On September 4, starting at 6:00 PM, Azuma Beach became the epicenter of a meeting between vision and execution. Several founders with validated or in-progress ideas had just seven minutes each to present the essence of their vision. This was followed by quick audience questions (five minutes per pitch), designed to challenge and clarify their concepts.
Among those who managed to impress both the audience and the jury were Filip Ungureanu, founder of Denki, who won the Best Pitch award and a ticket to the How to Web, and Georgiana, awarded in the Best Startup category with a Custom Landing Page offered by Five Quantum Bits.
But the real magic happened at the matchmaking tables, where participants engaged in face-to-face discussions with the founders who had caught their interest — and the evening concluded with a networking session filled with new connections and collaborations.
The target audience consisted of founders with validated or developing ideas, technical professionals, and product designers ready to support high-potential projects, as well as mentors and investors interested in discovering local talent and fresh perspectives.
“A strong community is built on a strong innovation ecosystem, and startups are at the core of that ecosystem. This year, we’ve succeeded in synergistically mobilizing all the entities that contribute to the sustainable entrepreneurial transformation of the city around Ovidius University. CO-FOUND ME is the first event of its kind, organized in collaboration among the most relevant structures supporting startups in the region, and it opens a true innovation marathon that will unfold throughout September in Constanța — a festival of innovation, created by quality people, for people and the regional community,” said Costin Sorici, Director of the Centrului de Transfer Tehnologic al UOC and initiator of the Constanța InnoVibe.
“Ideas don’t mean much without a complete team to turn vision into reality. We’re organizing this event because we want to support early-stage founders in this process,” said Cristian-George Farauanu, co-founder of the Start-up CT.
“I believe strong ecosystems are born when founders no longer feel alone on their journey. Through Ambasada, we’ve shown that there is real entrepreneurial energy here in Constanța, and CO-FOUND ME is another step in turning that energy into real projects. It’s an open invitation for anyone who wants to get involved in a startup — regardless of their role — and especially for those looking to find the right team,” said Teodora Moraru, co-founder of the Ambasada.
“From my experience, ideas truly accelerate when they meet the right people and the support of a community. A vibrant community shortens your path — it quickly connects you with the people and skills you need, right when you need them. At CO-FOUND ME, you don’t just come to pitch; you come to leave with a colleague you’ll start building with the next day, maybe even with a clear roadmap and a community that’s there to support you,” said Cristian Culea, volunteer within the Constanța Developers.
This event is part of the Constanța InnoVibe Innovation Festival, taking place throughout September — a project initiated by CITYINNOHUB, the European Digital Innovation Hub for the South-East region, together with the Technology Transfer Center, the Ovidius Innovation Centre, and strategic partners. The festival reflects the vision of a community united around innovation, education, and collaboration.
