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MoonShotX Bootcamp Week 2025 - Where Romanian Innovation Steps Onto the Global Stage

2025-11-03
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🌍 MoonShotX Bootcamp Week 2025 - Where Romanian Innovation Steps Onto the Global Stage

MoonShotX November 26, 2025

For five days, Bucharest transformed into a powerhouse of ambition, learning, and global vision. 21 companies from industries that keep the world moving: Renewable Energy, Construction & Infrastructure, IT&C, E-commerce, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, Retail, Advertising, Telecommunications, Food, Electronics Manufacturing, and Medical Equipment, came together to take the next step in their international scaling journey.

Surrounded by an ecosystem unlike anything else in Central and Eastern Europe, this cohort was supported by 60+ speakers, 50+ experts, investors, corporate leaders, international partners, ecosystem builders, the InnovX and Raiffeisen Bank Romania teams, all united by one mission: helping founders accelerate their path to international markets.

The program architecture and scaling plan were designed by InnovX, aligned with the target audience and tailored to the development stage of the participating companies, addressing their needs for international expansion.

Throughout the week, participants refined their financial, legal, operational, and branding strategies; explored international expansion frameworks; and gained access to real tools, real insights, and real connections designed for companies that want to scale beyond borders.

This wasn’t just another week of sessions. It was a comprehensive roadmap to global readiness, built together with professionals who understand what it takes to transform local success into an international footprint.

MoonShotX Bootcamp Week 2025 has come to an end, and what unfolded over those five days marks the beginning of a new chapter for these extraordinary companies. Let's dive deeper into it!

DAY 1. MoonShotX Thinking

The first morning of the MoonShotX Bootcamp Week opened with a feeling that every founder in the room could sense the moment they stepped out of the elevator on the 31st floor of SkyTower: this was not going to be an ordinary program. It was going to be the week that asked each company to think bigger, plan sharper, and rethink what global ambition truly means.

Moderated by Diana DUMITRESCU, PhD., Chief Executive Officer of InnovX, Day 1 set the intellectual and strategic direction of the entire Bootcamp - a day built around vision, leadership, and the mindset shift required to scale beyond borders.

Diana Dumitrescu

A Morning Framed by Leadership and Partnership

The day began with a series of keynote speeches from three of the MoonShotX program’s cornerstone partners: Raiffeisen Bank Romania, DLA Piper, and Microsoft, each offering a different but complementary lens on what scaling internationally demands.

Cristian Marius Sporis, Vice-President Corporate and Investment Banking and Member of the Board of Directors at Raiffeisen Bank Romania, opened the morning with a message that blended clarity and ambition.

Cristian Sporis

His speech reminded the cohort that this Bootcamp is about discovering how to dream boldly and then build those dreams with strategy, discipline, and the right partners beside you. As he emphasized:

“Raiffeisen and InnovX are here to support you with anything you need along the way.”

Representing DLA Piper as Partner, Tudor Nedelea delivered a message about the weight and value of professionalism, a foundational element for any company preparing to step into international markets. As he noted, scaling globally is not simply about growth; it is about preparing to collaborate with partners who expect precision, reliability, and long-term vision. DLA Piper is one of the partners founders want by their side when navigating the complexity of cross-border operations.

Tudor Nedelea

From Microsoft, Gabriela Popescu, General Manager ad interim (Romania, Moldova & CIS) and Corporate, External & Legal Affairs Head for Central Europe, highlighted the transformative role of digitalization. She framed technology not as a supplementary advantage but as the very backbone of modern competitiveness. With the right guidance and technical infrastructure, companies can accelerate development, skip redundant steps, and operate at a level of efficiency that shapes both business outcomes and quality of life for the communities they serve.

Gabriela Popescu

Together, these three opening messages established a theme that would carry throughout the week: global readiness comes from the intersection of vision, expertise, and strategic alignment.

The First Reveal: 21 Companies, 21 Global Ambitions

One by one, the 21 participating companies took the stage for the MoonShotX Roundtable, offering their first three-minute look into their international expansion goals.

