FIX Cluj: a roadmap for your start-up journey
FIX Cluj is a community-driven incubation program designed to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with the knowledge, skills, resources, and networks necessary to navigate the start-up journey.
This hybrid program helps young innovators tackle some of the most pressing social challenges and create digital solutions with a positive impact on their communities.
Where?
- Online e-learning hub | May – June 2024
- Hybrid, online & in Cluj-Napoca | September 2024 – April 2025
Pre-incubator
Part 1 – The Pre-incubator is a free online e-learning hub created for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to join the start-up ecosystem, but it is also open to everyone interested in social innovation. As part of this phase, 40 teams will be selected for the second part of the program – the incubator – through an in-person bootcamp.
Incubator
Part 2 – the hybrid part of the program is an incubator created for young founders and teams who are looking to build and grow their start-up ideas. In order to participate in this part of the program, teams must meet the eligibility criteria and be selected at the end of the pre-incubator (read more about eligibility criteria in the FAQ).
16 April - 07 May 2024
Registration open
07 May 2024
Pre-incubator begins
14 – 16 June 2024
FIX Bootcamp
05 July – 01 Sept 2024
Summer break
22 July – 04 Aug 2024
2nd Call for start-ups
23 Sept – 17 Nov 2024
FIX Incubator – Part 1: Ideation
21 Nov 2024
Demo Day 1
2 Dec 2024 – 23 March 2025
FIX Incubator – Part 2: Incubation
27 March 2025
Demo Day 2
03 April 2025
FIX Awards Gala
2024 FIX Incubator teams
Meet the young entrepreneurs and their innovative start-up ideas.
AIDE
A team of four young people committed to testing the latest technologies and AI-based learning models to personalize and increase access to deep learning in e-health education for the future.
ATRUX
Adopty
The young team of social innovators will work on developing a digital tool to connect, educate, and map the future families of adopted stray dogs, solving the pressure on public shelters while connecting pet-loving Europeans with their future family pets.
BeeStrong
Playing on the power of peer-to-peer learning and generation bonding, the innovators of BeeStrong will experiment in FIX Cluj their potential of mixing creativity, digital technologies, and healthy local food providing new trends for the needs of young people to feel and be cool, while respectful with Nature and healthy.
Behave
The young team commits to test and experiment in FIX Cluj a better more accessible digital service for the numerous young creators and influencers that generate today more than 62% of online purchase decisions from the young generation of buyers.
COlive a little
The team of young artists will experiment with a reverse approach to making physical reminders of places and emotions more innovative and fun in their startup idea to offer the Souvenir market an upgrade and upskill to the XXI Century of esthetics and creative narrative.
Forma
The team proposed to address the risks of hyperspecialization education from more and more early ages by opening and designing a replicable and scalable model of a new type of creative incubator for young children – that will (re)create the intersectionality and synergies needed to unleash and boost natural exploration of young people, as a driver to push them toward a more disruptive mindset – and offer the community a veritable “kindergarten of future innovators”.
Focus
The team will develop a digital device that, using the brain vibrations, connects and translates one’s mental status using music and overcoming the distress caused by fatigue, lack of sleep, illness, and or lack of well-being.
GreenVision
Two young Green Innovators will start the FIX Cluj Journey to develop a digital solution that manages individual green energy production using a complex algorithm that includes data collecting from variable sources – from weather forecasting to multiple production technologies, allowing more efficient management and monetization of what today is the most superfluous type of energy.
Hardset
Hardset is the response of a team of young students to a problem they have identified in crowded cities like Cluj – where more people would like to embrace alternative mobility solutions, such as biking – but fear the dangers of an intensely circulated metropole.
InoCorp
In a society that floods consumers’ worth options and choices the paradox of choice blockage can be a mood killer and in the long run a health hazard – since it pushes people to adopt unstructured, unplanned, and eventually unhealthy lifestyles. For Ino Corp the solution is to leave all this hustle to algorithms and technology.
Katana
The team will develop a solution to tackle the rising consumption of alcohol, particularly among young people, by promoting healthy, plant-based beverages like kava, matcha, ashwagandha, and spirulina as alternatives to alcohol in a new concept for meeting places.
Little V
Reimagining the children’s clothing economy into developing a new business model that embodies heritage, circularity, sharing, natural material, recycling, repurposing, and re-loving kids’ clothing – while nurturing a more aware and authentically connected parent community.
NMI Guard
This startup understands the new market opportunities that AI technologies create for all businesses and proposes a solution for AI audit for companies to prepare them for the European AI Act restrictions and requirements.
Odaia
Big university cities, such as Cluj, face strong pressure on the housing offers for young people and students, having to deal with the accelerated gentrification as well as the lack of proper information and network that newcomers encounter at the beginning of their university experience.
