Make IT in Oradea
About this good practice
Founded in 2020 at the initiative of Oradea Municipality and Agency for Local Development Oradea (ADLO), together with local company members, MITO aims to make Oradea the tech destination choice for startup entrepreneurs in the region.
MITO is boosting the local tech ecosystem by mentoring and funding tech startups to develop entrepreneurial skills and to strengthen the startup community, retains and attracts talent by providing scholarships to high school pupils and university students following a tech curriculum and grants tax incentives for office buildings that host IT&C companies.
Bright Labs Incubator is the main program which runs annually starting from 2021, where each year 15 startups are incubated, trained and coached during a period of 6 months. It is structured to provide validated knowledge from renowned startups, mentoring relationships from successful entrepreneurs and experts in various fields such as ITC, AI, designers, legal, marketing. It offers also the support of a community of technology entrepreneurs, willing to help the young founders.
The beneficiaries are startup teams from Romania. Due to specific incentives, the program recently became attractive also for the young tech start-ups from outside the country, by including also free accommodation and monthly allowance.
The Bright Lab Demo Day is the main event where teams present their progress to experts, receive valuable feedback and connect with potential investors for funding opportunities.
Expert opinion
Resources needed
The annual budget for MITO is funded by the local public authority and private contributions from companies. Make IT in Oradea has a €300,000 yearly budget, while the incubator program requires around €100.000/year. Team of 3 management and trainees staff. Team of 30 contracted mentors.
Evidence of success
45 startup teams trained in 4 years by excellent trainees and mentors, for business and scaling perspectives.
MITO showcases how collaboration among public and private stakeholders can drive success in startup capacity building. By pooling expertise, the program has catalyzed growth across the entire tech ecosystem, setting a strong foundation for future initiatives.
1400 students from outside Oradea and 95 pupils supported with scholarships to attend IT/tech profile university in Oradea.
Potential for learning or transfer
MITO serves as a model of innovation and startup support from local budget, offering a tailored approach, structured curriculum and expert mentorship. This comprehensive framework provides a solid foundation for replication, aligned with local contexts, resources and regulations.
Key success factors include specialized mentorship, practical focus where startups validate their solutions effectively, regular networking opportunities and collaboration with other organisations in the region.
Key assets for replication include:
- allocate local funding to support startups and invest in IT/tech education
- assess local challenges and opportunities: identify gaps in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and design a tailor-based program
- adopt a modular approach: bi-monthly modules, practical validation tasks, to sustain startup development.
- foster collaboration by bringing together stakeholders from public, private, and educational sectors as key to long-term sustainability
Further information
Bright Labs Incubator by Make IT in Oradea
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Good practice owner
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