What if Romanian companies didn’t just grow locally but scaled internationally with confidence, clarity, and the right kind of support?
That was the vision behind MoonShotX, a strategic program launched in 2024 by InnovX in partnership with Raiffeisen Bank Romania. But it didn’t start with a press release. It started with a real question:
“What’s actually stopping mid-sized Romanian companies from expanding beyond borders?”
The answer wasn’t a lack of ambition. It was something deeper: a combination of limited access to strategic mentorship, localized business networks, fear of the unknown, and cultural hesitation to “go big.”
So InnovX and Raiffeisen Bank Romania decided to flip the script. They created MoonShotX : a program designed to do three things:
👉 Offer personalized analysis and guidance to each business
👉 Replace “generic training” with sharp, tactical advice
👉 And most importantly: create a culture where internationalization becomes a habit.
A Unique Program
Unlike business accelerators, MoonShotX is a truly unique scaling program tailored for Romania’s mid‑corporates - companies with €5 - €50M in revenue, built as a strategic response to a specific gap: companies too mature for startup programs, yet still in need of targeted support to scale internationally.
That’s where MoonShotX fits in.
It began with diagnostic sessions. One-on-one deep dives between companies and expert mentors to analyze each business model, growth opportunity, and expansion path. These sessions offered tailored insight and strategic clarity, grounded in each company’s reality.
The message was clear: There’s no one-size-fits-all roadmap. But there’s a right path for you.
MoonShotX Program Journey
📊The Bootcamp: Where Mindset Meets Momentum
The energy of the first bootcamp was palpable: a mix of curiosity, excitement, and discovery. Over five days, 21 companies (collectively representing €233M in revenue) gathered with one goal: to grow.
They came from industries as diverse as IT & Software Development, Cybersecurity, Energy, Retail & eCommerce, Healthcare, Logistics & Transport, Agriculture, Construction Materials, GreenTech & Sustainability, EdTech, Real Estate & PropTech, Manufacturing, HR & Workforce Solutions, Finance & FinTech, Beauty & Cosmetics, Telecom & Infrastructure, and Smart City Solutions. Some were new. Others had decades of experience. What they shared was a willingness to explore. And that made all the difference.
With support from 34 Raiffeisen experts and 20 InnovX mentors, participants tackled challenges across:
- Financing & capital access
- IP protection & legal structures
- M&A strategy
- EU Green Deal opportunities
- Sustainability leadership
- Business diplomacy
- Motivations for scaling and how to stay grounded through it
Over 60 C-level leaders participated, including 33% women in leadership roles. Speakers came from global corporations, embassies, venture capital, diplomacy, and law, including reps from 6 embassies, 17 success-story companies, and 12 financing institutions.
One clear takeaway? Internationalization is definitely a mindset shift.
🌍 Internationalisation Phase
After foundations were set, MoonShotX entered its most dynamic phase: international expansion. Through three carefully curated missions - Vienna, Austria, Washington, USA, and London, United Kingdom - cohort companies transformed talk into action, sharpened presentations, and dove deep into conversation with strategic partners.
Vienna, Austria
The MoonShotX journey abroad began in Vienna, where the cohort was welcomed into the heart of Central Europe’s business ecosystem. The event, hosted at Raiffeisen Bank International AG headquarters, set the tone for real conversations, strategic introductions, and high expectations.
Over two days, companies participated in panels focused on regional financing strategies, legal and tax frameworks, IP protection, and cross-border investment. The message was clear: Austria is a filter for scalable ideas, and the right kind of place to test your ambition.
Strategic partners such as DLA Piper, Microsoft, Elevator Ventures, and Raiffeisen Bank International AG brought insight to every session. The fireside chat, moderated by Cristian Hostiuc, the Editorial Director of Ziarul Financiar, emphasized the power of economic diplomacy, with representatives from the Vienna Business Agency underscoring the city’s appetite for innovation.
For the first MoonShotX cohort, Vienna wasn’t just about networking. It was about pressure-testing their readiness. For many, this was the first time engaging with regional VCs and corporate players in a context where every word counted.
Vienna Orbit Aftermovie
Washington, USA
The second international stop brought the cohort to one of the world’s most dynamic stages for investment and diplomacy: the SelectUSA Summit in Washington, D.C.
Here, MoonShotX scaled up both in visibility and stakes. Over 100 participants from more than 10 countries gathered to explore transatlantic opportunities. The program’s presence was amplified through strategic engagements with partners like Microsoft, DLA Piper, UiPath , US Embassy Bucharest, Romania, and economic development representatives from cities including Miami, Chicago, and New York.
The Romanian Embassy in the U.S., under the leadership of H.E. Dan-Andrei Muraru, hosted a powerful reception that brought public and private voices together. It was a moment that spotlighted the value of MoonShotX as a vehicle for economic diplomacy.
The cohort also had its own stage - the MoonShotX Charging Station - a mini-interview space where founders shared their reflections on the U.S. ecosystem, including their impressions of accessibility, clarity, and support from the American business environment.
Their interviews reflected a shared theme: internationalization is not only possible, but welcomed.
Just three weeks after the U.S. mission, most of the participating companies had already started conversations with new partners. The traction was real, and the groundwork was in motion.
