CBC Champions Cross-Border Innovation at GreenMatch IN4SFS (Investment Network for Sustainability-Focused Startups) Brokerage Event Romania in Cluj-Napoca - Fueling Green Startup Growth

As one of the key partners of the EU-funded IN4SFS Project through its CleanTech Business Institute, the CleanTech Business Club (CBC) helped organising and contributed to the high-impact GreenMatch Brokerage Event in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, alongside ADR Nord-Vest. The event empowered green startups, investors, and ecosystem leaders from across Europe to build impactful partnerships and unlock cross-border investment opportunities.

IN4SFS: Fueling Green Startup Growth

IN4SFS – Investment Network for Sustainability-Focused Startups – aims to connect startups from Romania, Turkey, and Greece with visionary investors from France, Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It supports early-stage ventures in scaling up, with a strong emphasis on women-led innovation, cross-border capital flow, and investment-readiness.

CBC participates in the IN4SFS project through its arm, the CleanTech Business Institute (CBI).

What makes CBC's role unique is the diversity and excellence of its global membership—bringing together some of the world’s most renowned professors, CleanTech pioneers, international experts, leading investors, and CEOs of market-shaping companies. This enables CBC to truly oversee and activate the full CleanTech innovation ecosystem, bridging gaps between research, business, finance, and policy.

A central goal of the IN4SFS project is also to build a robust and lasting network between investors from Western and Eastern Europe, empowering them to co-invest, exchange know-how, and jointly support promising sustainable ventures emerging from moderate innovation ecosystems.

The event also reaffirmed a foundational CBC belief: there is no substitute for Human-to-Human (H2H) relationships. The GreenMatch event demonstrated the immense power of personal connections—not just between startups and investors, but also among innovation enablers, academic leaders, policy-makers, and industry pioneers. CBC is confident that by the end of all four IN4SFS events, we will not only meet project goals, but also foster long-lasting partnerships, impactful businesses, and scalable solutions that contribute to a greener planet.

CBC CleanTech StartUP Hub: Global Launchpad for Green Innovation

At the heart of this mission stands the CBC CleanTech StartUP Hub (CSH) – the core CBC platform dedicated to empowering cleantech entrepreneurs and connecting them to funding, scaling, and visibility.

Led by international CleanTech pioneers and investors, the Hub works on three interconnected pillars:

1. Financing Facilities– Tailored support via Cleanvestree and CBC partners to connect startups with venture capital, strategic investors, and EU grants.– Special focus on Clean Hydrogen, Clean Water, Energy Storage, and Sustainable Mobility.

2. Global Market Access– Fast-track for startups to enter international markets through CBC’s trusted Human-to-Human (H2H) ecosystem, active in over 40 countries.– Direct engagement in major initiatives like the World CleanTech StartUPs Awards (WCSA) and the 1st World CleanTech StartUPs Summit.

3. Recognition, Mentorship & Partnerships– Startups gain exposure through CBC media, pitch platforms, mentorship, and partnerships with key industry players, top events and organisations

The CBC CleanTech StartUP Hub is led by:

• Prof. Anis Jouini, CEO, ECM Greentech ; Board Member at ESMC; CBC Chair of CleanTech StartUP Hub

• Thomas Korn, Founder & CEO, water stuff & sun GmbH; CBC Co-Chair of CleanTech StartUP Hub

• Marie Latour, European Affairs Director, Euro-Funding; CBC Co-Chair of CleanTech StartUP Hub (In Charge of the EU Funding)

• Dr. Claas Helmke, Founder & CEO, newtrail.capital; CBC Co-Chair of Financial & Investor Hub

• Thomas Altmann, Executive Vice President - Innovation & New Technology, ACWA Power; CBC Chair of Clean Water Hub; Co-Chair of the World CleanTech StartUPs Awards

