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Chișinău became a regional innovation hub: Startup Moldova Summit 2025
17 Apr 2025
Startup Moldova Summit 2025
On April 16, Chișinău hosted Startup Moldova Summit 2025, one of the largest innovation and investment events in the region. The summit brought together over 50 international investors and 1,000 participants from 30 countries. The event platform united startups, entrepreneurs, investors, and tech professionals, offering a major opportunity to showcase products and build strategic connections for business growth and investment.
This year’s edition gave participants the chance to learn, explore global trends in fields such as artificial intelligence, fintech, and deeptech, and strengthen key partnerships for the future of their businesses.
Doina Nistor, Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization: „Just four years ago, Startup Moldova ignited a powerful vision — to transform our country into a vibrant hub of innovation and entrepreneurship in the heart of Europe. Today, the results speak for themselves: over 250 active local startups, thousands of empowered talents, and international partnerships. This remarkable transformation is no accident — it is made possible by you, the entrepreneurs who have the courage to take risks, it is supported by us, a government that firmly believes in the power of innovation, and it is amplified by our partners, especially the European Union. But we are just getting started. We aim to support the creation of even more startups, engineers, and innovators. Talent doesn’t have a postcode — and neither should opportunity. Moldova is not just a country with potential; we are a future member state of the European Union. And those who invest today will be the first to benefit from Moldova’s full integration into the European economy and to build partnerships with our exceptional local talents and resources."
The development of Moldova’s startup ecosystem is also supported by European partners, who contribute through funding, technological support, and innovation initiatives. The summit emphasizes the impact of these initiatives on the national economy, especially as Moldova prepares for investments through the EU Growth Plan of €1.9 billion, supporting innovation, digitalization, and startups. In this context, entrepreneurs and startups will benefit from European support through projects such as EU4Innovation East, which will strengthen the local innovation ecosystem over the next four years.
Janis Mazeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova: „ICT innovation and the resilient digital transformation is one of the key objectives in our partnership with Moldova and Eastern Partnership countries. It is also a key lever to advance on the green transition and to ensure economic convergence with the European Union. As an EU candidate country, Moldova is making steady progress in alignment with the EU acquis, which, together with the progressive integration of Moldova in European digital single market, are expected to bring certainty for business, potentially drive innovation and certainly facilitate cooperation with the EU business and innovation ecosystem.”
Katarina Fried, Ambassador of Sweden to the Republic of Moldova: „During my four years as an ambassador of Sweden to Moldova I have been very fortunate to see great ideas taking shape, to see talented people building companies, creating jobs and solving real-life problems with passion, with courage and with ambition.Just recently, I had a pleasure to meet the amazing Moldovan companies participating in the Tech Step Sweden, a market readiness program that supports Moldovan startups in exploring and entering the Swedish market. And let me tell you, they are doing an impressive job. And I want to say from us, from Sweden and from all of your international partners, we see this effort, we respect it and we want to support it”.
Simone Di Stefano, Deputy Director of Cooperation, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation in the Republic of Moldova: "Startups are not just economic actors — they are true catalysts. They challenge the status quo, reimagine what is possible, and, perhaps most importantly, they build solutions to problems in new, smarter, and more inclusive ways. That is why supporting events like this summit, organizations like Startup Moldova, and the vibrant entrepreneurial community gathered here today is not just logical — it is essential. Here, we see stories of how Moldova’s new generation of entrepreneurs is transforming industries, creating value, and finding solutions that work not just for shareholders, but for society as a whole. But extraordinary ideas need a strong ecosystem to succeed. Therefore, while we are fully committed to directly supporting entrepreneurs, we are equally focused on building the environment in which they operate — the superstructures, institutions, networks, and partnerships that turn early-stage startups into resilient businesses."
Innovative startups and business opportunities
The event brought in front of the audience renowned international experts from companies such as Netflix, Booking, and Atomico, who are ready to share key strategies for global scaling of startups and provide valuable insights to help businesses reach success. Marius Ghenea, Ashot Arzumanyan, and Fonz Morris – internationally renowned experts – were also guests at side events dedicated to startups, such as Startup Grind, the "Future Creatives" Conference, Startup Coffee, and others.
This edition is designed to support the growth of startups and provide direct access to investors through pitching sessions and competitions, offering startups the chance to gain international visibility.
Olga Melniciuc, CEO of the Startup Moldova Foundation: „The growth of Startup Moldova Summit speaks for itself—this year, participation has doubled, proving just how vital this platform has become. We're seeing a fresh wave of venture capitalists and investors discovering Moldovan startups for the very first time. It's a gateway to untapped potential, and for many, a game-changing opportunity. Beyond Moldova, the Summit is a catalyst for knowledge exchange and cross-border collaboration throughout the Eastern Partnership region. It’s also a powerful showcase of Moldova’s EU integration ambitions—demonstrating how our startup ecosystem aligns with European values, standards, and markets."
Startup Moldova Summit included a series of structured sessions, such as masterclasses, workshops, presentations, and panel discussions, all aiming to highlight and dive deep into key topics related to the development and scaling of innovative businesses. These sessions offered participants valuable learning opportunities directly from international experts and thought leaders, focusing on the latest trends and sustainable growth strategies for startups. It also served as a powerful platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences between entrepreneurs, investors, and industry professionals.
One of the most anticipated moments was the Startup World Cup Moldova competition, where local startups competed for a spot in the global finals in San Francisco and a chance to win a $1 million investment.
During networking sessions, startups from various sectors had the opportunity to present their products and establish meaningful connections with investors and strategic partners. Investors also took part in Reverse Pitching sessions, offering startups a direct look into their expectations.
Key topics on the agenda included the future of technology in tourism, how innovations can transform travel experiences, and how the tourism industry can adapt to new digital realities.
Also today, guests addressed diversity and inclusion in tech, discussing the impact of diverse teams on the development of innovative products and success in the digital sector.
Participants also had the chance to explore global market expansion for EdTech products, alongside scaling strategies for digital education businesses, which are redefining academic competitions on a global scale.
About Startup Moldova Summit
With a packed program of interactive sessions and valuable learning and networking opportunities, Startup Moldova Summit is a flagship event for all those interested in business development and innovation.
The event is organized with the financial support of the EU4Innovation East project, funded by the European Union, co-funded by the Government of France and implemented by Expertise France, as well as with support from Sweden, UMAEF, the Government of Switzerland, and Helvetas through the OPTIM Project.
Partners: Inotek, Evolve4GE, UN Women, BeSweet, Pitching Masterclass
Partners: Orange Moldova, maib, Turkish Airlines, Doubles Studio, Be Sweet
Community Partners: MITP, Plug and Play, EBAN, XY, Dreamups, Yep! Moldova, Technovator, Glia, Business Angels Moldova, Mozaic, RoStartUp, Rubik Hub, Launch Romania, How to Web
Media Partners: Clear Story International, Yellow Business Pages, Business Class, Juorno Birds, Independent News, TechDoor, ItKey Media, Finanțare.ro, Simpals
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