The incubation program aims to provide specialized and free support to students who have business concepts with development potential in the Romanian market. Following the "Idea Competition," the selected teams will have access to a series of modules that will shape feasible business models based on the identified vision and challenges.
Idea Competition
The event will provide students with the opportunity to present their business ideas to a jury composed of a group of mentors. The most interesting ideas will be selected to be part of the UBB Student i-Lab incubation program.
March 2025
The competition is open to all UBB students who have a business idea they wish to test and validate with the help of top experts in the field, as part of the "Incubation Program." Students can enter the competition either individually or alongside colleagues with whom they know they can form a creative, dynamic team eager to experiment with new things.
Each person/team will have 5 minutes to present the problem they wish to solve, the solution (product/service) they consider viable to address that problem, and their motivation for developing the business concept. To facilitate the presentation of the idea, the use of multimedia support (e.g., PowerPoint) is recommended, and the presentation can be delivered either in English or Romanian.
To register for the Idea Competition, please fill out the
The registration deadline is 16.03.2025.
Incubation Program
The incubation program aims to provide specialized support to students who have business concepts with potential for development in the Romanian market.,an event scheduled to take place at the beginning of each semester. The selected teams will have access to a set of modules designed to help them develop a feasible business model and provide specialized support.
March 2025
Module 1.
Start-up mindset
- Start-up Mindset and the psychology of success
- Leveraging failure in successful businesses
- The importance of mindset in the entrepreneurial journey
Speaker: Erika (Adriana) Tiplea
With over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Erika is the Manager of Botanical Bar Events, a concept born out of a passion for this industry in 2023. Throughout her career, she has worked in various locations across the country, managing teams at major festivals and deepening her knowledge through specialized courses and conventions. She has organized a wide range of events, from festivals and acoustic music concerts to tastings and culinary experiences. In parallel, she accumulated 4 years of experience in the financial-accounting field at Contzilla, where she handled company accounting, provided consulting services, and wrote specialized articles for entrepreneurs and industry professionals.
Iulian Tirean is currently the Founder and CEO of HeartTECH Innovations. He has extensive experience gained in previous roles at Avangarde Software, AROBS Transilvania Software, and RIA Solutions Group. He pursued studies between 2010 and 2012 and holds a solid set of skills, including business strategy, strategic planning, account management, change management, and coaching. He strongly believes that a company is built by people, and the success of a business is only possible through close collaboration between teams and management.
Modul 2. Design Thinking
– The Empathy Map
– Understanding Consumer Needs
Speaker: Tzufit Herling
With over 10 years' experience in content creation, community building, project management, and program design, she collaborates with organizations, entrepreneurs, and businesses worldwide to connect people. Tzufit specializes in supporting companies to develop thriving communities by creating customized strategies, revitalizing existing communities with a focus on digital learning and employee development, and fostering innovation in the hybrid work environment.
She has experience in developing customized programs for community leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals, addressing topics such as the fundamentals of community building, content strategy, leadership skills, and fostering engagement both online and in person.
Module 3.
Digital Entrepreneurship
– The Role of Digitalization in a Start-up
– Digital Business Model
– Integrating AI in Entrepreneurship
Speaker: Jan-Philipp
He holds the title of Venia Legendi (Habilitation) from the Faculty of Economic Studies at the University of Mannheim. He has written books and contributed to scientific reports requested by the Federal Ministries of Germany, with his research winning or being nominated for over 30 international awards. He was also awarded a diversity and gender equality prize by the University of Mannheim and recognized for his outstanding involvement in coordinating the working team for Ukraine at the University of Passau. He also supports the academic community by organizing international conferences, such as the European Academy of Management and the European Interdisciplinary Research Conference on Entrepreneurship. He teaches undergraduate, master's, and doctoral courses in areas such as Entrepreneurship, Organizational Management, Strategic Management, and International Management. Additionally, he is a frequent speaker at executive education courses at Mannheim Business School and has mentored over 25 start-up teams.
Module 4.
