As part of the European pre-acceleration program Danube Energy +, Transylvania Startup Center Association organized, at the end of May, a pitching session for the eight pre-selected teams. Danube Energy + targets young people under 35 from Romania, with innovative ideas in the green energy field, who are supported to turn their projects into sustainable businesses.
The Romanian projects from Danube Energy + program are:
- BILLIT: digital shopping voucher. Oana Durcau and four other students have developed an application via which any receipt received can be virtually stored for good management of expenses and for potential returns of products, in case the printed receipt is lost. The team aims to completely eliminate printed receipts, which involve an additional cost for retailers and is a non-recyclable waste for the consumer.
- ECOCYCLING: Răzvan Capotă and Gabriel Apahidean want to develop an electronic waste recycling factory, coupled with a consumer application through which, using gamification methods, to increase the recycling level of this type of waste.
- EVOLTA: project carried out by Teodor Tiber and Iulian Susan who aim to develop the first network of fast charge stations for electric cars in Galați and Brăila;
- FERMIERUL 4.0: Alexandru Luchian builds a mobile aquaponics self-sustaining system for the HoReCa industry. Using this system, restaurants will be able to grow fresh food on their own, throughout the year, in a sustainable way: fresh-water fish (in pools created within the restaurants’ premises) and fresh greens in a hydrobed system. For low energy consumption, solar panels can be added.
- HYDROGEN PVC: a home heating system, developed by Ionuț Procop, which uses hydrogen to decarbonize the electricity grid. He proposes an integrated system, using electrical panels for the energy needed in the electrolysis of water, with the help of which consumers can have complete autonomy for their energy needs, regardless of the type of weather, at low costs.
- SLICK: the prototype for an electric motorcycle with an electric engine for each wheel. It is developed by Ionel Chereja, a high school student who aims to turn his idea into a serial product.
- SOLAR CHAIR is a social project developed by Luminița Vlaicu that is building a wheelchair for people with disabilities, set in motion with the help of solar energy. The young woman focuses on finding solutions so that this product can be developed at the lowest possible costs in order to be accessible to potential beneficiaries.
- TAPOHUB: Adrian Pop and his team are in the testing phase, at the National Institute of Aerospace Research, of a new model of wind energy generator, of small dimensions. It was designed to be used mainly in agriculture, in order to reduce energy consumption in crop irrigation. The solution can also have residential use.
Before the pitching session, the teams benefited from two intensive weeks of training, conducted online, which included business mentoring sessions, with a focus on developing a business model, sales and pitching.
Danube Energy + is a project that takes place in nine European countries (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine) and targets any enthusiast up to 35 years old with ideas to transform the energy system into a green one. Solutions target areas such as energy storage, smart grids, energy for transport and mobility, smart cities and buildings, energy efficiency, renewable energy or integrated into the circular economy. The 3-years project aims to accelerate the development of innovative startups in the region that will contribute to sustainable transformers of the energy system.
In each of the nine countries, there were selected program partners, in order to create a system of learning and cooperation between regional public administrations, universities, SMEs and energy companies. A set of good practices, business models and case studies from the region will stand at the basis of the learning scheme of the pre-acceleration program for young people admitted to the program. At regional level, 90 young energy innovators will be selected (individually or as teams).
The Transylvania Startup Center Association is the Danube Energy + partner in Romania. Together, with eight other European entities and seven associated strategic partners – cooperation bodies with regional public administrations, Startup Transilvania has the mission to coordinate the evolution of selected young innovators, to develop and implement the pre-acceleration program at national level, to cooperate with stakeholders in regional ecosystems to support European policies.
