018, she joined White Star Capital where she spent five years investing in North America with a focus on consumer internet and marketplace businesses across different verticals.

At Credo, Karolina loves connecting with ambitious and talented founders from the CEE region, sharing a common history, humor and culture, while being able to provide help, the perspective of a Series A investor, and a bridge to North America.

She loves spending her free time with family and friends, in nature, and staying active. She enjoys running, cycling, horseriding, and snowboarding in the winter. She also picked up chess, where she’s (slowly) learning how not to be a sore loser. Karolina lives between Istanbul and Prague.

AMA Session with Startup Founders

Stefan Iarca

Passionate about Machine Learning and AI, Stefan is the co-founder of Rayscape, a startup that uses AI to assist radiologists in analysing medical images, cutting analysis time by about 25% while also reducing the risk of human error. 

AMA Session with Startup Founders

Mark-Bugas

Mark was previously a founder before joining an early-stage B2B SaaS company where he scaled from $0 to $20MM in ARR and from Seed to Series C as the go-to-market lead and sales leader. He has brought 5 different products to market, generated millions in revenue individually, and hired and scaled a commercial B2B revenue team.

He spent two-and-a-half years in venture capital investing roles, including with the UVA Seed Fund, Sands Capital Ventures, and Fuel Venture Capital, where he met Vlad. Mark earned his Bachelor’s in Peace & Conflict Studies at Colgate University and a Master’s in Business Administration with concentrations in entrepreneurship, venture capital, and management science at UVA’s Darden School of Business.

AMA Session with Startup Founders

Rytis-Jakubauskas

Long-term Investment Strategy and Growth Management

Theodor Genoiu

Theo is an Investment Manager at Roca X and has over 3 years of experience in Venture Capital, Startup Growth and Investments and over 7 years of experience within financial institutions. He is specialized strategy, stakeholder management, research and holds a certification in Risk and Crisis Management from The London School Of Economics & Political Science. Theo is actively engaged in Roca X’s portfolio in verticals such as MedTech, EduTech, FinTech & PropTech.

Term Sheet & Legal Tips

Sonia Federovici

Sonia is a General Partner and the Head of Legal at Roca X, she holds a Master’s Degree in Law & Technology from The University of Oslo and is one of the most experienced VC and startup lawyers in Eastern Europe. She has managed the legal & due diligence aspects of every transaction that Roca X has been a part of since its inception and has also led the team’s efforts to become the first Romanian management team to be registered under the European Venture Capital Regulation.

Fundraising Tips & Negotiations with Investors

Bence-Banhalmi

After graduating from the University of Cambridge, he started his career in Private Equity at Blackrock Private Equity Partners and then transitioned into venture capital. Before moving back to Budapest and joining Portfolion, he worked as a Fintech investor at Fidelity International Strategic Ventures based in London, which span out of Eight Roads Ventures in 2020. At Portfolion, Bence focuses on early-stage investments from Seed to Series B and is especially excited about fintech, infrastructure software, and climate technology.

What Investors are Looking for - KPIs, Team, History, etc.

Oleh

In 2021, Oleh began his journey with Flyer One as a Growth Manager, where he focused on enhancing the portfolio’s growth, performance marketing, and B2B sales. He has since transitioned to the role of Investment Manager and Head of Platform, where he oversees pipeline management, startup due diligence, and the development of their community and fund partnerships. Before this, he kick-started his career at Deloitte, attempted to launch his own direct-to-consumer food startup, and engaged in public sector consulting for the development of the Ukrainian Economic Strategy 2030.

Are you an investor?

We are looking for friendly investors who are willing to get to know the founders beyond a 3-minute pitch and offer constructive feedback.

If you are one of them, get involved in our program and:

  • Gain access to a deal flow
  • Connect with top startups from Romania and other CEE countries seeking investment
  • Connect with other investors and mentors within the Rubik Hub community
  • Become part of the Rubik Hub community

Discover the Mentors & Curricula

Cap Table Modeling

Gautam Kumar

Gautam is the Head of Accelerator Investments & Education at GoingVC which is a Silicon Valley based firm training the next generation of VCs and investing in pre-seed and seed-stage companies across the world. Formerly, Gautam was a Senior Investment Manager at SeedBlink. He is also a founding partner of Inbond Tech, a growth studio based in France and Germany focusing on pre-seed to seed SaaS B2B companies. Prior to founding Inbond Tech, Gautam had cross-functional roles in fund management, dealflow generation and portfolio management at Quake Capital Partners and Multiple Capital. Besides venture capital, Gautam was a content strategist at Kushim where he grew the revenue by 10x in less than six months.
He leverages his operational and venture capital experience to back ambitious founders to achieve their next round of funding and growth. He is also an active mentor at WeWork Labs, Supercharger Ventures, IIDF, Rubik Hub, WEVE New York and many others.

Fundraising for Startups

Rumen

Rumen Iliev is a Partner at LAUNCHub Ventures (Launch hub), a Seed fund, focused on investing in entrepreneurs from the SEE region.

Working every day with bright and dedicated founders and entrepreneurs is what Rumen does for a living. A long, long time ago Rumen received a degree in business and got involved with several multinational organizations before setting up his own consultancy business and then leaving it to become a VC.

Startup Valuation & Structuring the Round

Karolina

Karolina was born and raised in Prague before moving to New York in her early 20s. She began her professional life at 18, building a successful career as a fashion model. While modeling, Karolina graduated cum laude from NYU Stern School of Business with a dual degree in Finance and Marketing. In 2018, she joined White Star Capital where she spent five years investing in North America with a focus on consumer internet and marketplace businesses across different verticals.

