Female Founders Pitched To A Full House At The Second Semi-final Round Of Women Startup Competition In Cluj-Napoca, Romania
WellCode, an educational online platform where people can learn to code, was awarded first prize and will now proceed into the final in London on the 14th September 2018.
Cluj-Napoca, Romania, February 2018 — Women Startup Competition, an annual competition celebrating female entrepreneurs and gender diverse companies, is proud to announce the winners of the second semi-final round that took place in Cluj-Napoca, Romania on the 16–17 of February 2018.
WellCode, an educational platform that offers interactive courses on coding, took home first prize. The Romanian startup, led by Bianca Costin, aims to lead individuals on a step by step journey of programming, from beginner to expert. The platform focuses on theoretical knowledge, testing users through quizzes and interactive learning, and then progresses into advanced content relating to writing in code.
WellCode startup will proceed into the final in London on the 14th September 2018, where it will participate in a 5 day training and mentoring program, followed by a Demo Day event. The Romanian semi-final was the second out of 12 rounds to be held all over Europe this year as part of the Women Startup Competition (WSC). 14 startups applied for this round online, and after an initial evaluation by an online jury, eight were selected to attend the mini boot camp and mentoring program at the Cluj-Napoca International Ballroom.
“The variety of industries represented at Cluj-Napoca was a real testament to Romania’s growing startup scene,” said Tamás Müller, Founder of Women Startup Competition. “From coding platforms to biotech, it was great to see so many female founders pitching their ideas in industries traditionally dominated by men.”
All eight startups, represented by their female founder or CEO, gave impressive pitches showcasing their startups to a full house, filled with investors, business mentors and an industry expert panel. Before pitching, competing startups received mentoring from some of Europe’s leading female entrepreneurs, including Xenia Muntean, CEO and co-founder of Planable and expert mentor from Silicon Valley’s own Draper University.
Second place was awarded to GenetiX, a biotech med startup increasing the life expectancy of people by providing genetic tests and nutrient guidance. Doorie.io, a startup offering personalized hotel services through their mobile platform, took third place on the podium.
Despite an increase in the number of startups excelling out of Romania, women remain a minority in the startup community. According to a Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneur 2017, Romania ranked 28th with only 25.3% of the total number of businesses owned by women. The decision to place the second semi-final round of WSC in Cluj-Napoca has helped bring together ambitious and talented women-led startups to inspire, educate and share ideas.
The next semi-final round will take place in on the 9–10 of March in Vantaa, Finland. Startups which have founding teams made up of at least 50% females, 50% females on the team, or have a female CEO are welcome to apply here. For a list of all semi-final events and where to apply go to www.womenstartupcompetition.com.
About Women Startup Competition
Women Startup Competition is an annual startup competition in Europe for startups which have at least 50% women in the entrepreneurial team or a female CEO. It was founded in order to give an opportunity for female entrepreneurs and their team members to meet investors, receive support and advice to reach their business goals. The competition aims to increase the currently very low ratio of women in business.