This was the moment where the cohort’s diversity and potential became tangible. Representing industries from renewable energy to IT&C, from food manufacturing to industrial engineering, the companies presenting were:

Polytrade Global, Riviera Works, Electroprecizia Holding, Quartz Matrix, Verla SRL, IT Teams, Instore Power Provider retail marketing services, Neakaisa.ro, mindit.io, Parapet, Optima Technology, Wolf-e Robotics, pentruanimale.ro, BitStone, Datacor, Răzvan Idicel, Homplex, Frontera Trading, IV Future, EURO NARCIS SRL, FWF.

MoonShotX Cohort 2025

In a room filled with corporate leaders, experts, investors, and strategic partners, this first roundtable helped set the trajectory for the tailored guidance each company would receive throughout the week.

Regional and Global Leadership

The day continued with one of the most anticipated sessions: a panel exploring leadership in a world where geopolitics, economic shifts, and technological breakthroughs redefine business strategies at rapid speed.

Moderated by Ana Bobirca, Chief Investment Officer at InnovX, the conversation brought together Cristian Marius Sporis and Sorin Suciu, Executive Director – Mid Corporates & Public Sector at Raiffeisen Bank Romania.

Together, they exained how leaders can navigate uncertainty, seize opportunities across borders, and build organizations capable not only of reacting to change, but of using change as a catalyst for superior performance. The dialogue highlighted a core principle of MoonShotX: scaling globally requires leaders who can think beyond the immediate horizon while remaining anchored in operational discipline.

Tech-Driven Scale: Catalyzing Global Growth Through Innovation

In a dynamic session powered by three key voices from the technology ecosystem, participants explored how innovation accelerates international reach:

Their message was clear: sustainable global growth requires scalable, intelligent, and secure systems - the kind of digital foundations that allow companies to operate with speed and precision in new markets.

Ready to Scale - Stories That Inspire Growth

Laura Mihaila, Director of Marketing, Communication and Customer Experience at Raiffeisen Bank Romania, delivered a vivid reminder that strategy and execution must always be accompanied by inspiration.

Speaking about the role of branding in a company’s evolution, she emphasized that branding is far more than just nice visuals or an eye-catching logo, summing up a company’s identity, tone, values, customer experience, and the emotional promise it delivers every single day.

Through real examples and hard-earned lessons, she showcased how vision transforms into market impact when paired with discipline and clarity.

Scaling Beyond Borders - Legal Pathways to Global Expansion

Bogdan Buta, Counsel at DLA Piper, brought founders back to one of the most critical components of scaling: legal structuring. With a pragmatic and comprehensive look at compliance, regulatory frameworks, and risk mitigation, he outlined how companies can expand safely, sustainably, and with full confidence in their international presence.

Bogdan Buta, DLA Piper

Lessons From Those Who Scaled

The final conversation of Day 1 brought together two speakers whose journeys embody the essence of MoonShotX:

Christian Leonte, Waldevar

Diana Dumitrescu, InnovX

Together, they explored the mindset and the discipline required to push through limitations, transform ideas into impact, and build companies that can thrive beyond national borders.

Day 1 of the MoonShotX Bootcamp challenged founders to think globally, plan intentionally, and see scaling as a structured, achievable, and highly strategic process.

What followed in the next days would build on this foundation, but Day 1 ensured everyone in the room was aligned, inspired, and ready to grow.

Day 2. Internationalize Your MoonShotX Project

Day 2 shifted the Bootcamp into global motion. If Day 1 was about mindset, Day 2 was about movement - crossing borders, building alliances, and understanding how diplomacy, strategy, and international cooperation shape a company’s pathway to global markets.

Opening the Day: Vision Through Partnership

The morning began with opening remarks delivered by Sorin Suciu, Executive Director for Mid Corporates & Public Sector at Raiffeisen Bank Romania, who emphasized the power of collaborative ecosystems. His message reinforced that scaling beyond borders is never a solo mission. It is built on strategic partners, long-term vision, and trust.

His words set a clear tone: the global stage rewards companies that cultivate alliances with intention.