• ...Supported by dozens of CBC Leaders worldwide

What’s Next for CSH & IN4SFS

• 🇹🇷 IN4SFS Brokerage Event Turkey in Izmir – 2-3 October 2025

• 🇬🇷 IN4SFS Brokerage Event Greece in Athens – 4-5 November 2025

• 🇪🇸 IN4SFS International Brokerage Event in Bilbao, Spain – 18-20 November 2025 cohosted with the 1st World CleanTech StartUPs Summit and World CleanTech StartUPs Awards

Session-by-Session Highlights from Cluj-Napoca

Day 1 – Techsylvania x IN4SFS: Matchmaking in Action

Venue: CREIC & Techsylvania Business & Tech Conference Grounds

Morning Welcome & Project Briefings introduced IN4SFS and its mission.

B2B Matchmaking Sessions (Onsite + Online) allowed curated startup–investor meetings.

💬 Feedback:

• Format praised as "efficient and personal." Multiple follow-up meetings planned.

• Startups appreciated access to early-stage VCs and international ecosystem leaders.

✅ Conclusion: The matchmaking was a launchpad for relationships beyond capital—fostering H2H collaboration.

Day 2 – Deep Dive Sessions at ADR Nord-Vest Headquarters

1️⃣ Startup Valuation Workshop & Q&A

📌 Topics: Fundamentals, real-world valuation models, and founder equity strategies.

💬 Feedback: 

• Called "transformative" by founders. Florin Pop's examples stood out

• CBC highlighted the importance of pitching not only to investors, but also to market leaders—who often are investors themselves. Examples included CBC Visionary Leaders: Dr. Hitesh Doshi (Chairman, Waaree Group India) and Mr. Pinfang Wu (Chairman at GuofuHEE). These industry figures can offer direct market access and accelerate growth by aligning innovation with real-world needs.

✅ Conclusion: Combine numbers with vision. Founders must build valuation confidence.

Click HERE to Download Presentation "Startup Valuation - Understanding How Startups Are Valued" by Florin Pop, PrimaInvest Capital Management

2️⃣ Investor Experience Panel: From Ideas to Term Sheets

📌 Topics: What makes a founder investible, due diligence, gender equity, and exit strategies.

💬 Feedback: Investors valued authenticity. Startups need coaching on cap tables and equity management.

✅ Conclusion: Investors seek founders with resilience and clarity—not just strong decks.

3️⃣ Startup Pitching Session

Startups: Recyllux, Orbis App, CO2 Angels, Defensive Pedal, Rongo Design

📺 IMPORTANT NOTE:

Video Recordings Coming Soon – Full session recordings from the GreenMatch IN4SFS Brokerage Event will be integrated directly into this news article and also published on the CBC YouTube Channel, providing easy access for all participants and global stakeholders to revisit key discussions, insights, and startup pitches.

4️⃣ Final Session: "The Global Stage Awaits"

Wrap-up: Summary of learnings, announcement of next events in Turkey, Greece, and Spain, and renewed invitation for startups and investors to engage with CBC CleanTech StartUP Hub

💬 Closing Message: “IN4SFS is more than a project—it’s a launchpad. Let’s walk together toward a cleaner, connected future as #TogetherWeAreStronger” – Tomasz Slusarz

Investment Momentum in North-West Romania: A Regional Powerhouse on the Rise

Cluj-Napoca, often called the “Silicon Valley of Eastern Europe,” stands out as one of the continent’s most vibrant CleanTech and innovation ecosystems. As the capital of Romania’s North-West Region, it offers a compelling mix of research excellence, skilled talent, entrepreneurial drive, and cross-sector collaboration—making it a strategic launchpad for green innovation and sustainable investment.

The region features:

• Over 100 000 active companies

• 13 universities fostering engineering, life sciences, and business leadership

• A thriving base of 27 000+ IT&C professionals

• A labor force of 1.1 million

• Strong innovation clusters in CleanTech, smart mobility, digital health, and agri-food

• Full support from INNO, the North-West Innovation and Investment Agency

• One of Europe’s most dynamic regional economies

Click HERE to Download Presentation by Anca Ioana Roman, Head of INNO and Investment Attraction Department

Now, the investment landscape is entering a new and exciting phase.