One Hub
This young team commits to test and experimenting with a complex mechanism to address the negative impact of the increased human appetite for consuming fast fashion, as well as to tackle the immense amount of residue produced by textile waste. If this is possible, they are the right ones to prove it and offer an integrated and multistakeholder approach, with FIX Cluj support and guidance.
Palmsy
The young team of Students will test a new concept to improve accessibility for blind people, by offering an increase usability of their touch sense – by designing an innovative glove type device that can supply the type of support they do not have access to from the lack of sight.
Prețuiește Relația
This young team has been onboarded on the mission to contribute to ensuring access and options for short chain supply for personalized and adapted to people’s needs presents and souvenirs with meaning and heritage, as beacons of value for feelings and connection.
Pandalyze
In a global market with numerous digital tools addressing the XXI number one illness – stress and anxiety – it is a bold attempt to propose a personalized and adapted to young people solution – and this is what Pandalyze onboards on in FIX Cluj.
ReFresh
The team has created a new digital option for data collection, reading, and solution adaptation using autonomous drone fleets in cities.
Rhythm Touch
A team of young women innovators commits to tackling the need to include in all life opportunities all young people – in the case study they address in FIX Cluj, this means making music benefits and pleasure accessible to deaf people, with the use of technologies.
Servicegest
The team offers a digital solution for citizens to manage their car service needs and additional services required to quality usage of cars, introducing a sustainable local solution for global need to embrace the 3Rs (Reuse, Repair, Recycle).
Sensera
Well, since technologies exist to be put to use for deep societal unsolved problems, this young team of bold innovators embarked on a journey to create a new way to address healing – with the help of digital solutions. Their first station is a specific need identified as previously hard to tackle, and they will work hard to offer a more happy future scenario.
Sublime Atelier
This team is passionate about design and aware of the risk of fast-consuming furniture and decorative art and will put a lot of skin in the game to propose a locally, while globally scalable solution – with the end in mind of ensuring a Future in which beauty and uniqueness do not come with the price of environment damage and future generation’s costs.
The ReVivre Creators
The team will develop a creative and innovative hub for education on sustainability in the fashion industry – creating a deadstock network that will save physical travel to supply the designers needs of fabrics and accessories, while connecting them into a hub for the future of fashion and textile connected design.
Transylvanian Insects
The time has come for our innovators to test and experiment with the future of less usual protein sources. Not long ago we used to read in SF literature about it, they brought the issues into our daily life and proposed a diversified range of insect-based tasty and healthy snacks, that are environment protective and contribute to reducing the carbon footprint for food production.
TrustPass
This team acknowledged the pain and annoying issue of password management in a world in which digital tools and services imply secret personalized keys, that change in time and get more and more numerous. They propose an innovative identity wallet that protects all types of digital identities and offers seamless use for all of us, no matter how digitally unsavvy.
Virtual School
Fear of the uncertainty of the future of work and professions’ basic educational foundation makes families of today invest a lot of extra resources in overcharging with the knowledge their children – trying to future-proof them. Virtual School offers an efficient and validated digital package of just enough learning, delivered in the way each user needs it, using digital resources.
VolunteerNow
Acknowledging that volunteer is as much a needed resource in society and a personal need for individuals, this team offers a quick personalized and easy digital tool for these needs to meet and make the world a better place.
Who can apply
The FIX program is designed for aspiring entrepreneurs, professionals, or individuals who are passionate about social innovation.
The Pre-incubator is ideal for:
- Students or working professionals with ideas or expertise
- Individuals who have an interest in the start-up world
- Early-stage founders looking for guidance and resources
The Incubator is open to:
- Teams aged 16 to 26 who live or study or work in Cluj-Napoca
- Potential or early-stage start-ups that address social challenges
Inside the program
Phase 1: Pre-incubator
07 May – 11 June 2024
Online content and challenges will guide you through the essentials of the startup journey, including:
- Understanding the key principles of starting a startup
- Defining and validating the problem your business aims to solve
- Developing and validating the solution
- Designing your business model
At the end of Phase 1, you’ll attend the FIX Bootcamp where you can form your team and begin working on your initial pitch. If selected, you’ll receive an invitation to join Phase 2 and an initial financial support of € 3.000/team.
Phase 2: Incubator - Part 1
23 Sept – 17 Nov 2024
A 2-month tailored journey filled with online training, mentorship sessions, and financial support of € 12.000/team.
Here are a few topics your team will cover:
- How to build your team
- Business model
- How to validate the solution
- Competition Research
- Market size analysis
- The basics of legal
- Financing for early start-ups
At the end of this stage, your team will put all the knowledge into action during a Demo Day event by preparing a pitch and presenting the solution. 10 teams will receive the financial support and will be selected for the next stage.