Sorin Suciu

ELEVATE: On the Itinerary - Economic Diplomacy in Action

Moderated by Daniel Dumitrescu, PhD. and Livia Fericean (Corporate Communication & Public Affairs Lead, Raiffeisen Bank Romania), the first block of international discussions brought together representatives shaping economic bridges across Europe, Asia, and the United States.

Livia Fericean

Austria: Innovation and Investment Support

Birgit Reiter-Braunwieser, from ABA - INVEST in AUSTRIA, presented Austria’s innovation-driven economy and explained how Invest in Austria supports foreign investors from first contact to expansion. She detailed their free and confidential assistance on location benchmarking, funding opportunities, and access to networks across investment, R&D, environment, and internationalisation pillars, giving MoonShotX companies a clear picture of how Austria welcomes scalable businesses.

Japan: A New Destination in the MoonShotX Journey

Hiroshi Kudo, accompanied by Mayuko Sato from the Embassy of Japan in Romania, introduced Japan as a brand-new expansion destination for this year’s cohort.

They highlighted the key sectors of interest, relevant partnership programs, and the growing economic cooperation between Japan and Romania. Their message opened the door to a market defined by precision, technology, and trust, offering fresh opportunities for Romanian mid-corporate companies.

Hiroshi Kudo

United States: The SelectUSA Perspective

Also in this morning block, the SelectUSA presentation explored the possibilities offered by the U.S. market. With insights gathered from the SelectUSA Summit, Daniel Dumitrescu, PhD. shared reflections on how transatlantic partnerships and innovation ecosystems can accelerate international growth for Romanian founders aiming to enter North America.

Daniel Dumitescu

Together, these interventions illustrated how diplomacy and entrepreneurship intersect, forming the foundation for scalable international pathways.

ELEVATE: Beyond the Itinerary - Expanding the Global Map

In the second thematic block of the day, the discussions expanded further, bringing new countries, markets, and strategic perspectives into the cohort’s horizon.

The Republic of Moldova

H.E. Ambassador Victor Chirila spoke about Moldova’s economic resilience and the strategic importance of unity and shared vision between Romania and Moldova. His message emphasized how regional collaboration strengthens both countries in an evolving geopolitical landscape.

H.E. Victor Chirila

Greece

Konstantinos Dikaros, Head of the Commercial Office at the Embassy of Greece in Romania, presented an analysis of the Greek and Romanian economic landscapes, investment flows, inflation trends, and sales growth, highlighting Greece’s performance and strategic positioning in Southeastern Europe.

Konstantinos Dikaros

The Netherlands

Janette Verrijzer, Head of the Economic Department at the Embassy of the Netherlands, emphasized the Dutch strengths in innovation across sectors such as Life Sciences & Health, AgriFood, IT, FinTech, Logistics, Sustainable Energy, High Tech Systems, and Maritime & Water. She highlighted the Netherlands’ collaborative and sustainability-driven approach to growth.

Janette Verrijzer

Cyprus

H.E. Ambassador Pericles Stivaros, from the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus, connected Cyprus’s economic environment with the opportunities available for Romanian innovators exploring new regional markets.

H.E. Pericles Stivaros

Round Tables - Turning Diplomacy into Action

After the presentations, Day 2 moved into one of its most dynamic components: the Round Tables with Foreign Embassies and Chambers of Commerce.

Here, MoonShotX companies engaged directly with representatives from Japan, the UK, the Netherlands, Austria, Cyprus, and the British-Romanian Chamber of Commerce:

These interactions transformed insights into pathways: market entry strategies, partnership exploration, investment discussions, and practical steps for expansion into their respective countries. It was diplomacy at its most active, where conversation becomes opportunity.

Franchising Pathways for International Expansion

Corina Badiceanu, Managing Associate at DLA Piper Romania, delivered a strategic session on franchising as a scalable model for international presence. She explained legal frameworks, operational implications, and the long-term value of well-structured franchise agreements — essential knowledge for companies considering this route.

Customer-Centric Expansion

Mihai Ciuta, CX & Research Lead at Raiffeisen Bank Romania, explored how understanding people locally becomes the foundation for scaling globally. He underlined that customer-centric thinking is not only a marketing strategy, but a structural approach to sustainable international success.