The North-West Romania Equity Fund—launched by the North-West Regional Development Agency (ADR Nord-Vest)—is designed to inject smart capital into the region’s most promising ventures. It will support more than 45 early-stage companies, including at least 5 research-driven startups, across key verticals such as health, agro-food, cosmetics, advanced manufacturing, and hard-tech ICT solutions.

This bold initiative goes far beyond traditional funding. It aims to rewrite the investment narrative in Romania by challenging outdated assumptions—like the notion that only Bucharest-based startups are worth investing in or that unicorns are the only measure of success. Instead, it puts the spotlight on high-potential, resilient startups committed to real-world impact, scalability, and sustainable growth.

As one of the most active international networks in the CleanTech space, the CleanTech Business Club (CBC) expresses its strong interest in supporting this initiative. Through its CleanTech Business Institute (CBI) and global community of investors, industry pioneers, academic leaders, and policy-makers, CBC is ready to:

• Facilitate co-investment opportunities with international stakeholders

• Provide mentorship and business development support to regional startups

• Open market access channels through CBC’s global Human-to-Human (H2H) ecosystem

• Connect the region with EU-wide and global programs via the CBC CleanTech StartUP Hub

We believe that North-West Romania is uniquely positioned to become a magnet for CleanTech innovation and capital, serving as a trusted bridge between Eastern and Western Europe.

Together with IN4SFS, local visionary leaders, and forward-looking institutions, CBC is ready to help scale the region’s innovation potential—making a real difference for people, planet, and prosperity.

Final Reflection: Startups at the Heart of the CleanTech Revolution

At CBC, we believe that startups are not just participants in the CleanTech transition—they are its driving force. They bring the agility, courage, and innovation the world needs to tackle the climate challenge head-on. Through the IN4SFS Project and our CleanTech StartUP Hub, we are building more than programs—we are shaping a global community where market leaders, investors, visionaries, and founders grow stronger together.

The GreenMatch event in Cluj-Napoca reminded us that progress doesn’t happen in isolation—it’s powered by authentic human-to-human relationships, bold ideas, and trust.

As we look ahead to Izmir, Athens, and Bilbao, we carry this momentum forward. We invite you to join us in this journey—because the CleanTech transformation won’t wait.

#TogetherWeAreStronger

CBC Huge Thanks "Mulțumiri Sincere din Partea CBC"

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the ADR Nord-Vest INNO Team: Oana Odăgescu-Banu, Alexandra Alupei and Anca Ioana Roman for their exceptional organisation and warm hospitality, which made the GreenMatch IN4SFS Brokerage Event in Cluj-Napoca truly memorable.

Special appreciation goes to the following CBC Leaders for their valuable contributions and active participation throughout the event:

• Hayrie Shan, CEO, Eco Power; CBC Chair for Bulgaria

• Prof. Eicke R. Weber, Former Director, Fraunhofer ISE, Freiburg; Professor Emeritus, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, UC Berkeley; CBC Chair of R&D, Manufacturing & Supply Chain Hub; Chair of the World CleanTech Awards

• Prof. Anis Jouini, CEO, ECM Greentech ; Board Member at ESMC; CBC Chair of CleanTech StartUP Hub

• Thomas Korn, Founder & CEO, water stuff & sun GmbH; CBC Co-Chair of CleanTech StartUP Hub

• Dr. Claas Helmke, Founder & CEO, newtrail.capital; CBC Co-Chair of Financial & Investor Hub

• Marius Ion, CEO, Energy Investment LLC

…and last but not least, we invite you to enjoy some photo highlights from beautiful Cluj-Napoca – a city that’s not just seen, but truly experienced. Known as the heart of Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca blends centuries-old charm with cutting-edge innovation.

It’s a place where creativity meets community, and where every cobblestone and café tells a story.