TechConnect 2025: applied innovation, real collaboration, deep tech, and the beginning of Centru Innovation Valley
For three days, between October 7 and 9, Brașov, Sibiu, and Târgu Mureș hosted the first edition of the TECHConnect Technology Transfer Festival, organized by Iceberg+ together with CITT I4T, CIT IRECSON, “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, and “G.E. Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Târgu Mureș.
Over 350 participants — researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and representatives from the public and academic sectors — took part in a format that combined open dialogue with startup presentations, matchmaking sessions, and entrepreneurial discovery exercises.
Brașov – where research, funding, and public policy connect
The official opening took place at CATTIA Brașov, in the presence of Mayor George Scripcaru, with messages from Minister of Investments and European Projects Dragoș Pîslaru and Iceberg+ CEO Ionuț Țața, who emphasized that regional development begins where local and national priorities meet.
Creative technologist Andrew Melchior opened the festival with a reflection on technology, culture, and ethical sovereignty — a call for Europe, and Romania along with it, to build its own voice in technology.
Silvia Ursu (EIT Romania), Ionuț Țața (Iceberg+), and Anca Păiușescu (General Secretariat of the Government – Innovation Lab) spoke openly about what Romania still lacks to innovate at a national scale: institutions that collaborate consistently, not occasionally.
Aharon Dines (UiPath) and Timmy Ghiurău (Volvo Cars, The Point Labs) brought the industry perspective — showing how automation and creativity are not opposites but forces that can change how we work and innovate together.
Alexia Perouse, Adrian Radu, and Diana Pîrjol discussed how research and investments can be connected, while Irina Florea-Saghin, Marius Apostu, Raluca Lucăț-Gîrbacea, Octavia Negruți, and Bogdan Ciocănel explained how technology transfer mechanisms can work in practice.
At the same time, inside the +ONE Incubator hosted at CATTIA — the Brașov location of the festival — researchers and companies worked together on topics related to health, energy, and mobility, in a format that will soon expand within the Centru Innovation Valley.
During the second day of the festival in Brașov, discussions focused on funding and scaling innovation.
Cecilia MoSze Tham (Futurity Systems) spoke about rigorous creativity — how disciplined imagination can build better futures — and advised Romania to create its own digital soul as part of a strategy to support innovation.
Paul Bulencea spoke about the importance of direct experience in innovation — without a connection to real life and to the people who use the solutions, progress becomes abstract.
Silvia Ursu highlighted the growing interest of investors in the Centre and West regions for deep tech: Jean-Marc Bally (Aster Capital), Yann Gozlan (Creative Valley), Alexia Perouse (iBionext), and Paul Ștefănuț (BoosterLab), together with MedTech startup founders Zaki Milhem (WakeZ) and Roxana Sabău Vesa (Synaptiq).
Loredana Gavrilescu, Alexandru Agatinei, Vadim Fîntînari, Cristina Țoncu, Carmen Țale, and Răzvan Suta demonstrated, through concrete examples, that it is possible to build and scale from Romania for global markets.
Sibiu and Târgu Mureș – applied innovation and European collaboration
At “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, sessions focused on energy and advanced manufacturing, together with Ramona Samson, Bogdan Pîrvu, Dan Zbuchea, and Dominic Gorecky (Swiss Smart Factory).
At “G.E. Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Târgu Mureș, the sessions addressed medtech and digital health, with Yolanda Beenen, Zaki Milhem, Sorina Moica, Jacek Kasz, and Ali Tavakoli, in discussions dedicated to moving from lab to market and strengthening international collaboration.
The TechConnect Festival and the launch of Centru Innovation Valley
The TechConnect Festival provided the setting for the official launch of the Centru Innovation Valley platform, in the presence of Ioan Levițchi, Director of Regional Policies at ADR Centru.
This initiative brings together academia, companies, and local administrations in a joint partnership designed to turn applied research into a driver of regional economic growth. It connects universities, clusters, startups, and public authorities in a shared collaboration mechanism focused on projects with direct economic impact and measurable results.
Centru Innovation Valley can become a reality through the successful implementation of initiatives launched by ADR Centru, including:
- a regional investment fund for innovative startups;
- two open innovation platforms and business incubators in areas of smart specialization;
- new industrial parks and public and private research infrastructures;
- a network of over 15 local business incubators and accelerators;
- more than 200 innovative startups funded through grants and investments;
- a consolidated regional network linking universities, companies, and local administrations into a functional innovation system.
“Centru Innovation Valley will become the support initiative through which we bring ideas out of laboratories and turn them into products and companies with real impact on the economy.
We have the support of city halls and ADR Centru, we work directly with universities, and we have partnerships with investors from Romania and Europe.
The next natural step is for startups in the region, local administrations, and as many investors as possible to join us — because the region grows only if we build it together.
The first concrete step we’ve already taken, beyond organizing TechConnect, is the +ONE Incubator at CATTIA Brașov — the entry point for startups, research teams, and local administrations that want to test, pilot, and scale new solutions.”
said Ionuț Țața, CEO of Iceberg+.
“Technology transfer is the mechanism through which innovation can grow from the bottom up — from regional to national and European level.
If research remains isolated, progress stays theoretical.
When the results of universities and research centers begin to be used by companies and local communities, they become an engine for development and change.
Centru Innovation Valley gives us exactly this framework — a concrete way to connect regional capacities to European innovation networks.”
said Irina Florea-Saghin, Coordinator of the CITT I4T Technology Transfer Center and Festival Manager.
Organizers and support
TechConnect was organized by Iceberg+, in partnership with “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu (ULBS), “George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Târgu Mureș, and CIT-IRECSON.
The technology scouting and matchmaking were provided by CITT I4T, the accredited technology transfer center of Iceberg+ and member of the Enterprise Europe Network.
The event was supported through a grant from the Ministry of Education and Research, through the Executive Unit for Financing Higher Education, Research, Development, and Innovation (UEFISCDI), project number PN-IV-P7-7.4-FTT-2024-0055, under the National Plan for Research, Development, and Innovation (PNCDI IV).