Mihai Ciuta

Building the Expansion Structure - The Afternoon Working Session

The afternoon culminated in a dedicated Expansion Plan Session, where Konstantinos Kalogerakis, Country Head Cloud Office, shared insights from his experience scaling companies across multiple markets, emphasizing:

  • The importance of strategic partnerships
  • Operational alignment within teams
  • Adaptability when navigating unfamiliar environments
  • Understanding failed attempts and learning from challenges
  • Resilience, innovation, and long-term vision as pillars for sustainable international presence

Konstantinos Kalogerakis

This session helped founders translate diplomacy and strategy into structure, the practical beginning of their own expansion frameworks.

Day 2 of the MoonShotX Bootcamp brought the world into the room. From embassies to commerce chambers, from legal expertise to customer insight, from global destinations to the blueprint for expansion, the day revealed one essential truth: Going global is not a leap - it is a series of deliberate, strategic, and collaborative steps.

Day 2 connected those steps, helping companies understand not only where they can go, but how they can get there.

DAY 3. Converging Future Technologies

Day 3 of the MoonShotX Bootcamp marked a decisive shift toward the digital frontier. If the previous days explored global markets, partnerships, and leadership, today the focus moved to technology as the engine of scalability. Artificial intelligence, data-driven systems, automation, and security became the foundations through which internationalisation evolves from strategy to execution.

Moderated throughout the day by Aimen Aldahash, Partner Development Manager – ISV, Microsoft, Day 3 created a bridge between the present needs of high-growth companies and the technologies that will define their future.

Aimen Aldahash

Opening the Day: Technology as a Catalyst for Exponential Growth

The morning began with a keynote from Alina Irma Orban, Senior Director ISV Partners & Startups for the Central Europe & Central Asia region at Microsoft. Her message framed the day ahead: technology ecosystems are no longer optional, they are the multiplier that enables companies to innovate faster, move smarter, and create global impact at scale.

Alina Irma Orban

She emphasized that companies preparing to expand internationally must integrate intelligent tools early, laying the foundation for efficiency, resilience, and competitive differentiation.

Copilot Pro-pting

The first session of the day was led by Robert Pufan, Senior Partner Solution Architect at Microsoft. His deep dive into Copilot prompting provided founders with practical techniques for leveraging generative AI across workflows, from operations and customer interaction to internal processes and data interpretation. This was not a theoretical presentation: it was a hands-on demonstration of how AI can streamline real business challenges.

Robert Pufan

Build Custom AI Agents

Next, Sergiu Pop, Data & AI Specialist for EMEA Digital Natives & ISVs at Microsoft, together with Alin Nedelcu, ACCA, **Head of AI Practice and Solutions & Andries Cosmin, Machine Learning Engineer at Raiffeisen Bank Romania, guided participants through the architecture and creation of custom AI agents.

Sergiu Pop

They explored real use cases, technical prerequisites, and the strategic value of AI systems built for specific industry needs, helping MoonShotX participants understand not only how AI works, but how AI can work for them.

Alin Nedelcu & Cosmin Andries

Modern Security - Protecting Innovation to Sustain Global Scale

In a world where technology accelerates opportunities, security must accelerate alongside it.

The Modern Security segment brought forward three individual voices, each exploring a different facet of safeguarding innovation in a world where digital transformation moves faster than ever.

Ovidiu Pismac, Senior Security Cloud Solution Architect for Microsoft’s Central Europe Partner Team, opened the session by outlining how cloud security underpins every stage of digitalisation. He highlighted the critical importance of secure architectures, advanced threat detection, and proactive protection in enabling companies to innovate with confidence.

Ovisiu Pismac

Alex Glod, IT Platforms Lead at Raiffeisen Bank Romania, continued by addressing resilience at the operational core, illustrating how secure infrastructure, system reliability, and identity governance ensure that organizations can scale their digital capabilities without compromising safety or compliance.

Alex Glod

Dragos Brudiu, representing Bento - Intellectually Curious, brought an alumni perspective, emphasizing how practical, day-to-day security measures support long-term scalability. He discussed the importance of aligning internal processes, data protection practices, and automation with the security requirements of international markets.

