VentureConnect bridges gap between investors and entrepreneurs

Newsroom 14/06/2010 | 11:59

More and more Romanians are starting their own businesses and what they seem to be lacking is better visibility towards investors. The first edition of VentureConnect brought together investors and entrepreneurs, allowing the latter to pitch ideas and network with those who could help take their projects to the next level.According to Dan Visoiu, partner at Biris Goran law firm, the organizers of VentureConnect, around 20 investors attended the event, plus some 30 entrepreneurs, of whom nine were selected by the advisory board to pitch their projects. Participation for both sides was free of charge.

The advisory board members for the first edition of VentureConnect included long established successful players on the Romanian online/IT market, such as Marius Ghenea, a well-known local serial entrepreneur and business angel; Radu Georgescu, a serial entrepreneur and president of Gecad; Orlando Nicoara, general manager of Apropo Media and online entrepreneur; and Dragos Roua, a serial online entrepreneur and location independent business maverick; as well as Biris Goran attorney Daniel Visoiu and Ana Maria Andronic.

Visoiu also sees the event as an opportunity for entrepreneurs to develop their legal and corporate governance knowledge, thanks to the presence of legal consultants at VentureConnect. Ghenea pronounced the event “a valuable initiative enabling many Romanian start-up entrepreneurs to connect with various types of investors from abroad as well as Romania in a structured way, for the first time.”