StepFWD is the pre-accelerator that supports technology startups with diverse teams in the early stages of development and aims to balance the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Romania through personalized, hands-on experience for 9 weeks. The 2022 edition happens online from 24 October to 16 January 2023. Teams will have the opportunity to showcase their progress in the program during the online Demo Day event on 16 January 2023.
This year’s edition kicks off with the announcement of a new StepFWD partner. Bitdefender joins StepFWD’s mission to contribute to a diverse ecosystem of technology startups. Participating teams will have access to mentors within the company and the opportunity to receive feedback and inspiration from them.
The StepFWD program is in partnership with Google for Startups, Orange Romania, Algolia, and Bitdefender.
Teams involved in the 2022 cohort
The selected participants come from 4 cities in Romania and are from diverse industries ranging from retail, MedTech, and HR to cybersecurity. Cohort 2022 is made up of diverse teams and diversity markers found include neurodiversity, sexual orientation, disability, age and gender diversity, personality, ethnicity, as well as socio-economic status.
AiSA – AI Space Analytics – a platform that creates scalable solutions for logistics and retail, focusing on automation and data, reducing redundancy and human error and maximizing business intelligence.
CreditSky builds the ELCANO product, which is developed using advanced ML and AI algorithms applied to financial and climate data. With 99.4% accuracy, it provides insight to help businesses make risk-free, real-time, data-driven decisions while reducing costs.
Ecoland – a game that combines a virtual forest on the blockchain with a real one, so people can help save the planet in a simple and fun way by simply playing and engaging in the player-based domestic economy.
Juridiq – an app that allows lawyers and paralegals to manage their tasks, files, documents, and professional activity in general, through several features tailored for the Romanian legal market.
Meditatii.ro – marketplace where a student can search for a teacher by himself. In premium mode, teachers are automatically recruited, tested and approved.
Morph – solution that extends the work of a facilitator, making creativity, collaboration and innovation more accessible in companies everywhere.
Mutable Security – automating the lifecycle of security solutions in consumer infrastructures using open-source and commercial software.
Talentsmove – social platform built to provide ultra-fast team building for rapidly scaling technology businesses.
ValueMD – solution that provides identification of patients at high risk of acute events and provides, tailored interventions to reduce that risk using a prescriptive analytics solution.
About the fourth edition of the pre-accelerator
The fourth edition of the pre-accelerator happens online over 9 weeks from 24 October 2022 to 16 January 2023. Selected teams work on their business application under the guidance of a dedicated mentor – a lead mentor, who guides them throughout the program. StepFWD addresses fundamental topics for early-stage entrepreneurs to grow exponentially from within the program.
Teams interact in the program with over 80 mentors – entrepreneurs, experts, and corporate partners, who will help them validate their assumptions, quickly reiterate and identify the steps they need to take to bring their product to market.
The StepFWD program concludes with Demo Day. The 9 finalist teams will present their business and progress at the event, which will bring together key players in the ecosystem of local and regional technology professionals, along with investors and investment funds.