Dragos Brudiu

Together, their messages converged on a shared principle: innovation can only grow sustainably when security grows alongside it.

Microsoft Marketplace

Led by Aimen Aldahash, this session revealed how the Microsoft Marketplace opens global distribution pathways for scalable software solutions, a crucial platform for companies seeking international visibility.

Aimen Aldahash

Integrating Technology - Alumni Insights

Two MoonShotX alumni returned to share their journeys: Alex Malureanu, Founder & CMO at ASCENDIA S.A. and Mihail Vlad, CEO & Founder of Softia

Alex Malureanu

Both highlighted how embracing advanced technologies (particularly AI) can reshape products and business models. Their stories demonstrated that the shift toward intelligent systems is not just a trend, but a competitive advantage for scaling companies.

Mihail Vlad

Hands-On Workshop: Integrating New Technologies

The afternoon continued with an applied workshop titled Integrating New Technologies, moderated by Aimen Aldahash and featuring:

This session gave founders the opportunity to translate cutting-edge tools into tangible improvements for their own projects. From automation flows to data-driven decision systems and cloud-based architectures, participants examined how new technologies can enhance reliability, performance, and international scalability.

MoonShotX Expansion Plan - The Digitalization Section

In the late afternoon, Robert Pufan returned as the session coordinator for the Digitalization Section of the MoonShotX Expansion Plan.

Laura Sardescu

This was a work-intensive block where companies analyzed:

  • How digitalization supports market entry
  • How AI and automation integrate into expansion strategies
  • What digital maturity looks like for companies targeting international growth
  • Which technologies directly improve competitiveness in global markets

This session formed a critical part of each company’s long-term roadmap, helping them align digital capabilities with international ambitions.

Day 3 demonstrated that the future of scaling is inherently digital. From AI prompting and agent building to cybersecurity, corporate-startup collaboration, and the practical integration of new technologies, the day uncovered how innovation transforms not just products, but entire organizations.

It reminded every founder in the room that technology is the infrastructure on which global ambitions are built.

DAY 4. Sustainable Strategy & Marketing

Day 4 of the MoonShotX Bootcamp was defined by purpose. If the first three days focused on markets, technology, and global agility, Day 4 grounded everything in responsibility, leadership, and sustainable growth. It reminded every founder that scaling is about building companies that endure, empower, and leave a positive mark on the world.

Moderated by Daniel Dumitrescu, PhD. & Diana DUMITRESCU, PhD. and joined throughout the day by contributors from UNIDO and Raiffeisen Bank Romania, Day 4 offered a powerful blend of sustainability insight, leadership frameworks, strategic marketing, and authentic communication.

UNIDO & the Power of Partnerships for Sustainable Innovation

The morning opened with a far-reaching conversation led by Dragan Mrkajic, Senior Adviser at the UNIDO Innovation Lab. His session, UNIDO–Private Sector Partnerships, examined how collaboration between international organisations and the private sector accelerates innovation while ensuring that growth aligns with global sustainability principles.

As an InnovX partner, UNIDO plays a crucial role in advancing inclusive and sustainable industrial development worldwide. Dragan Mrkajic explored how UNIDO supports entrepreneurship, circular economy initiatives, and responsible industrial innovation, helping companies grow in ways that benefit both business and society.

Dragan Mrkajic

His message set the tone for the entire day: Innovation must serve both progress and purpose.

Becoming Tomorrow’s Leader Through SDGs

The sustainability focus continued with the workshop “Becoming Tomorrow’s Leader through SDGs”, moderated by Andreea Porojan, Sustainability & CSR Manager at Raiffeisen Bank Romania, joined by two sustainability experts from Raiffeisen: Roxana Barbato, MBA, Director ESG & Sustainability, and Alina Saiu, Sustainable Finance Department Manager

They explored how modern leadership is being redefined through the lens of environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and long-term governance.