At Credo, Karolina loves connecting with ambitious and talented founders from the CEE region, sharing a common history, humor and culture, while being able to provide help, the perspective of a Series A investor, and a bridge to North America.

She loves spending her free time with family and friends, in nature, and staying active. She enjoys running, cycling, horseriding, and snowboarding in the winter. She also picked up chess, where she’s (slowly) learning how not to be a sore loser. Karolina lives between Istanbul and Prague.

AMA Session with Startup Founders

Stefan Iarca

Passionate about Machine Learning and AI, Stefan is the co-founder of Rayscape, a startup that uses AI to assist radiologists in analysing medical images, cutting analysis time by about 25% while also reducing the risk of human error. 

AMA Session with Startup Founders

Rytis-Jakubauskas

AMA Session with Startup Founders

Mark-Bugas

Mark was previously a founder before joining an early-stage B2B SaaS company where he scaled from $0 to $20MM in ARR and from Seed to Series C as the go-to-market lead and sales leader. He has brought 5 different products to market, generated millions in revenue individually, and hired and scaled a commercial B2B revenue team.

He spent two-and-a-half years in venture capital investing roles, including with the UVA Seed Fund, Sands Capital Ventures, and Fuel Venture Capital, where he met Vlad. Mark earned his Bachelor’s in Peace & Conflict Studies at Colgate University and a Master’s in Business Administration with concentrations in entrepreneurship, venture capital, and management science at UVA’s Darden School of Business.

Long-term Investment Strategy and Growth Management

Theodor Genoiu

Theo is an Investment Manager at Roca X and has over 3 years of experience in Venture Capital, Startup Growth and Investments and over 7 years of experience within financial institutions. He is specialized strategy, stakeholder management, research and holds a certification in Risk and Crisis Management from The London School Of Economics & Political Science. Theo is actively engaged in Roca X’s portfolio in verticals such as MedTech, EduTech, FinTech & PropTech.

Term Sheet & Legal Tips

Sonia Federovici

Sonia is a General Partner and the Head of Legal at Roca X, she holds a Master’s Degree in Law & Technology from The University of Oslo and is one of the most experienced VC and startup lawyers in Eastern Europe. She has managed the legal & due diligence aspects of every transaction that Roca X has been a part of since its inception and has also led the team’s efforts to become the first Romanian management team to be registered under the European Venture Capital Regulation.

Fundraising Tips & Negotiations with Investors

Bence-Banhalmi

After graduating from the University of Cambridge, he started his career in Private Equity at Blackrock Private Equity Partners and then transitioned into venture capital. Before moving back to Budapest and joining Portfolion, he worked as a Fintech investor at Fidelity International Strategic Ventures based in London, which span out of Eight Roads Ventures in 2020. At Portfolion, Bence focuses on early-stage investments from Seed to Series B and is especially excited about fintech, infrastructure software, and climate technology.

What Investors are Looking for - KPIs, Team, History, etc.

Oleh

In 2021, Oleh began his journey with Flyer One as a Growth Manager, where he focused on enhancing the portfolio’s growth, performance marketing, and B2B sales. He has since transitioned to the role of Investment Manager and Head of Platform, where he oversees pipeline management, startup due diligence, and the development of their community and fund partnerships. Before this, he kick-started his career at Deloitte, attempted to launch his own direct-to-consumer food startup, and engaged in public sector consulting for the development of the Ukrainian Economic Strategy 2030.

Are you an investor?

We are looking for friendly investors who are willing to get to know the founders beyond a 3-minute pitch and offer constructive feedback.

If you are one of them, get involved in our program and:

  • Gain access to a deal flow
  • Connect with top startups from Romania and other CEE countries seeking investment
  • Connect with other investors and mentors within the Rubik Hub community
  • Become part of the Rubik Hub community

Who is it for?

Closing an investment round requires not only knowledge but also time. It’s a process of developing trust with an investor that needs to be nurtured. Our goal is to support startups that we trust throughout this process. That’s why we created this program exclusively for top alumni of our Rubik Garage accelerator.

However, if you’re not an alumnus of our accelerator but you’re prepared to start your fundraising process and need support, please complete the form below, and we’ll get back to you after we review your application.

Benefits

As with all Rubik Hub programs, the founders have access to a Startup Support Package, which includes $150,000 in total credits, as well as other perks, freebies, and discounts from our partners (Notion, AWS, MiroHubSpot, FREYA Sense, and SMSO).

Founders also receive free access to our coworking space and support in finding accommodations in Piatra Neamț, Romania.

Who is it for?

Closing an investment round requires not only knowledge but also time. It’s a process of developing trust with an investor that needs to be nurtured. Our goal is to support startups that we trust throughout this process. That’s why we created this program exclusively for top alumni of our Rubik Garage accelerator.

However, if you’re not an alumnus of our accelerator but you’re prepared to start your fundraising process and need support, please complete the form below, and we’ll get back to you after we review your application.

Benefits

As with all Rubik Hub programs, the founders have access to a Startup Support Package, which includes $150,000 in total credits, as well as other perks, freebies, and discounts from our partners (Notion, AWS, MiroHubSpot, FREYA Sense, and SMSO). Founders also receive free access to our coworking space and support in finding accommodations in Piatra Neamț, Romania.