The accelerator is set to begin with the selection of the investment fund administrator, Grow Wise Collective. This international consortium has strong roots in innovation, investment, and business acceleration, and represents a partnership between entities from Romania and Estonia.
The winning consortium members are Startup Wise Guys, Growceanu Angel Investment, Cowork Timișoara, and Iceberg Plus.
Sorin Maxim, General Director of ADR Vest, said: "Our goal is clear: by 2029, we want to see a unicorn grown right here, in the West Region."
The Business Acceleration Financial Instrument has a total allocation of €14 million, of which €11.25 million will be directed to innovative SMEs in the West Region by 2029. These European funds will be supplemented by private investments from a network of strategic investors, multiplying the impact on the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The accelerator has three stages: Pre-acceleration, where 120 business ideas will be guided from concept to a Minimum Viable Product (MVP); Acceleration, where 62 start-ups will receive intensive support for growth; and Seed, where the 15 most promising firms will attract funding for scaling and expansion.
