Every startup journey begins with an idea. But transforming that idea into a thriving, scalable business requires structure, expertise, and the right community. That’s where STARTUPsX comes in.
This year’s edition brought together a diverse group of early-stage startups from across Europe, representing industries as varied as health-and-medtech, cleantech, robotics, mobility, proptech, agritech, and beyond. Founders were guided through a structured path designed to give them the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to grow.
Backed by our position as an official partner of the EIC - European Innovation Council, the program benefits from a unique network of European expertise and opportunities, giving startups access to one of the most powerful innovation ecosystems in the world.
The program unfolded in two major phases:
- The Acceleration Phase – a deep dive into strategy, financials, and storytelling, where startups refined their business models and pitches with the support of industry experts.
- The Matchmaking Phase – the high-energy finale, where founders took the stage in front of investors, corporate partners, and foreign markets representatives.
From the very first workshop to the final pitching session, STARTUPsX proved once again why it is one of the most valuable early-stage accelerators in the region: a place where innovation meets opportunity, and where every participant - startups, experts, and partners alike - plays a vital role in shaping the future.
Acceleration Phase: From Ideas to Strong Business Foundations
The journey began with the Acceleration Phase - an intensive series of workshops, trainings, and practice sessions designed to help startups sharpen their vision and prepare for the challenges ahead.
This year’s cohort brought together Amarastesia LTD, LICENSEWARE, Fibercon UK, Gov-Smart, Legit, MedMentor, Vortex IQ - The Agentic OS for Commerce, MOVE ON, Dyver.AI, TruthRise, EFM, Vesicly, ALGUNO, Mai Call, Temok Technologies, Wind Mind, Airis Vision, VB SMART, Qurater, Balvia Ecosystems, SUNU2, HD Tech Labs, Trigan, and X1 Wind.
Acceleration Phase Highlights
- an inspiring delegation of founders from across six major industries: healthcare, biotech, retail, farming, software, and renewable energy. Each of them stepped into the program ready to pitch, learn, connect, and scale.
From the very first Opening Day, the energy was unmistakable. Guided by Anca Luca (Chief Growth Officer, InnovX), the cohort discovered what this journey truly meant: learning, mentoring, and building investor-ready pitch decks. Alongside her, Gabriel Arabu (Startups Engagement Assistant, InnovX) became the go-to person for all things logistics, materials, and behind-the-scenes support, ensuring that founders had everything they needed to thrive.
The day also marked the introduction of SKInnovation as a program partner, with Valentin Spörk sharing how they would be supporting startups throughout their journey.
Opening Day Team
And then came the power sessions:
- Microsoft brought a stellar team on stage, with Aimen Aldahash (ISV Partner Development Manager), Sergiu Pop (Data & AI Specialist), Robert Pufan (Senior Partner Solution Architect), and Ovidiu Pismac ( Senior Security Cloud Solution Architect) - covering everything from AI to productivity to cybersecurity.
- Alex Malureanu , Co-Founder & CMO of ASCENDIA S.A., an InnovX alumnus, followed with a community case study, inspiring the cohort with lessons from building and scaling a tech company.
- Finally, Google took the spotlight with Claudiu Hobjila, who outlined why converging technologies (AI, blockchain, cloud, data) matter more than ever, and Andrei Giura (DevRel at MultiversX Labs), who shared their collaboration with Google as a real-world success story.
Power Sessions Highlights
If Day 1 was about vision and inspiration, Day 2 was all about practice and precision: perfecting the pitch. With more than 40 participants in the (virtual) room (startups, mentors, investors, and corporate leaders) the energy was electric.
Under the guidance of Anca Luca, the day unfolded across three focus areas:
- Pitch Preparation for Investors, with Liviu Munteanu (Partner, Founders Bridge) and Pavlos Loizou (CEO, Ask Wire), who broke down what truly captures investor attention.
- Pitch Preparation for Entering New Markets, with Emanuel Cernat (Managing Partner, Corporate Affairs Strategies), Ionut Gavrilescu (Co-Founder & CEO, FieldOS), and Kamil Sterna (CEO, Autosymed SRL), who shared strategies for adapting business pitches across borders.
- Pitch Preparation for Corporates, with Mihai Stanciu (Head of Digital Innovation, PPC Romania), who gave an outstanding presentation on what it means to partner with a corporation and how to pitch effectively. Following him, Gergana Stancheva (COO & Co-Founder, LAM'ON® Compostable Films, InnovX alumna) took the mic and highlighted what it really takes to build win–win partnerships with industry leaders.
What stood out most during this stage was not just the knowledge shared but the community spirit. Founders discovered that while their industries were different, the challenges of building a scalable business connected them all. Together, they formed a collaborative environment where every pitch, question, and insight became a learning opportunity.
Pitch Practice and Feedback
By the end of the Acceleration Phase, each startup had not only refined its business and pitch deck but also gained the resilience and clarity needed to face the high-stakes moments that would follow in the Matchmaking Phase.