Crowfounding
– Social and Psychological Dynamics in Crowdfunding
– Developing a Crowdfunding Campaign
Speaker: Jan-Philipp
He holds the title of Venia Legendi (Habilitation) from the Faculty of Economic Studies at the University of Mannheim. He has written books and contributed to scientific reports requested by the Federal Ministries of Germany, with his research winning or being nominated for over 30 international awards. He was also awarded a diversity and gender equality prize by the University of Mannheim and recognized for his outstanding involvement in coordinating the working team for Ukraine at the University of Passau. He also supports the academic community by organizing international conferences, such as the European Academy of Management and the European Interdisciplinary Research Conference on Entrepreneurship. He teaches undergraduate, master's, and doctoral courses in areas such as Entrepreneurship, Organizational Management, Strategic Management, and International Management. Additionally, he is a frequent speaker at executive education courses at Mannheim Business School and has mentored over 25 start-up teams.
April 2025
Module 5
Entrepreneurial Marketing
- Marketing in Entrepreneurship
– Bootstrap Marketing
– Social Marketing
Speaker: Georgiana Iancu and Cipriana Stan
Georgiana Iancu (Brandocracy) has been working in marketing and management since 2006. During all this time she has coordinated projects regarding employer branding, strategic and operational marketing, corporate communication, CSR, organizational development, and M&A communication.
Cipriana Stan (Brandocracy) brings over 15 years of expertise in marketing, having led numerous projects in digital marketing, internal communications, lead generation, employer branding, and both B2B and B2C marketing. Her experience spans diverse industries, including IT, healthcare, tourism, food production, financial services, ceramics, and education, working with both established companies and start-ups.
Module 6
Business Modeling and Financing
– Challenges in Entrepreneurial Management
– Financial Business Models
– Budgeting and Financial Forecasting
Speaker: Alexandra Muțiu
Alexandra Muțiu is Vice-Rector of Babeș-Bolyai University, playing a strategic role in the university's leadership with key responsibilities related to Human Resources, Alumni, Career Development, and Student Counseling. She is a highly experienced professional, recognized for her exceptional skills in teaching Managerial Accounting and Controlling, at both undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as in MBA and executive programs. With extensive teaching experience and a wealth of knowledge gained both at Babeș-Bolyai University and as a visiting professor at foreign universities, Alexandra Muțiu offers students the opportunity to learn through the case study method. She firmly believes that the first step to success is having a winner's mindset, a principle she shares with passion and determination.
May 2025
Module 7.
Intellectual Property
– What You Need to Know About Intellectual Property
– Value Creation and the Role of the MVP in the Process
Speaker: Amnon Dekel
Dr. Amnon Dekel is the Executive Director of ASPER-HUJI Innovate, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Previously, Amnon was the Head of the Software Engineering Department at the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design in Israel. With over 20 years of experience in developing products for IT-based services and applications, as well as more than 15 years in applied research focused on User Experience and Mobile Computing, he has contributed to the launch of three companies in areas such as video sharing, personal networking, and indoor navigation. He has received numerous international awards, including a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize for his work with the New York Times. Amnon holds a PhD in Computer Science from Hebrew University. He is passionate about translating art into technology and dedicates his free time to this hobby.
Module 8.
No Coding AI Prototyping
– Prototyping
– Product Validation
Speaker: Amnon Dekel
Dr. Amnon Dekel is the Executive Director of ASPER-HUJI Innovate, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Previously, Amnon was the Head of the Software Engineering Department at the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design in Israel. With over 20 years of experience in developing products for IT-based services and applications, as well as more than 15 years in applied research focused on User Experience and Mobile Computing, he has contributed to the launch of three companies in areas such as video sharing, personal networking, and indoor navigation. He has received numerous international awards, including a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize for his work with the New York Times. Amnon holds a PhD in Computer Science from Hebrew University. He is passionate about translating art into technology and dedicates his free time to this hobby.
Module 10.
