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A Moldovan startup chasing credibility in Europe
The Robolex team in 2023: the two co-founders, Nicu Predeus and Mihai Coșleț, and Nicu Chiciuc, a software engineer. Photo: Private collection
By Patricia Mihaila
30 Aug 2025
What is it like to digitize law firms that are often skeptical of new technologies? In just a few years, a Moldovan startup has signed over a hundred Romanian clients, but the future remains uncertain.
The founder of Robolex, Nicu Predeus, and his colleagues are between offices. They're working remotely, occasionally gathering at the co-working space iHub, to “not to forget each other's faces," as Nicu jokingly puts it. Uneasy with publicity and journalists, he seems more at home explaining technical details than sharing his startup journey.
The story of Robolex, a Moldovan startup with an AI-powered legal automation platform, began amidst the uncertainty of a pandemic in 2020. Working in a law firm during his student years, Predeus was struck by the idea of building a tool that could automate repetitive tasks at law firms. Many legal processes are time-consuming and can be easily digitalized, saving time and resources, and excluding human factor errors. Surprisingly, though, "many businesses were not digitized at all," as Predeus explains.
With Robolex, you upload contracts and invoices, and the system extracts data, calculates, and generates the needed legal documents.
Shortly after, Mihai Coșleț, who knew him from their days in AIESEC, a prominent youth organization, and Nicu Chiciuc, a software engineer, joined the venture, and the journey began.
A casual gathering of the Robolex team at iHub after the pandemics. Photo: Private collection
But things didn't run as smoothly as the young tech enthusiasts expected.
Competition is getting ruthless
Initially, Robolex didn’t take off in the Moldovan market. Law firms were skeptical of new technology and artificial intelligence. Predeus admits that “it was a lot more complicated than we expected."
Cristian Papanaga, lawyer and legal advisor, warns that digital transformation in Moldova’s legal sector must be approached with caution. “When it comes to digitalization, all aspects related to the protection of constitutional rights must be taken into account, including confidentiality, archiving, and transmission. There are a series of risks - cyberattacks, for example.”
For him, real innovation means not only implementing technological solutions but also building mechanisms that can withstand inevitable vulnerabilities.
Robolex took some time to regroup and returned to the market in 2023. "When the first version of ChatGPT appeared," Predeus recalls, "we understood, 'Now is the moment.' If we move fast, we can be among the first to enter this market."
They decided to focus their efforts on Romania. Meanwhile, other start-ups have caught on to the idea and are now proposing similar tools. A new functionality that works today might be outdated in a month. "The competition is stiff," admits Predeus.
The global legal technology market shows how much potential exists. In the United States, Harvey - a legal AI startup launched in 2022 - has already reached $100 million in annual recurring revenue and works with more than 500 clients. Its rise illustrates that AI platforms in the legal sector can scale at an extraordinary pace.
Robolex's ties with Startup Moldova, local startup ecosystem enabler that supports and connects people in the Moldovan tech and startup community, proved helpful, providing access to mentors, investors and events. They received support to attend international conferences like HowToWeb and Techsylvania, which helped gain visibility. "We had the opportunity to have a stand where we presented our solutions," he says, emphasizing that the community has been crucial for their growth.
Nicu Predeus and Mihai Coșleț at the Stockholm Tech Show in 2025. Photo: Private collection
Skepticism towards Moldovan startups
With clients in Romania, Robolex wants to explore new markets like Sweden and Poland. The Swedish market, in particular, is seen as a major validator. "If you succeed in legal tech there," Predeus states, "you can practically go to any Eastern European country."
"People first have to trust you," he explains, highlighting the difficulty of selling a complex legal tool to a segment of the market often skeptical of new technologies.
The hesitation isn't just about tech. Predeus notes that there is "still skepticism" about being a startup from Moldova, especially in the context of the region's security concerns, with questions about data security and the team's location. By pursuing international markets like Sweden and having Estonia's e-Residency, Robolex wants to gain credibility and counterbalance these concerns.
The return to the local market
But they haven't abandoned the Moldovan market. Since ChatGPT's popularity spread across Moldova’s legal sector, Robolex has started receiving local requests. Predeus believes the market has matured since their first attempt.
Cristian Papanaga agrees. “In the justice sector, I see a positive trend towards digitalization,” he says, noting that both the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova and the Bar Association have made digitalization a part of their development strategies.
A proof of progress, says Papanaga, is the eDosar system launched by the Government, that allows legal documents to be submitted online to the courts.
The Robolex founder emphasizes that he’s “not the person who gives up easily.” The end of summer caught him not only looking for a suitable office, but also working to secure future investments. Despite the constant uncertainty of running a startup, Predeus simply concludes that he “sees potential”.
That potential is already being validated. In 2023, Robolex secured €25,000 from the Mozaic Angel Investors Community, a local investment syndicate, and further won a €30,000 prize at the Dreamicon Conference for an outstanding pitch. “The jury really liked them, especially because they already had a product,” recalls Mihai Stipanov, founder of Dreamups and Mozaic. “Their niche focus stood out - they clearly know who their customer is and what problem they’re solving. The team was also impressive: Nicu has a law background, while one of the co-founders brings technical expertise to make it happen.”
Today, the startup is in talks with some European investors - though, for now, the details remain under wraps.
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