Selection Day: Unlocking the Next Level
After weeks of workshops, practice sessions, and feedback rounds, the Acceleration Phase culminated in an important milestone: Selection Day.
Out of the 24 ambitious startups that began this journey, 10 were selected to advance into the Matchmaking Phase, securing their spot on the big stage where they would pitch in front of investors, corporates, and new market representatives across four continents.
Congratulations to Amarastesia LTD, X1 Wind, Dyver.AI, MOVE ON, HD Tech Labs, Vesicly, Legit, Trigan, and EFM - a cohort of companies that impressed with their clarity, innovation, and growth potential.
Selection Day Highlights
But Selection Day was about celebrating the entire delegation of startups that joined this edition of STARTUPsX. Every single founder brought ideas, energy, and vision that made the program truly inspiring.
Congratulations to each and every innovator who joined the STARTUPsX Program: Dr. Roxana B. Kerns (CEO of Amarastesia LTD), Susant Patro (CEO & Co-Founder of Vortex IQ - The Agentic OS for Commerce) & Sambit Patra (COO & Co-Founder of Vortex IQ - The Agentic OS for Commerce), Octavian Dumitrescu (CEO & Co-Founder of Dyver.AI), Omer Faruk KOC (Founder & CEO of MOVE ON), Drazen Orescanin (Board Member Business Development at Legit), Miłosz Jamroży (CEO at EFM), Carlos Luzzani (CEO & Co-Founder at Vesicly), Lucas Fraiha (BD Associate at X1 Wind), Alin Daniel Iftemi (Co-Founder of HD Tech Labs), Aaron Sarginson (Co-Founder Trigan), Alexandru Bodnariuc (Founder of Medmentor), Florin Iovu (CEO, Strategy & GTM at TruthRise), Abdelilah HAMMADA (CEO & Founder at ALGUNO), Vadym Bortnyk (CEO & Founder of Mai Call) & Eva Hodosh ( Growth & Business Development Lead at Mai Call), Oleg Calugher (Co-Founder Temok Technologies), Rami Kamoun (Co-Founder of VB SMART), Wassim Fourati (B2B Marketer at VB SMART), Jenaro (Jero) García Martín (Founder of SUNU2), Alexandru Panait (Founder at Gov-Smart), Virginia Zetu (CEO & Founder of Fibercon UK), Alex Cojocaru (CEO at LICENSEWARE), Odai Shhab (Co-Founder Qurater), Andrei Iancu (Co-founder & Chief Product Officer at Qurater), Charles Gedeon (CTO at Qurater), Bruno Costa (Founder & CEO at Balvia Ecosystems)
This milestone was proof that STARTUPsX is a platform for learning, connection, and long-term growth.
Matchmaking Phase: Where Innovation Meets Opportunity
With only 10 startups advancing to this stage, the Matchmaking Phase was the true test of readiness: three days, three different audiences, and countless opportunities to connect with the decision-makers that can change a founder’s trajectory.
Day 1: Pitching in Front of Investors 🎤
The Matchmaking Phase opened with high energy as our cohort pitched in front of some of the most respected investors and VCs in the InnovX community. From renewable energy and AI-driven automation to agritech, medtech, and digital platforms, the startups demonstrated just how diverse and ambitious this delegation really was.
Each founder had 3 minutes to pitch and 3 minutes of Q&A to convince the panel, and the engagement was remarkable: sharp questions, constructive feedback, and even first steps toward potential collaborations.
We were proud to welcome an outstanding group of investors, including: Belizar Marinov (Principal at Eleven Ventures), Alin V. Stanciu and Lorena Scheusan (from Catalyst Romania), Liviu Munteanu ( Partner at Founders Bridge), 💫 Ciprian Man (Founder of Growceanu), Gábor Pénzes (Investment Manager at Impact Ventures), Vlad Panait . (Managing Partner & Founder at Sparking Capital), Valentin Filip (Investor Fortech Investments), Tiberiu Stefan ( VC Professional at cleverage.vc), Suleiman A (Investment Principal at Elevator Ventures), Bogdan Stoian ( Head of Operations at SeedBlink), Oleksandr Bulatnikov (Defense & Security Investor at Presto Ventures), Mircea Ghita (Principal at Metis Ventures), Eduard Burghelia ( Venture Partner at V7 Capital), Ivona Javorović ( Investment Associate at Feelsgood), and Alexandru Bogdan (CEO at ROCA X).
👏 Congratulations to Amarastesia LTD, X1 Wind, Dyver.AI, MOVE ON, HD Tech Labs, Vesicly, Legit, Trigan, and EFM, who pitched their growth stories with confidence and vision.
Day 1 was proof that ambition and preparation meet opportunity when startups and investors engage in real dialogue.
Investor Pitch Day
Day 2: Pitching in Front of Corporates 💼
If Day 1 was about funding, Day 2 was about partnerships. Startups pitched their solutions directly to leading corporate innovators in the ecosystem, showcasing how their technologies could solve real business challenges.