Budget validation
– Anliza și discutarea bugetului
Speaker: Alexandra Muțiu
Alexandra Muțiu is Vice-Rector of Babeș-Bolyai University, playing a strategic role in the university's leadership with key responsibilities related to Human Resources, Alumni, Career Development, and Student Counseling. She is a highly experienced professional, recognized for her exceptional skills in teaching Managerial Accounting and Controlling, at both undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as in MBA and executive programs. With extensive teaching experience and a wealth of knowledge gained both at Babeș-Bolyai University and as a visiting professor at foreign universities, Alexandra Muțiu offers students the opportunity to learn through the case study method. She firmly believes that the first step to success is having a winner's mindset, a principle she shares with passion and determination.
Module 9.
Business Concept Validation with a VC (Venture Capitalist)
- What is a VC (Venture Capitalist)
– How to approach a VC as a startup entrepreneur?
Speakers: Cristina Cismas Florea and Morgan Slain
Cristina has 20 years of experience in the education field. She has taught mathematics and business at high school level and implemented innovative programs in various high schools. In 2014, Cristina founded the BEAM Program, an international educational initiative for high schools, where students learn to create their own startups through a curriculum developed in partnership with renowned firms such as PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young. They also have access to business internships with companies in the BEAM network. BEAM has thousands of graduates worldwide and has been featured in numerous media articles, including the Nuffic Report in the Netherlands, where it was recognized as one of the best practices in education. Cristina is mentioned as a Distinguished Alumni at Santa Clara University for her work with the BEAM Program.
Before working at Santa Clara University, Cristina was the Chief Program Officer at the Boys and Girls Clubs, a lecturer at Stanford University, and a speaker at seminars at the Wharton School of Business. Currently, Cristina is an adjunct faculty member at Santa Clara University, where she teaches Design Thinking, and she serves as a consultant for Santa Clara Ventures, a venture capital fund that invests in Bronco startups.
Morgan Slain is general partner at Santa Clara Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in companies founded by Santa Clara University alumni, faculty, staff, and students. He is also the founder and director of the Bronco Venture Accelerator, a program that supports Santa Clara University entrepreneurs with the tools, community, and accountability to grow their businesses. Morgan is also general partner at Santa Cruz Ventures, a venture capital firm aligned with the Santa Cruz Works accelerator and aimed at supporting startups focused on sustainability and planetary health in Santa Cruz and along the Central Coast.
With over 25 years of experience in corporate management, business operations, strategic planning, and M&A, Morgan has a proven track record of leading and selling multiple startup technology businesses with over $200 million in exits. He has been a partner at UP2398, Pierre Omidyar's seed stage venture arm, and a senior executive at subsidiaries or companies acquired by Google, Disney, Palm, and Frost & Sullivan. Morgan has expertise in sectors such as blockchain, data analytics, machine learning, biotechnology, and consumer goods. Morgan holds an M.A. and a B.A. in International Studies with Honors from Stanford University.
Module 11
Pitching & Storytelling
– How to Make an Impactful Pitch
– How to Structure a Pitch Based on Your Target Audience
Speaker: Daniel Druhora
Daniel Druhora is a filmmaker, professor, and innovation leader of Romanian-American origin, recognized for his Emmy Award-winning documentary Lives Not Grades and other notable works such as Cloudwalkers and Long Distance Swimmer. He studied International Relations at the University of Washington and earned an MFA in Film and Television Production from the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.
As the Director of the Grand Challenges Innovation Lab at USC, Daniel coordinates innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives, promoting solutions that address global problems. In addition to his contributions to education and filmmaking, Daniel is involved with the USC ReWater Center, working with students to actively address the water crisis. His current projects include Elie’s Overcoat, a feature film set to be filmed in Romania.
Demo Day
The event provides future successful businesses developed within the incubation programs with the opportunity to be validated in front of a jury consisting of mentors and investors. It will offer the winners the opportunity to obtain funding and support from partner accelerators, and the most promising and elaborated concepts with potential for real-market development will be awarded.
The awards will consist of goods, money, and specialized support to ensure the continuity of the business concepts.
* Please have a look of the calendar to have an overview when the events will happen.
