Join StepFWD, the 8-week pre-accelerator for tech startups with diverse teams.
StepFWD is the pre-accelerator for early-stage tech startups with diverse teams that are planning to launch their product on the market and grow their business. This year’s edition takes place between September 28 and November 23. The teams will showcase their progress throughout the program at the StepFWD 2020 Demo Day on November 23. The finalist teams StepFWD is a program for early-stage tech startups and first-time founders who are
Last week we announced a new partnership with Orange Romania, offering extra opportunities for startups from our 2020 edition. This year, one of the participating teams will be supported by Orange and receive dedicated mentorship from Orange Fab professionals. The winning startup should activate in one of the following verticals: 5G & networks of the future, IoT and connected objects, smart city & mobility, security, fintech, smart retail, media &
As we moved the program online for this years’ edition, we realized that we had to make the activities shorter, more focused, and tailored to each startup’s needs. One way we aim to achieve these goals is to work closely with lead mentors throughout the 8-week program, a role that I will better detail below. Who are the lead mentors? The StepFWD lead mentors are experienced entrepreneurs or people who
StepFWD is a pre-accelerator program designed for early-stage tech startups with diverse teams. We strongly believe in helping founders to achieve their potential and we do so through several activities and mentorship sessions that take place during the 8-week program. If you’re a startup who is considering applying to StepFWD 2020, we hope this article will help shed light not only on what goes on during the program but also
One of our cool startups from the 2019 cohort is Epic Visits. Epic Visits is the booking platform dedicated to thematic and unconventional stays for memorable experiences. Why did you pick this project to work on? In January 2019, we opened a thematic apartment that recreates the story of a family from the communist period. You can call it a living museum. The project helped us understand two things: It’s
2020 reminded us in a very painful way that we are, above everything else, human. It was and still is scary. As startup founders, we are powered by a sense of meaning, purpose and sometimes ego. And all of these things lost their significance in a matter of days, leaving us dazed and confused and wondering if what we’re doing makes sense in the new reality. Some businesses thrived, while
Maponia helps transport & logistics companies increase their ROI offering truck drivers time and autonomy by efficient route planning. Why did you pick this project to work on? Having a common hobby, me and my partner had the opportunity to travel in the truck cabin. Thus, we discovered how many challenges the truck drivers have during the trip. And we decided to help them by bringing the technology in the
In the spotlight for today is Jobflex, the ecosystem that brings companies and employees closer through flexible work. Why did you pick this project to work on? Having worked in flexible cultures for over 13 years, I’ve seen the wonders that the right tools, processes, and mindset can do for recruiting and retaining the best talent. Also, as a mother to a three-year-old and a carer for my family, I
The 3rd startup in our mini-series StepFWD Stories is maivreau.ro. Their product is a curated marketplace where you can get inspired, discover, and book recreational activities and courses. Why did you pick this project to work on? Thinking outside the box, having a healthy work-life balance, and especially seeing that you’re capable of anything if you have the right mindset, has changed my life. Awesome activities helped me get on
StepFWD Stories is an interview series with the graduated startups from StepFWD, the 6-week pre-accelerator for tech startups with gender-balanced teams. This interview is with Hire up, the peer-to-peer recruitment platform that rewards successful referrals. Why did you pick this project to work on? Hire up: I sometimes joke about the fact that as a former recruiter, I wanted others to recruit for me and that is why I created