Over 60 startup founders and mentors participated in the Rubik Garage Founders Bootcamp in our hub

October 10, 2024

From September 25th to 27th, more than 60 founders and startups participated in the Founders Bootcamp, the kickoff event of the Rubik Garage accelerator, edition 7. Alongside the teams selected for the seventh edition of the program, experienced mentors, including Andrei Văcuț, EMEA Senior Director at UiPath, Romania’s first unicorn, attended the event.

The Bootcamp was the first in-person meeting for the selected teams, providing an opportunity to connect with our community. Over three days, the teams participated in workshops, working sessions, and individual discussions, all aimed at refining their strategies and offering fresh perspectives. The founders pitched their innovative solutions in three-minute presentations and received feedback from the audience.

“The Rubik Hub team succeeded in bringing early-stage international startups together and creating a platform where they could connect with mentors and learn about product development, pricing strategies, and investments. After this Bootcamp, founders should reassess their progress and ensure that they are placing the customer at the core of their decisions. I would advise them to shift their focus from their product and focus more on the value they can create for their customers,” said Alexandru Chifu, investor at Fortech Investments. 

One of the most appreciated moments was an open Ask Me Anything session on a crucial topic for startups—securing venture capital investments. Four key mentors from the Romanian startup ecosystem shared their expertise: Mircea Ghiță (Metis Ventures), Răzvan Șută (Startup Wise Guys), Alina Georgescu (Catalyst Romania), and Alexandru Chifu (Fortech Investments).

Andrei Văcuț (UiPath) led an open session where he answered questions on sales strategies and growth. UiPath, the company that put Romania on the global map of top tech startups, served as an inspiration for everyone present. Mentor-led sessions also included “Value Proposition & Ideal Client Profile” by Tudor Goicea, founder of Aqurate, and “Pricing Strategy & Business Modelling” by Emanuel Martonca, founder of Soft Fight.

Additionally,we organized four working groups, covering topics essential to startups: marketing, investments, product development, and sales. Each group included expert mentors, and each startup presented its specific challenges, seeking solutions and ideas to strengthen their current strategies.

The startups operate in fields such as HealthTech, LegalTech, Martech, Data Tech, EdTech, PropTech, HRTech, DeepTech, HoReCa, E-commerce, and Mobility. Their clients come from a wide range of countries, including Spain, Romania, Greece, the UK, Belgium, Canada, and India.

About the Program

For the seventh edition of the Rubik Garage accelerator, we selected 13 startups: Apollo Technologies, Brainactive, CraftGenie AI, Fairytales, Forensics Lab, FreedHome, GapMatch, Ruuts.travel, SiWeGO – Smart Eco Transport, STEMIX.TECH, SQBRobotics, Waitless, and WeReload.

The teams come from Romania, Italy, Bulgaria, and Hungary, with customers in countries such as Spain, Romania, Greece, the UK, Belgium, Canada, and India. These startups were selected from over 100 applications from 16 countries, highlighting the competitiveness and high quality of the participating teams. The startups are active in several verticals, including Medtech, marketing, EdTech, HR, HoReCa, e-commerce, and mobility.

Until the end of November, the teams will continue with an intensive program, featuring over 60 hours of workshops, feedback sessions, and coaching. These sessions are crucial for refining growth strategies, expanding into European markets, and attracting new investments. With guidance from mentors—investors, founders, and industry experts—the teams will receive valuable insights to accelerate their growth.

The highlight of this edition will be Demo Day, on November 28th in Bucharest, where the 13 startups will showcase their solutions to an audience of investors, corporations, and potential clients.

We look forward to seeing you there!