An exclusive event on 27 November 2024 in Bucharest.
Bucharest, 20 November — UPGRADE 100 and How to Web are organising a meetup in Bucharest on 27 November, bringing together ambitious founders from Romania’s startup ecosystem, international investors, tech product experts, engineers and industry leaders.
The event takes place under the GO GLOBAL programme, co-produced by UPGRADE 100 and How to Web, led by investment firm Arieli Capital and supported by Raiffeisen Bank Romania and AmCham Romania. The programme aims to turn Romanian startups into global market leaders.
The meeting brings together prominent industry voices, including Laurențiu Bălașa, Founder and CEO of BibleChat; Or Haviv, Partner at Arieli Capital; Bogdan Popa, COO of Raiffeisen Bank Romania; Smaranda Heroiu, Executive Director of UPGRADE 100; and Monica Zara, Head of Conference at How to Web, offering opportunities to connect and develop impactful partnerships.
The agenda includes:
- 18:00–18:30: Networking session
- 18:30–18:40: Official opening, with remarks from Smaranda Heroiu, Executive Director of UPGRADE 100, and Monica Zara, Head of Conference at How to Web
- 18:40–19:05: “How to scale globally from Romania”—a panel on international expansion with Or Haviv, Partner at Arieli Capital, and Bogdan Popa, COO of Raiffeisen Bank Romania
- 19:05–19:30: A discussion on overcoming technical challenges so that Romanian startup founders, product specialists and engineers can reach the scaling stage, with Laurențiu Bălașa, Founder and CEO of BibleChat
- 19:30–21:00: Networking with Laurențiu Bălașa, Founder and CEO of BibleChat; Or Haviv, Partner at Arieli Capital; and Bogdan Popa, COO of Raiffeisen Bank Romania
“We live in an era when technology does more than transform industries—it shapes our future. Startups drive this transformation, and our mission is to enable them to expand beyond local borders and become global forces. The meeting on 27 November is about creating the concrete connections that facilitate and support their progress. We are bringing the right people together at the right time to make international recognition a reality for local startups,” said Bogdan Popa, COO of Raiffeisen Bank Romania.
“This meeting marks a crucial moment for Romanian entrepreneurs ready to think on a large scale, particularly because existing projects in Romania demonstrate exceptional potential, with technical capabilities that meet global standards. We aim to exchange more than ideas: we want to open doors to long-term partnerships and give Romanian startups the competitive advantage they need to succeed globally,” said Or Haviv, Partner and Head of Innovation at Arieli Capital.
“Through How to Web’s various activities and events, we see the incredible potential of Romania’s startup ecosystem and always seek to support it with the right resources. GO GLOBAL is where preparation meets opportunity, connecting the most promising startups with the international expertise and connections they need,” added Monica Zara, Head of Conference at How to Web.
“We are delighted to have brought this programme to Romania through a strategic partnership combining expertise, advanced know-how and an extensive network of local and, above all, global contacts. This distinctive combination will give participants access to outstanding development opportunities. We invite as many of you as possible to join this meetup, and we hope the startups selected for the project will become remarkable examples of successful tech entrepreneurship bearing the ‘Made in Romania’ label,” added Smaranda Heroiu, Executive Director of Upgrade 100.
Places are limited, and registration is now open at this link.
About GO GLOBAL:
GO GLOBAL is an international accelerator specifically designed to turn promising startups into global market leaders. With successful operations in Italy, Slovenia, Utah in the United States and the Czech Republic, it combines Arieli Capital’s proven global acceleration methodology with support deeply embedded in the local ecosystem, offering a distinctive advantage to companies ready for ambitious international growth. The intensive programme runs from December 2024 to March 2025, culminating in a high-impact, in-person programme in Milan, where participants will meet international investors and potential partners.