The response? Outstanding. Corporate partners expressed strong interest, and several immediately asked to be connected with startups for potential collaborations. This is exactly what Matchmaking is all about: turning pitches into bridges for future business.
We were proud to have with us an exceptional lineup of corporate representatives: Annelies Mensink (Open Innovation Manager, Stahl), Mihai Stanciu (Head of Digital Innovation, PPC Romania), Patricia Lucia Coconea (Sales and Marketing Director, DHL), Michael Holtkamp (Head of Open Innovation, LG Electronics), Razvan Tudor (Director of Risk & KYC, Electrica), Ana Bobirca (Supervisory Board Member, Hidroelectrica), Bogdan Urdea (Sales & Development Director, RAP Tronic Process Engineering), Marius Ionita (CEO, Alumil Romania), Cristina Bucur (Counsel, DLA Piper), Gabriel Blanita (Associate Director, Colliers), Mihaela Stancu (Legal & Government Relations Director, Procter & Gamble), Steliana Moraru (Head of Growth & Digital Marketing, TotalSoft), Bogdan Stefan (Managing Director IT, Euro Exim Bank), and CRISTIAN OPREA (Development Director, SmartWrap Romania).
Corporate Pitch Day
🌍 Congratulations once again to the startups, who brought vision, creativity, and business-ready solutions to the corporate stage.
Day 3: Pitching in Front of New Market Representatives 🌍
We were honored to hear from:
- Paul Pfaffelhuber (Business Location Consultant, ABA - INVEST in AUSTRIA) – highlighting Vienna as a launchpad into DACH.
- Cristina Dragu 🇬🇧💰🚀 (Director of Foreign Direct Investment, British Embassy Bucharest) – a leading voice for UK–Romania business ties.
- Paula Kant (Head of Investment Promotion, Invest Hong Kong), Roxana Maricutu (Deputy Head, Investment Promotion, Invest Hong Kong), Fernando de la Cal González (Deputy Head, Investment Promotion, Invest Hong Kong) – Hong Kong’s powerhouse team connecting startups with Asia’s hub.
- Manuel-Iulian Cazac (U.S. Relations Manager, AmCham Romania) – a key connector across the Atlantic.
- Daisuke Kudo (Founder & Managing Director, TRIPLE HOUSE Advisory & Consulting / Investment & Asset Management – guiding startups into the Japanese market.
- Priscila Tie Assahida Moreira (Head of Business Development, ENRICH in LAC) – building bridges between Europe and Latin America.
Global Markets Pitch Day
👏 Congratulations to EFM, Amarastesia LTD, X1 Wind, Dyver.AI, MOVE ON, HD Tech Labs, Legit, and Trigan, who closed the Matchmaking Phase with pitches that carried not only business potential, but also global ambition.
From Austria to Hong Kong and Japan, from the UK to Latin America, the opportunities are now wide open, and thie companies are ready to take them.
Closing & Awards: Celebrating Every Startup
As the Matchmaking Phase came to a close, one thing was clear: every single founder who joined this edition of STARTUPsX had achieved something remarkable. From the very first workshop in the Acceleration Phase to the final pitches in front of international market representatives, the cohort showed persistence, creativity, and courage.
To honor this achievement, all participating startups received their official STARTUPsX diploma, a recognition of their journey, the skills they built, and the network they are now a part of. Because in STARTUPsX, completing the program is not an ending, but the beginning of a stronger path forward.
We also celebrated those who stood out with special distinctions:
- 🏆 Best Pitch – X1 Wind
- 💡 Most Innovative Solution – Amarastesia LTD
- 🌍 Highest Scaling Potential – X1 Wind
Awards Ceremony Highlights
On top of that, our program partner SKInnovation spiced things up with a special prize: two golden tickets to their annual global pitching event on the ski slopes 🏔️⛷️. Amarastesia LTD and Dyver.AI - a chance to showcase their solutions on an even bigger and ... way more challenging stage.
Special Prize Winners
Beyond awards and recognitions, the greatest achievement lies in the connections built: between startups and investors, corporates and innovators, Europe and global markets. STARTUPsX once again proved itself as a launchpad where ideas grow into opportunities, and where founders unlock the next chapter of their scaling journeys.
Looking Ahead
STARTUPsX is where raw ideas turn into growth stories, where founders meet the right people at the right time, and where ambition transforms into global opportunity. Every edition raises the bar higher, fueled by the vision of founders, the wisdom of experts, and the power of our community.
✨ If you’re ready to take your startup to the next level, refine your strategy, connect with investors and corporates, and prepare for global growth, then STARTUPsX is for you.
👉 Register now to join the next cohort and start your journey with InnovX: https://www.f6s.com/startupsx
And none of this would have been possible without the dedication of the entire InnovX team: Diana DUMITRESCU, PhD., Anca Luca, Ana Bobirca, Bianca Păcurar, Gabriel Arabu, George Cristian Radu, Alexandra Ionescu, and every partner, expert, and supporter who walked alongside us on this journey.
Together, we bring the future closer! 💛