Techstars Startup Weekend October 2023
The October 2023 edition of Startup Weekend Chișinău was a remarkable event that brought together 79 participants, making it one of the biggest startup weekends in Chișinău’s history. This gathering of tech experts, entrepreneurs, and young talents was even more special as it included four remarkable young participants accompanied by their parents, highlighting the event’s commitment to inclusivity.
The event featured an impressive total of 11 pitches, showcasing a wide range of innovative and ambitious ideas, making it a vibrant platform for entrepreneurial creativity.
The top three teams were recognized for their outstanding contributions:
1.Solar Guard: First place was awarded to Solar Guard for their innovative solution to monitor surplus electricity in photovoltaic parks, addressing a critical issue in renewable energy.
2.Eneta: Eneta secured the second-place spot for their intelligent clothing personalization application, reflecting the evolving fashion industry’s needs and trends.
3.Ciorăpel: Ciorăpel took home the third place for their intelligent household management robot, simplifying the organization of toys and socks, which has the potential to make daily life more efficient.
This Startup Weekend was made possible by the dedicated work of organizers, led by Crudu Ilinca, and generous support from valued partners, including Orange Systems, Innovate Moldova, USAID Moldova, the Embassy of Sweden in Moldova, and UKAid. Their support played a crucial role in the success of this event and the development of entrepreneurial talent in Chișinău.
Key contributors to the event’s success included the event facilitator Cosmin Pirvu from Veridion, as well as mentors like Vitalie Eșanu, Roman Știrbu, and others who played pivotal roles in guiding and enriching the participants’ experience, sharing their expertise, and helping these innovative ideas take shape.
The event also featured an impressive jury composed of Sergiu Placinta, Mihaela Negru, Cristian Cerneanu, and Veaceslav Bârdan, who contributed to the quality of the pitches and ideas presented, ensuring a fair and insightful evaluation of the teams’ efforts.
In summary, the October 2023 edition of Startup Weekend Chișinău was a celebration of innovation and inclusivity, showcasing the potential of entrepreneurship in Chișinău with a record-breaking number of participants and a diverse range of innovative ideas. The event’s success was made possible through the right blend of passion, dedication, mentorship, and support, and we eagerly anticipate witnessing the future achievements of these remarkable teams and the next steps in the journey of Startup Moldova.
Facilitator
Cosmin Pirvu
General Facilitator
Doru Curosu
Icebreaker Facilitator
Organisers
Natalia Bejan
Executive Director
Ilinca Crudu
Community coordinator
Doina Cebanu
Head of communication
Organiser contact details
Mentors
Roman Stirbu
CEO at Simpals
Eugeniu Cepoi
Founder & CEO at Royal Map
Andrei Valcov
UI/UX Designer
Aliona Levca
Co-Founder Pinky-tech, Strategic Management, Product Management
Nikita Katrechko
IT Project Manager Orange Systems
Ivan Tasca
Drone Photogammetry, Orthophotoplan, 3D scanning and modeling
Cristina Tupiță
Co-founder & Head of Creative @Milk&Cookies Digital Studio Co-founder @viatadefreelancer.ro
Cosmin Mihai Posteuca
Veridion Big Data Engineer
Claudiu Jojatu
Co-founder & digital strategist
at Milk & Cookies studio, radio host at Tananana and founder an viatadefreelancer. ro
Tal Catran
Startup Ecosystem Expert FTA Moldova
Vitalie Esanu
Founder & CTO at Soofragio
Agenda
5:30 PM – 6:00 PM Arrival of participants, Network
Arrive at the venue, to Orange kITchen and get checked in for the Startup Weekend. Get to know the place, the people.
6:00 PM – 6:30 PM Introduction
Welcome speech from the organizers. Special guest speech.
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Participants ideas presentation, Voting & Teams Formation
If you already have an idea that you want to work on during these 54 hours, now is the time to pitch it. Participants will vote on the ideas they liked the most, the ones they would like to join and work on together.
7:30 PM – 8:00 PM Training – Business Model Canva
8:00 PM – … Start working as a team
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Welcome Coffee & Networking
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM Review of agenda, day 2
Review the day’s agenda and what teams should be focused on. Teams formed to get their spaces set up and begin to work.
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM Workshop on AI Tools and machine learning
10:30 PM – 1:00 PM Teamwork, mentoring
Mentors visit each team and review their business model, providing feedback and recommendations.
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Lunch, networking
2:00 PM – 6:00 PM Teamwork, mentoring
Teams work guided by their mentor, using their knowledge and experience to achieve their common goal and achieve results.
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Dinner, networking
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM Teamwork
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Welcome Coffee & Networking
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM Review of agenda, day 3
Review the day’s agenda, judging criteria, and the tech check.
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM Workshop on How to pitch
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Teamwork, mentoring
12:00 AM – 1:00 PM Lunch, network
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Teamwork, mentoring
The last few hours should focus on perfecting the presentation, and technical check for final presentations.
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM FINAL PITCHES
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Announcement of results
Sponsors
With the support of
Global sponsors
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