Their workshop highlighted that sustainability is not a “nice-to-have”, but a strategic imperative. Topics included:

  • How business decisions align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Integrating ESG into core strategy
  • Redefining success not only through revenue, but through impact
  • Ensuring that international expansion creates value for communities, not only markets

This session challenged founders to think about the kind of leaders they want to become, and the legacy their companies will leave behind.

MoonShotX Expansion Plan - Connecting SDGs to Global Growth

Following the workshop, Oana Lupan, ESG & Sustainability Expert at Raiffeisen Bank Romania, introduced the next phase of the MoonShotX Expansion Plan. Her session linked the UN Sustainable Development Goals with the cohort’s business trajectories, showing how global principles translate into actionable strategies.

Oana Lupan

She helped participants assess how sustainability strengthens:

  • International attractiveness
  • Market positioning
  • Investor relations
  • Long-term resilience

Marketing for International Scaling - Where Strategy Meets Story

The afternoon shifted toward one of the week’s most anticipated sessions: “Marketing Plan for International Scaling-Up”, led by Laura Mihaila, Director of Marketing, Communication & CX at Raiffeisen Bank Romania.

Laura Mihaila

With clarity and structure, Laura guided participants through the principles of enduring brand growth. She emphasized that strong brands operate with both mental availability (being remembered) and physical availability (being easy to buy), and that global consistency is achieved when identity, communication, and customer experience work together as one.

Her session was highly engaging, marked by active dialogue, thoughtful questions from participants, and real-time insights exchanged both ways, a dynamic atmosphere that captured genuine curiosity and collaboration.

Alexandru Stancu

Her workshop clarified essential elements:

  • How brands scale sustainably across multiple markets
  • Why consistency beats complexity
  • How culture and customer insight shape long-term positioning
  • How great brands become easy to remember, easy to buy, and impossible to forget

She used humour, storytelling, and practical frameworks to illustrate how brand standardisation works when values and communication are deeply aligned.

Laura Mihaila

Case Study - Marketing in Real Life

To anchor theory in practice, Cosmin Raileanu, Founder & CEO of Depozit Virtual (MoonShotX alumnus), presented a case study on how strategic marketing accelerates visibility and trust across borders. His insights highlighted how structured brand positioning transforms into measurable commercial outcomes.

Cosmin Raileanu

Public Speaking - Communicating Vision With Authenticity

Effective scaling requires more than a strong brand, it requires strong communication.

Melania Medeleanu delivered an energising Public Speaking Session, focusing on clarity, presence, and emotional authenticity.

Melania Medeleanu

She reminded participants that how they communicate their vision is often as important as the vision itself. Her workshop encouraged founders to develop:

  • Confidence in storytelling
  • Structure and flow in pitch delivery
  • Presence that engages stakeholders
  • Communication rooted in sincerity and conviction

Her session reinforced a central MoonShotX philosophy: clarity converts, authenticity inspires.

Expansion Plan - Preparing to Present with Confidence

The day closed with a practical workshop on Presentation Preparation, part of the ongoing MoonShotX Expansion Plan.

This final block featured a case study by Catalin Visu, Project Manager at RAP Tronic Process Engineering / KOGAION COM (MoonShotX alumnus), who shared how authenticity and technical clarity turn a pitch into a powerful business narrative.

Catalin Visu

He demonstrated that the most compelling presentations do not revolve around grandeur, but around precision, structure, and truth, qualities that resonate with international investors and partners.

Day 4 revealed the essence of the MoonShotX methodology: grow sustainably, communicate strategically, and lead with integrity.

It wove together global purpose, leadership development, marketing clarity, and founder authenticity, showing that international scaling is not only about entering new markets, but about becoming the kind of organisation the world wants to welcome.

DAY 5. New Financial Instruments for Growth

The final day of the MoonShotX Bootcamp brought together everything the cohort had explored throughout the week - leadership, diplomacy, technology, sustainability, strategy, and anchored it in one of the most decisive pillars of scaling: finance.

And even though everyone was a little tired, a little wired, and already halfway into weekend mode, the InnovX team made sure the energy never dipped, keeping the room inspired, focused, and fully present for this last important chapter.

