Kickstarting the 13th edition of Innovation Labs with Hackathon in Bucharest
- Last weekend, the Hackathon Innovation Labs, one of the most anticipated events in the entrepreneurial and technology ecosystem in Bucharest, brought together innovation enthusiasts at the Central Library of the POLITEHNICA University of Bucharest. As every year, this 30-hour event-competition – with teams from Bucharest, Brașov, Constanța, Sibiu, Târgu Mureș, and beyond – marked the official start of the new edition of the Innovation Labs program.
- On the morning of Saturday, March 8th, 82 promising teams presented their business ideas in a 1-minute pitch. Based on the jury and audience votes, the 53 teams with the highest potential advanced to the rapid development and mentoring stage within the Hackathon. During the Saturday afternoon and the following night, these teams worked intensively to refine their prototypes under the guidance of mentors.
- Sunday, March 9th, the teams presented the improved version of their product and business strategy in front of the jury and the audience. The presentation included a technical and business demonstration, followed by a 2-minute “elevator pitch” and a Q&A session. The jury, composed of prestigious representatives from Romania’s technological innovation ecosystem, had the difficult task of selecting the most promising 31 teams.
- Orange Romania traditionally supports spin-off teams. Based on a research project, the spin-off team Faur.ai offers cost-reduction solutions in the form of managed services or modular components for integration into software. Additionally, Orange Romania supports the project Donorium, both for its positive and sustainable social impact and its potential for scalability.
- Over the next ten weeks, the goal of the program is to accelerate each proposed solution to the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) stage, and to instill in participants an entrepreneurial way of thinking and talking with potential partners, introducing current business concepts into their vocabulary. This is emphasized through the various activities in the program, where established entrepreneurs and business people will share their experiences with the young participants.
On May 26, during the Startups' Fair and the final Demo Day, the finalists of the program will present their progress in front of Innovation Labs partners, media representatives and potential investors as well as the general public, and the most compelling teams and products will be recognized with Innovation Labs awards. From the summer after the program ends, the teams will continue to benefit from the support of the accelerator, program partners and supporters, becoming part of Innovation Labs' large alumni community.
Stay tuned 👇🏻
1
December-February
Registration
2
March
Selection Hackathons
3
March-May
12 Workshops
2 Bootcamps
8 Unplugged Talks
5 Pitch Sessions
Progress Follow-up
2 Bootcamps
8 Unplugged Talks
5 Pitch Sessions
Progress Follow-up
4
26 May
Demo Day
5
After
Alumni Support