MoonShotX USA Aftermovie
London, UK
The London Orbit was perhaps the most strategic and symbolic stop, positioning the MoonShotX program in the very center of global finance and diplomacy.
The event was held at the London Stock Exchange, and it brought together trade, tech, and institutional leadership, perfectly capturing the spirit of cross-sector collaboration. The opening keynotes set the tone: HMA Giles Portman, UK Ambassador to Romania; HMTC Chris Barton CMG, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Europe; and Axel Kalinowski, Head of Central & Southern Europe at the London Stock Exchange , each shared sharp insights on trade relations, investment culture, and the unique opportunity Romanian companies have at this economic intersection.
InnovX & Raiffeisen Bank Romania brought the voice of the program to the stage, not in theory, but with real data, stories, and vision. Seasoned voices in global investment journalism added depth to the narrative with her moderation and global perspective.
In the background, the MoonShotX team worked hands-on with every company, both before and during the event. They ran presentation simulations, held one-on-one feedback sessions, and created space for every founder to refine and adapt their message to the London audience. Much appreciation for our partners, Department for Business and Trade and British Embassy in Bucharest for the amazing support and collaboration, especially for this UK Ignition event.
By the end of the mission, partnership discussions were already unfolding, a testament to the level of preparedness, relevance, and relationship-building that MoonShotX makes possible.
UK Aftermovie
Expanding the Map
After opening doors to Austria, the United States, and the United Kingdom, MoonShotX is heading even further, next stop being in: Asia. New markets, new mindsets, and new possibilities are now on the horizon.
Our compass is set to #Elevate, unlocking global access and raising the bar for business excellence. And yes, there’s more to come.
The Scale of the Effort
What does it take to unlock international growth for Romania’s mid-sized business champions? The first five months of MoonShotX paint a clear picture of intense mentorship, strategic investment, and cross-border collaboration. Behind every workshop, simulation, and meeting were hours of preparation and personalized guidance tailored to each company's unique trajectory.
The numbers tell the story best:
Over the course of the first five months of the program, dozens of expert mentors worked side by side with participating companies, guiding them through deep-dive diagnostic sessions, tailored business planning, and hands-on expansion readiness.
Strategic meetings were organized with key stakeholders across multiple markets, complemented by 1-on-1 mentoring sessions and pitch simulations that sharpened every presentation. Behind the scenes, hundreds of hours went into preparing deliverables, customizing workshops, and designing market approaches that fit each company’s needs, not a template.
And this was just the beginning.
Our Alumni Voices
What happens when mid-corporates go through months of strategy discussions, tailored mentoring, and international expansion? We're grateful to the alumni who shared their stories, including Dragos Brudiu (Bento - Intellectually Curious), Mihail Vlad (Softia), Bogdan Urdea (RAP Tronic Process Engineering), Emilian Dan Cartis (Eco Garden Construct), OCTAVIAN BLAJAN (Euro Team Gb Spedition), Andrei Danila (CODE932), Flavius Cazan (Depozit Virtual | Virtual Warehouse), Melinda Mureșan (SmartWrap Romania), and Mihail Vlad (Softia).
Across all these reflections, one thing is clear: MoonShotX delivered far more than a checklist of deliverables. Companies walked away with refined internationalization strategies, clearer investor positioning, and, in some cases, direct access to strategic acquisition opportunities.
Others unlocked practical steps for soft-landing in new markets, connected with key stakeholders from the UK, US, and beyond, or simply gained the clarity and confidence to lead their teams into the next phase of growth. Whether it was a deal in progress, targeted B2B meetings in the U.S., or the courage to present on international stages, each business left the program with sharper tools, stronger networks, and a renewed sense of purpose. It was scale, not just in size, but in mindset, execution, and ambition.
🌱 For the Visionaries About to Take the Leap
To the new companies preparing to join MoonShotX:
MoonShotX is a reset button. A mirror. A launchpad. It’s your chance to step outside the day-to-day and look at your business with a new pair of eyes; eyes that see not just where you are, but where you could be.
You’ll be asked big questions. You’ll be challenged to think globally. And you’ll leave with more clarity, connections, and confidence than you thought possible.
You won’t be doing this alone. From day one, you’ll be surrounded by people who want to see you win, mentors who’ve built empires, partners who open markets, and field experts who’ve sat in your seat. Every session, every meeting, every mission is designed to help you elevate your strategy, your presence, and your outcomes.
This isn’t about fitting into someone else’s roadmap. It’s about building your own, with a world-class support system walking alongside you.
🌕 Ready to Elevate?
Registration is open until September 15 👉 Apply here
Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Create it. MoonShotX is here to challenge you, support you, and take you further than you’ve gone before.
And if you’re curious about what that really looks like 👀 Keep your eyes on the MoonShotX LinkedIn page and our new article series, Scaling Beyond Borders. We’ll take you behind the scenes, share insights from our mentors, explore the inner mechanics of international expansion, and show you what it means to grow with guidance, not guesswork.
Sorin Suciu , Diana DUMITRESCU, PhD. , Cristian Hostiuc , Laura Mihaila , Liviu Mihai , Livia Fericean , Daniel Dumitrescu, PhD. , Andreea Porojan , Cristian Marius Sporis
Passport ready, mindset steady!
Until next time,
The MoonShotX Team