First AI Pre-Accelerator in Romania to Kickstart this Fall

Bucharest.AI, the first artificial intelligence (AI) community in Romania, brings the first Pre-Accelerator program in the country fully dedicated to Artificial Intelligence, #BeAI, and opens the call for deep tech startups in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region. Exceptional applications from European Union Member States are also to be considered. Early-stage AI startups and teams are invited to apply through September 30. 

“As AI technologies shift from lab to general purpose-technologies, building an entrepreneurial know-how and capitalizing on the Central and Eastern Europe’s high potential to become a key player in AI-driven industries is a must. Being one of the region’s first AI Pre-Accelerators, this program is central in helping the AI ecosystem mature and fully leverage its potential”, says Alexandra Petrus, Bucharest.AI Co-Founder.

The AI Pre-Accelerator, #BeAI, will unfold entirely online from October 1 to December 8. Up to 8 AI startups will join the 8-week extensive program facilitated by over 30 top-line multi-disciplinary experts. The Pre-accelerator comes with a pre-seed up to EUR 50,000 via convertible note from GapMinder, 3 spots in the Techcelerator accelerator program (in the batch scheduled for the spring of 2021), and various program perks such as APIs and test applications courtesy of Orange Romania. Participation is free by applying to the open Call for Startups.

“Bucharest.AI is best positioned to coordinate such a complex program due to its expertise in the field, hands-on experience in the CEE market and its partnerships with key industry players, practitioners, academics, and policy makers”, adds Alexandra Petrus. “We aim to turn this pilot program into a successful story of the AI community in the CEE by supporting deep tech startups not only to understand how they can grow their ideas, but also how to comply with ethics principles in AI and more, and thus contribute to a better society”.

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Bucharest.AI is joined in this journey by their partners: Orange Romania, GapMinder, Techcelerator, The Informal School of IT and Smart Everything Everywhere. Amongst top-line AI Mentors with on-the-ground experience it counts: Google Developer Experts for ML, AI Professors on different AI technologies, Validated AI Startup Founders, Research Scientists, Design Thinking Experts, Tax Technology Advisors and Lawyers, as well as Innovation Managers from Research Institutes, Sales Leaders for AI-fueled products, MarCom Experts for AI packing, and AI Funds Consultants. Its Jury Team of experienced executives, investors or scaled AI startup founders will score and assess teams that apply to the Program.

“If you are a startup with an innovative idea or product using or wanting to add AI, want to work on launching a startup with an AI component, or have a great group of friends with whom you have fun with AI technologies, then this program is for you”, mentions Virgil Ilian, Program Manager #BeAI Pre-Accelerator.