June 2025
Beneficiaries of the incubation program will have the chance to validate their business concept in front of experienced entrepreneurs and instructors, both locally and internationally. Each concept will be showcased within a precise 5-minute timeframe and should emphasize highlight the proposed value, persona, competitive advantage, an estimated budget of targeted revenues and expenses, and future strategies. It is recommended that the pitch be delivered in English,, given that the jury will include specialists from Romania and abroad.
The registration form is available HERE (You will also find the template that must be used for the pitch)
Bunduchi Raluca is the Chair in Innovation at the University of Edinburgh Business School in the UK. Her research interests include: trust and transaction costs in electronic markets, institutionalisation processes in technology standardisation, the costs and benefits associated with process innovation, legitimation strategies for innovation, tensions in digital transformation, and approaches to innovation in digital firms.
Dehenes Dan (Executive Director Kaufland Romania & Moldova) has extensive experience in the retail industry. He graduated from the Executive Education program "Innovation & Leadership," organized by UBB FSEGA and UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Ilya Avdeev is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Director of the Lubar Entrepreneurship Center. He is the co-founder and Executive Director of the UWM Student Startup Challenge, leads the Milwaukee Regional Energy Education Initiative as Principal Investigator, and founded the Advanced Manufacturing and Design Laboratory. His research focuses on the design of energy storage systems and integrating design thinking into technical education.
Iancu Georgiana (Brandocracy) has been working in marketing and management since 2006. During all this time she has coordinated projects regarding employer branding, strategic and operational marketing, corporate communication, CSR, organizational development, and M&A communication.
Sevage Jeff Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Faber Entrepreneurship Center at Moore School, USA, has focused his research on identifying best practices for commercializing science-based innovations, effective patenting strategies, and developing entrepreneurial and innovation-based ecosystems. For 10 years, Mr. Savage has provided consulting to academic and scientific startups, serving as a faculty mentor in the NSF's I-Corps program. He collaborates with Savannah River National Laboratories and is a faculty advisor for the Gamecock Consulting Club.
Russ Browder helps leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators stand out through teaching and applied research. In the university or corporate classroom, Russ teaches entrepreneurial leadership, global entrepreneurship, communication and executive presence. His academic research study the connections between technology, learning, creativity, and organizational resilience in contexts such as emerging digital technologies, makerspaces, and crisis response.
Russ has received multiple teaching innovation awards as an Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship in the Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma.
Simina Lakatos is the founder and president of the Ernest Lupan Institute for Circular Economy and Environment (IRCEM), a position she has held since 2012. With a background in economics and technical fields, she holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and a degree in Materials and Environmental Engineering. In 2011, she defended a thesis dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility. Her main focus is on accelerating the transition to a circular economy through coordinated initiatives, developing practical and scalable solutions, organizing campaigns at local, regional, and European levels, as well as promoting and disseminating information on the circular economy and sustainable development.
Calendar – 2024-2025
Module 1.
Start-up mindset
- Start-up Mindset and the psychology of success
- Leveraging failure in successful businesses
- The importance of mindset in the entrepreneurial journey
Module 2.
Lean Start-up
- Understanding the defining a successful Start-Up
- Testing, validating and updating the business concept
- Customer Discovery
Module 3.
Problem analysis
- Design Thinking
Developing Creative Skills in a Collaborative Environment
- Innovation and intellectual property
Module 4.
Value proposition design
– Product Market Fit
Customizing practical solutions adapted to customer expectation
- Structuring Value Proposition
Module 5.
Business Modeling and Financing
- Choosing the right business model
Sustainability of the Business Model
- Financing Solutions
Module 6
Go to Market Strategy
Strategic business planning
Competitive advantage relative to the needs and issues of the target segment
- Marketing tools and strategies
Module 7.
Scaling strategies
- Strategic planning for sustainable growth
- Challenges and solutions in the scaling phase of the business
Pitching
Pe parcursul modulelor participanții vor avea posibilitatea învăța ce presupune pregătirea unui Pitch în funcție de target, respectiv vor avea posibilitatea de a-și dezvolta abilitățile de public speaking.