Phase 2: Incubator - Part 2
2 Dec 2024 – 23 March 2025
2 months of custom-designed learning, mentorship sessions, meetings with subject matter experts, and financial support of € 35.000/team.
Here are a few topics your team will cover:
- Project management
- Business model
- Marketing and PR
- Market entry strategy
- Legal, financing, and funding your startup
- Creation of minimum viable products
At the end of this stage, your team will showcase the evolution of your start-up during a Demo Day event by preparing a pitch and presenting the solution. The 4 winners of this edition will be announced at the FIX Awards Gala and receive financial support.
How to apply
This call for applications is exclusively part of the second part of the program, the FIX Cluj Incubator, and is addressed to teams that have a start-up idea start-up.
Detailed information about the application process is provided in the application guide. Please read it carefully!
Before you begin the submission process, please have the materials for uploading. The submission process should take no more than 15 minutes if you have these materials ready.
The application deadline is August 4, 2024, at 11:59 PM. Please note that applications will not be accepted after this deadline. We receive applications exclusively through the application form. Documents or information sent via e-mail or other channels will not be considered.
The selection process will last 2 weeks after the application deadline. Through a rigorous selection process, the jury will evaluate submissions. All applicants will be notified
In case of any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at fixcluj@c-edu.ro. We are more than happy to assist you in the application process.
Application calendar
22.07 - 04.08.2024, 23:59
Application period for teams
12 - 16.08.2024
Eligibility check
17 - 25.08.2024
Selection period
27.08.2024
Announcement of results
30.08.2024
Announcement of 2024 cohort
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply? Am I eligible?
The Pre-incubation part is open to everyone (individuals or teams) who has an interest in the start-up ecosystem.
In the Incubation part, we accept teams that meet the following criteria:
- every team is required to be formed of 2 – 5 members
- members are required to have 16 – 26 years old at the application moment
- every member must live or study or work in Cluj-Napoca
- every member must complete the Pre-incubator phase
- applicants must have an idea or early-stage start-up dedicated to solving a social problem using innovative technology
Can I join the program if I live outside Cluj-Napoca?
This is a hybrid program that consists of two parts. The pre-incubation will be an online learning experience, but for the incubator, you must meet the eligibility criteria.
How long is the program?
The FIX program is a 10-month journey:
- The Pre-incubator: 5 weeks of online learning
- The Incubator: 4 months of intensive hybrid learning
- Ideation Phase: 2 months
- Incubation Phase: 2 months
How much time must be allocated to the program?
The FIX program is divided into 2 phases:
- Phase 1 – the Pre-incubator will be online throughout May. You’ll need to commit 15-25 hours to engage with the provided video content and assignments, which means 3-5 hours weekly.
- If selected, Phase 2 – the Incubator runs from July to November in Cluj-Napoca. During this time, teams will dedicate 3-5 hours per week to hands-on training and mentorship sessions. Additionally, participants are encouraged to work on their start-up, applying the knowledge gained.
Throughout the Incubator, we will organize in-person events. These are optional, but you may wish to attend.
What am I required to commit?
For the Pre-incubator part, you’ll have flexibility based on self-paced learning.
For the Incubator part, you’ll need to attend the trainings, 1:1 mentorship sessions, and 1:1 meetings with subject-matter experts. The teams may also be invited to curated events.
In which language is the program conducted?
The main training sessions and events are conducted in Romanian. However, there is a possibility of encountering materials, stakeholder meetings, or Demo Day events in English. In such cases, it’s necessary to ensure that you or your teammates possess an average or advanced command of English.
Is this program free or does it have a cost?
This program is free for all participants. However if you are selected in the Incubation phase and based outside of Cluj-Napoca, travel and accommodation are not covered.
How does the Pre-Incubator differ from Incubator?
The Pre-incubator part is an online e-learning hub where individuals can boost their entrepreneurial skills. Every applicant will have access to curated online learning resources and hands-on support.
The Incubator part is for start-up ideas or early-stage start-ups. The selected teams will receive up to € 50.000 in funding, tailored support, and knowledge to build thriving start-ups.
Who can get to the second part of the program - the Incubator?
Only teams that meet the eligibility criteria will have the opportunity to advance to the incubator phase.
If we didn’t join the Pre-incubator, can my team still be selected in the Incubator?
No, every member of your team must participate in the Pre-incubator to be eligible for the Incubator.
If one of our team members doesn't meet the eligibility criteria, can our team still participate?
No, every member of your team must meet the eligibility criteria.
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