Cluj, 22 January 2020 – BCR-InnovX, the technology business acceleration program, will be expanded this year in Cluj-Napoca, in partnership with AROBS Transilvania Software. The program will include three incubation stages, and 20 entrepreneurs of Transylvania can participate in each of them. Subsequently, the best start-ups will be selected for the acceleration program implemented in Bucharest

The official event for the launching of BCR-InnovX incubation program in Cluj will take place on 30 January, at The Office.

Entrepreneurs of Transylvania region can apply by 6 March 2020 for the first incubation group, named Start-ups, intended to companies with a turnover between EUR 100,000 and EUR 1 million.

This year, 20 companies will be selected for each of the three categories of BCR-InnovX program:

• Start-ups (a turnover or attracted financing between EUR 100,000 and EUR 1 million) – the 16-27 March 2020 incubation program;
• Grinders (a turnover or financing of up to EUR 100,000) – the 29 June - 10 July 2020 incubation program;
• Scale-ups (a turnover or financing of over EUR 1 million) – the 28 September – 9 October 2020 incubation program.

Ionuț Stanimir, BCR Marketing Manager, stated that, “A strong local partner, a curriculum validated and appreciated by technology start-ups, financing solutions and experienced mentors. These are just a few of the strengths of the expansion of BCR-InnovX program in Cluj. The IT sector of Cluj is a strong one and we are looking forward to helping the most creative and visionary entrepreneurs of Transylvania to think globally and to turn innovation into a highly performant and sustainable business. AROBS, our partner, has created a solid ecosystem within Transilvania IT Cluster and we want to contribute together to the development of innovative products and solutions made in Cluj”.

Voicu Oprean, CEO & Founder of AROBS Transilvania Software, declared: “I have been supporting the business environment and the entrepreneurial community for more than 20 years, since 1998, when I created AROBS. I am sure that our entrepreneurial spirit is one of the engines for community development and I have always tried to support innovative initiatives, with real potential. I will always encourage young entrepreneurs to go all the way, until they find something working for them, and until things are right, to give up their defensive attitude and to focus on opportunities. And the participation in BCR-InnovX accelerator represents a clear opportunity. Good luck!”.

Daniel Dumitrescu, InnovX Manager, stated: “We are looking for courageous entrepreneurs, willing to expand at a European or global level, who want to know how to look good in front of investors and how to draft a proper business plan. Following the incubation stage, we will select 3 or 4 companies, which will subsequently participate in the acceleration program implemented in Bucharest and, implicitly, will have a chance to attend global conferences or to attract financing. Everything depends on how competitive they will be”.

• The BCR- InnovX incubation program will include:
• Leadership workshop
• Investment workshop
• Branding workshop
• Business plan drafting course
• Mentoring program offered by experienced entrepreneurs and BCR’s management team

BCR’s InnovX Accelerator is a program intended to technology businesses that develop solutions dedicated to areas such as: cyber-security, fintech, artificial intelligence, automated learning, robotics, cloud, automation or micro-services. The accelerator has a curriculum adapted to companies having an international scaling potential and a global network of partners and mentors experienced in such programs.

The accelerator is a project implemented in partnership with UiPath, Startup Grind and with Google for Startups, Mindspace and the European Center for Services Investments and Financing (ECSIF). BCR covers the costs for all scholarships granted to entrepreneurs under this project, for courses and logistic costs.

For further details about BCR-InnovX Accelerator, please visit: www.bcr.ro/accelerator.

AROBS is a global IT solution provider, with an experience of over 20 years in the development of tailor-made software systems and solutions and of software products for fleet management, business optimization and human resource management, having 900 employees and collaborators in seven offices of Romania and six international branches. For further details about AROBS, please visit: www.arobs.com.

*  *

Banca Comercială Română (BCR), member of Erste Group, is one of the most important financial groups of Romania, and includes universal bank operations (retail, corporate & investment banking, treasury and capital markets), as well as specialized companies in the leasing market, private pensions and housing banks.

BCR offers a full range of financial products and services through a network of 21 business centres and 22 mobile offices dedicated to companies and 431 retail units located in most towns of the country having over 10,000 inhabitants. BCR is bank no. 1 in Romania in the bank transaction market, and its customers benefit from the largest national ATM network – 2,000 ATMs, 15,300 POSs and full Internet banking, Mobile banking, Phone-banking and E-commerce services.

BCR – Corporate Communication

Cătălin Ioniță, e-mail: catalin.ionita@bcr.ro, phone no.: 0740.247.336

This information is available also on our website at: www.bcr.ro

For further details on BCR’s products and services, please use the following contact methods:

InfoBCR

Web: www.bcr.ro

Email: contact.center@bcr.ro

TelVerde: 0800.801.BCR (0800.801.227), which can be dialled free of charge from all national phone networks.