Smart Alliance Innovation Summit- SmartAlliance
Smart Alliance Innovation Summit - November 2017
Smart Alliance Innovation Summit brought together over 55 Romanian and international companies, 25 speakers, business associations, and civil society representatives, making it one of the most significant IT innovation events in Romania at that time.
The summit featured four interactive sections:
SMART Education Debate – addressing Romania’s growing talent gap in IT&C and exploring solutions to retain and develop skilled professionals.
SMART City Debate – focusing on how cutting-edge technology can be integrated into Romanian cities to drive sustainable development and improve quality of life.
SMART GDPR Debate – gathering specialists from legal, IT, insurance, and consultancy to analyze the impact of the new GDPR directive and practical steps for compliance.
SMART Innovation – “Romanian Innovation Train” – a unique video marathon highlighting innovative technologies developed by cluster members and successfully implemented in more than 30 countries.
The GDPR panel, moderated by Gabriel Munteanu, President of Smart Alliance, included representatives from Omega Trust, Cunescu Balaciu & Associates, Romsym Data, and Uniqa Insurance. Discussions covered the challenges of GDPR alignment, case studies, and the mindset shift required for Romanian organizations to prioritize data protection.
Alongside the debates, an exhibition area allowed member companies to showcase state-of-the-art technologies and cross-industry solutions, reinforcing the cluster’s role as a hub of innovation.
The Smart Alliance Innovation Summit stands out as one of the few events in Romania designed not only for IT professionals, but also for business leaders and public administrators who recognize innovation as the driving force of sustainable growth.
Smart Alliance Innovation Summit – November 2018
Smart Alliance Innovation Summit brought together over 500 participants – business leaders, international associations, IT specialists, chambers of commerce, embassies, and academia – under the theme “Romanian Innovation Engine.”
Organized under the auspices of Romania’s Centenary, the event highlighted the power of local innovation across more than 40 industries and showcased the ability of Romanian companies to compete on the global stage.
Highlights:
23 local and international speakers shared insights on the future of research, innovation, and technology adoption.
The “Reshape the Future of Romanian R&D” panel gathered entrepreneurs, innovators, and academics to discuss how Romania can unlock its research and development potential.
The “Romanian Innovation Engine” session featured Smart Alliance members presenting mature and globally recognized solutions.
The introduction of Smart B2B MeetPoint, a new networking platform, generated 195 minutes of structured business interactions, connecting Romanian innovators with international partners, chambers of commerce, and embassies.
Key Moments:
Emanuela Modoran, CEO of Smart Alliance, and Torkild Follaug, CEO of IKT Telemark, launched a new online matchmaking platform connecting SMEs, research centers, and international partners.
Eduard Beyer (Deloitte & ROSABA) highlighted the need for stronger venture capital funding to support Romanian start-ups in commercialization and internationalization.
Andrei Orban (Environ) introduced the upgraded version of the “Unde Reciclăm” app, reflecting the growing importance of sustainability in IT and business.
Partners & Supporters:
The event was backed by leading technology partners such as Bitdefender, Canon, Lenovo, Eaton, certSIGN, YSoft, Zebra, and supported by civil society organizations, chambers of commerce, and international embassies (United States, South Africa, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, and more). Media partners included Agerpres, Business Review, Startup Cafe, and Canal 33.
The 2018 edition of the Smart Alliance Innovation Summit confirmed the role of the cluster as a catalyst for Romanian innovation, providing visibility, strategic partnerships, and international exposure to local companies.
