STARTUP CAMP

About the program

STARTUP CAMP is a five-day program where teens aged 14–16 discover, step by step, how a business is built: from identifying a problem and understanding the customer to developing a business model, refining an idea and solution, and presenting them to a jury.

Dates: 10–14 August 2026, 9:30-16:00
Location: Inotek Centre, Cahul
Cost: MDL 1,000
Meals included
Language of instruction: Romanian

Participants will work in teams, analyse local businesses, make decisions, test ideas and prepare their own pitch.

All concepts will be explained in a way that is easy for teenagers to understand and immediately applied through exercises, discussions, interviews, visits and teamwork.

Participants will be guided by mentors, local entrepreneurs, company managers, and business and technology specialists.

The best teams will receive feedback and the opportunity to continue developing their ideas with support from the INOTEK community.

Mentor

Valentin Creciun, trainer at the OK Financial Education Foundation

Program

At the beginning of the program, participants will learn what entrepreneurship is, how a startup works and what distinguishes an interesting idea from one that addresses a real need.

Participants will:

• learn the basics of entrepreneurship, startups and Design Thinking;
• work in teams and identify a real problem;
• define their customer profile and conduct customer discovery interviews;
• validate the problem and select a business idea;
• visit two local businesses and meet entrepreneurs and managers;
• develop a simplified Business Model Canvas;
• define their value proposition, revenue model and required resources;
• prepare a plan for attracting their first customers;
• use AI tools for research, design, promotion and pitch preparation;
• prepare and deliver a final presentation to a jury.
  
  

By the end of the camp, each team will have a structured business idea, a business model, a prototype and a presentation.

Program outcomes

By the end of the program, participants will be able to turn a real problem into a structured business idea, validate it through discussions with mentors, and present it through a business model, a solution and a short pitch to a jury. They will also learn to use AI tools responsibly and gain access to future mentoring and development opportunities at INOTEK.

Alongside entrepreneurship concepts, participants will develop their communication, teamwork, critical thinking, creativity, leadership and decision-making skills.

Reserve your place by completing the registration form.