InnovX team

Moderated by Daniel Dumitrescu, PhD., the morning moved with momentum, depth, and a clear mission: to help companies understand the full spectrum of financial tools, investment pathways, and funding strategies that fuel international expansion.

Daniel Dumitrescu & Diana Dumitrescu

New Financial Instruments for Growth - Understanding the Future of Capital

The first major session of the day, “New Financial Instruments for Growth,” was moderated by Ana Bobirca, Chief Investment Officer at InnovX, and gathered influential voices from banking, investment, and capital markets, each offering a different perspective on how financial innovation unlocks new possibilities for scale.

Hans-Jörg Horvath, representing Raiffeisen Bank International AG, emphasized how corporate–startup collaboration and agile innovation within banking ecosystems pave the way for more flexible financing routes. His message underscored how institutions can evolve to support entrepreneurs in challenging, fast-changing markets.

Hans-Jorg Horvath

Ramona Dragomir, CFA, from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), focused on enabling mid-sized companies to access growth capital, equity investment, and loan financing with measurable economic and social impact. Her contribution highlighted the role of structured financial instruments in unlocking responsible, long-term growth across borders.

Ramona Dragomir

Loredana Chitu (Boeru), from the Bucharest Stock Exchange / Bursa de Valori Bucuresti (BVB), brought clarity to equity and debt markets, explaining listing processes, regulatory frameworks, and how public markets become powerful accelerators for companies ready to expand their footprint.

Loredana Chitu (Boeru)

Romulus Mircea, CFA, PRM, BTRM, from Raiffeisen Bank Romania, contributed the treasury perspective, detailing innovative liquidity solutions and treasury-management best practices that help businesses scale with both confidence and resilience.

Romulus Mircea

Together, their collective insights formed a full picture of how financial ecosystems, when aligned with strategic intent, empower companies to scale sustainably.

The session concluded with an open Q&A and networking moment, where founders engaged directly with experts, transforming knowledge into tangible next steps.

Investment for Scaling Up - Navigating the Investment Landscape

The second block of the day, “Investment for Scaling Up,” was moderated by Liviu Munteanu and united some of Europe’s key venture capital, corporate venture, and private equity leaders:

Their conversation spanned the entire continuum of capital:

  • venture capital fueling early innovation
  • corporate venture creating bridges between startups and corporations
  • private equity driving maturity, structure, and global expansion

A shared message emerged: choosing the right investors matters as much as the capital itself. Alignment in vision, values, and long-term strategy transforms funding into real, compounding growth.

Ana Bobirca, Suleiman Arabiat, Liviu Munteanu

Mergers & Acquisition Strategies - Finance Meets Legal Precision

Financial strategy then transitioned into structural sophistication with the session “Mergers & Acquisition Strategies.”

Tudor Nedelea, from DLA Piper, opened the block with a keynote on fiscal structures designed to support international scaling. He provided founders with a practical lens on how legal and financial architectures reinforce a company’s readiness for global transactions.

Tudor Nedelea

He was joined by Bogdan Buta and Cristina Bucur from DLA Piper. Together, they unpacked transaction structures, due diligence processes, risk mitigation, regulatory considerations, and the legal intelligence required to de-risk M&A and build investor trust.

Bogdan Buta

Cristina Bucur

From Raiffeisen Bank Romania, George Mucibabici Jr. added the financial perspective, highlighting how mergers and acquisitions accelerate innovation, market consolidation, and cross-border expansion for companies ready to enter the next stage of growth.

George Mucibabici Jr.

This block reminded founders that scaling includes not only raising capital, but also considering strategic partnerships, acquisitions, and organizational evolution.

MoonShotX Alumni: From Local Impact to Global Reach

In the afternoon, the program celebrated the power of the MoonShotX community in “MoonShotX Alumni: From Local Impact to Global Reach”, moderated by Laura Ionescu from Raiffeisen Bank Romania.

Two alumni delivered impactful stories:

Marius Ionita

Octavian Blajan

Both demonstrated how presence in the right international markets, combined with consistency and adaptability, transforms local excellence into global credibility. Their journeys showcased the real-world results of scaling strategically, courageously, and persistently.

