Five Romanian university teams were selected as semi-finalists by the a Ten-Person Review Panel of technology and business experts. The teams are listed alphabetically:
1. AdTim
Idea #1: "High Performance Cooling Kit for Computers" - HPCK
Idea #2: "Ecological High Volume Water Pump" - EHVWP
Team Members: Daniel Rosner, Ioan Sotropa, Quynh Hoa Nguyen
- Polytechnic University of Bucharest / Computer Science; Electronic, Communications & Infomatics
- University of Bucharest / Mathematics & Computer Science
2. A Team - MicroMagic
"Motion Triggered Remote Control"
Team Members: Catalin Mircea Dumitrescu, Stefan Eugen Arghir, Tudor Bogdan Airimitoaie
- Polytechnic University of Bucharest / Automatic Control & Computer Science
3. Hephaestus - Newstream
"OnLine News Streaming Service"
Team Members: Ovidiu Dan, Horatiu Mocian, Maria Valentina Caluser
- InHolland University / Information Technology
- Petru Maior University, Targu Mures / Computer Science
- Babes Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca / Economic Sciences
4. Tim Team - InScarts
"Intelligent Shopping Cart System"
Team Members: Anca-Gabriela, Balanel, Irina-Maria Ailenei, Mihai-Claudiu Balan
- Polytechnic University of Bucharest / Computer Science & Engineering
5. Zotikos Design - IMC
"Intranet Mobile Communications"
Team Members: Radu-Calin Donca, Daniel Pava, Ioan-Mihai Baba
- Cluj-Napoca Technical University / Mechanics; Automation & Computer Science; Architecture & Town Planning
NEXT STEPS:
University-student applicants were judged by a ten-person panel on the feasibility of developing and marketing innovative ideas. Viable technology, realistic assessment of start-up costs, and good judgment in gauging user needs and potential revenue were basic criteria used to determine semi-finalist candidates.
The five semi-finalist teams will make presentations to a five-person review panel in Bucharest in mid-September. Up to three winners with scores above a required level will be awarded financial prizes and one individual from each will be invited to the United States to meet with technology and business people in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Silicon Valley, California.
To prepare the semi-finalists, a training workshop will be held in Bucharest on August 9th. Businessmen, technology experts, and successful entrepreneurs will brief the semi-finalists.
The competition is modeled on the highly successful MIT $100K Competition run by students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Two representatives of that competition met with the student founders of the I-Cube Association (Romania) in June during a visit to Bucharest.
The semi-finalist review panel included:
Adrian Amariei / Axonite (Romania)
Dr. Stefan Constantinescu / Ludwig Institute (Belgium)
Manuel Costescu / McKinsey (USA)
Dan Dimancescu / Pr. BEH, llc (USA) and Honorary Consul of Romania Boston
Prof. Mircea Gheorghiu / Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Val Livada / Weybridge Group (USA)
Prof. Serban Petrescu / Polytechnic Univ. of Bucharest and Neuron (Romania)
Prof. George Stefan / Polytechnic Univ. of Bucharest and Connex Technologies (USA)
Dinu Teofilovici / Oracle (USA)
Anton Theodorescu / IBM Venture Capital (USA)
For details contact:
Ms. Ioana Ceausu, President & Co-founder
I-Cube Association (Bucharest - www.icube.ro
Email: ioana.ceausu@gmail.com
United States I-Cube Advisory Group:
Email: t s g d d @ a o l . c o m Tel: 617 497-1111
Boston: Dan Dimancescu - BEH llc / Mircea Gheorghiu - MIT Chemistry Dept / Val Livada - Weybridge Group / George Stefan - Connex Technologies / Anton Teodorescu – IBM / Dinu Teofilovici - Oracle
New York: Manuel Costescu - McKinsey
San Francisco: Dana Beldiman - Carroll, Burdick & McDonough LLP
Student members: Ovidiu Bujorean, MIT Sloan School / Sorin Grama, MIT Sloan School / Dragos Hau. Berkeley-U.Cal. (California)
Romanian I-Cube Advisory Group:
Bucharest: Adrian Amariei, Axonite / Dr. Stefan Constantinescu, Ludwig Institute (Belgium) / Christian Mladin, Varian / Prof. Serban Petrescu, Polytechnic Univ. and Neuron
Student member:Ioana Ceausu, Univ of Bucharest and President I-Cube Association (Romania)