MoonShotX Expansion Plan - Finance Section

The final piece of the MoonShotX Expansion Plan was dedicated to Finance, introduced by Daniel Dumitrescu, PhD., marking the conclusion of the Bootcamp’s structured learning architecture.

The workshop “Drafting Financial Projections”, led by Alina Rus, CFA, Raiffeisen Bank Romania and Bogdan Năforniţă 🚀, Profluo, guided participants through the essentials of:

  • forecasting revenue streams
  • modeling expenses and margins
  • building reliable cash flow structures
  • designing viable capitalization plans
  • aligning financial projections with scaling strategy

Alina Rus

Their message was simple and powerful: financial projections are the blueprint for what a company is capable of becoming.

Bogdan Nafornita

One-on-One Financial Working Sessions

The day concluded with hands-on working sessions led by over 15 Raiffeisen financial experts, each supporting founders in developing tailored forecasts and funding strategies.

Contributing experts included: Iuliana Pascu, Anca Ghiuță, Ioana Dumitrescu, Ioana Tudor, Ailyn Abibula, Maria Alexandra Dorofte, Irina Stefanescu, CRISTINA KALINOV (POGEA), Diana Iacob, Gina Lazarescu, Adriana Petrov-Lungu, Alexandra Ioana Șocarici, Elena Vladuleasa, FCCA, RALUCA MOICA, and Elena Salinschi.

These collaborations will continue throughout the year, as each company refines its financial plan toward real-world implementation.

A Bootcamp That Became a Community

Every ending carries a mixed feeling - pride for what was achieved, gratitude for what was shared, and a quiet disbelief that five days of breakthroughs, conversations, and connection can pass so quickly.

What began as sessions on finance, innovation, diplomacy, and strategy became something deeper: a community of founders, experts, innovators, and dreamers who learned to listen better, speak braver, and dream louder.

Thank You to the InnovX Team - The Architects of MoonShotX

The heart of MoonShotX lies in the team who designed, built, and carried this journey: Daniel Dumitrescu, PhD., Diana DUMITRESCU, PhD., Ana Bobirca, Bianca Păcurar, George Cristian Radu, Anca Luca, Gabriel Arabu, Rares Gherasim, Ramadan Omar, and Alexandra Ionescu.

Their dedication, precision, and vision ensured that every detail, every agenda line, every speaker, every company, received the attention and care needed to transform this Bootcamp into a milestone.

Thank You to the Raiffeisen Bank Romania Team - Our Strategic Partners in Growth

With deep gratitude, we acknowledge our partners at Raiffeisen Bank Romania, whose commitment shaped every session: Cristian Marius Sporis, Sorin Suciu, Laura Ionescu, Andreea Porojan, Laura Mihaila, Livia Fericean, Liviu Mihai, and Florentina Balasa.

Their expertise, mentorship, and presence helped build a Bootcamp that reflects the highest standards of leadership and financial excellence.

Thank You to Our Partners, Alumni & Experts

Our sincere appreciation extends to our partners at DLA Piper, Microsoft, and to the extraordinary MoonShotX Alumni who returned to share their journeys: Alumil Romania, Softia, ASCENDIA S.A., EUROTEAM, CODE932, WALDEVAR Energy, Depozit Virtual, KOGAION COM / RAP Tronic Process Engineering.

From the first coffee on Day 1 to the last working session on Day 5, their insights, stories, and courage held this community together.

Here’s to Growth That’s Not Only Global, But Deeply Human

To every founder who joined this edition, thank you for your ambition, openness, and energy. You turned this Bootcamp into more than a program; you turned it into a living, breathing ecosystem of ideas, passion, and possibility.

MoonShotX is powered by InnovX & Raiffeisen Bank Romania. And powered, above all, by people who believe in building a better future!

As this new stage unfolds, the 21 MoonShotX companies are now entering personalized working sessions with our experts, refining their strategies, structuring their financials, and building the scaling plans that will guide them into the internationalisation phase launching next year. The journey continues, and the most exciting chapters are still ahead.

Keep challenging limits.

Keep building bridges.

Keep aiming for the Moon.

– The MoonShotX Team

Photos from the event