How do we transform an idea or a research result into a solution that can reach the market? And, more importantly, who can guide innovators along this journey?
This is where Deeptech Training of Trainers comes in – a program through which Technovator contributes to building a community of mentors capable of supporting deeptech teams throughout the development, validation, and commercialization of technologies. On August 21-22, the program brought together experts from technology, business, academia and research, and the public sector for two intensive days of training focused on technology transfer and deeptech mentoring.
The program responds to a concrete need within Moldova’s innovation ecosystem: promising technologies and ideas require not only technical expertise, but also people who can guide their journey. From technology transfer and intellectual property to product development, validation, fundraising, and team building, mentoring can make the difference between a promising idea and a solution that successfully reaches the market.
Throughout the two days, participants explored both dimensions of this process: how to transform research and technology into applicable solutions and how to effectively guide the teams developing them.
Day 1: From Research and Technology to Market
The first day of the program focused on developing the skills required to support technology transfer and the commercialization of research results.
Participants explored how research results with market potential can be identified, protected through intellectual property mechanisms, and further developed into products or technologies that can be licensed and commercialized. The agenda also covered fundraising and the integration of artificial intelligence tools into the innovation process.
The sessions were delivered by Florin Paun, technology transfer and deeptech expert; Juergen Raizner, international technology transfer expert; Mihai Dascal, CTO, software architect, and medical researcher; and Andrei Popa, intellectual property expert.
The perspectives of the four trainers connected research, technology, intellectual property, and the market – essential elements for helping innovation move from the laboratory to real-world application.
The competencies developed through the program also support Technovator’s efforts to strengthen technology transfer capacities in Moldova and contribute to the development of a National Alliance of Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs).
Day 2: How to Guide Deeptech Teams
The second day shifted the focus from technology transfer to the mentoring process itself.
The sessions were facilitated by the Impact Hub Bucharest team, Adriana Serban and Liviu Capariu, co-founder of We For Real, and covered the practical journey of a mentor – from clarifying the differences between the roles of mentor, coach, and trainer to understanding the stages of team development and applying practical deeptech mentoring tools.
Participants worked with methods they will be able to use to guide teams through different stages of the innovation process – from clarifying an idea and understanding the problem to validating the solution, developing the team, and preparing a coherent pitch.
The goal is for mentoring to go beyond simply providing advice and become a structured process that helps deeptech teams make better decisions and turn their ideas into viable solutions.
15 Mentors, Expertise Across Different Fields
The program brings together 15 mentors with complementary professional backgrounds, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of deeptech.
Their expertise spans entrepreneurship and business scaling, AI and data science, HealthTech, technology transfer, intellectual property, investment and startup development, academia and research, energy and regulated sectors, fundraising, micro- and nanotechnologies, FinTech and Horizon Europe, as well as corporate and commercial law.
The mentor community includes Vladimir Balaban, Vadim Echim, Alex Culeva, Vadim Iatchevici, Ecaterina Pitel, Andrei Erhan, Cristian Cerneanu, Lilia Șargu, Tatiana Chiril, Mihai Dascal, Andrei Popa, Nadejda Ciobanu, Marcel Varlan, Oxana Paladiciuc, and Adrian Miron.
This diversity of expertise is important because deeptech teams rarely face technological challenges alone. For an innovation to move forward, teams need to understand the market, regulatory frameworks, financing, intellectual property, product development, and, not least, how to build and work effectively as a team.
From Training to Practice at Deeptech GigaHack 2026
The knowledge and tools developed through Deeptech Training of Trainers will be put directly into practice.
The mentors involved in the program will contribute to Deeptech GigaHack 2026, taking place on September 25-27 in Chișinău, where multidisciplinary teams will work intensively on real-world challenges and transform ideas into prototypes.
Throughout the hackathon, mentors will guide participating teams, providing expertise, feedback, and practical tools at different stages of solution development.
With the two in-person training days completed, Deeptech Training of Trainers will continue with two online sessions scheduled for September 9 and 16.
The program’s ambition, however, goes beyond preparing mentors for a single event. It is about building a community of professionals capable of supporting deeptech teams, researchers, and innovators in Moldova over the long term and creating stronger connections between research, technology, business, and the market.
Deeptech Training of Trainers is implemented by Technovator and Impact Hub Bucharest, with the support of the Central European Initiative (CEI) through the CEI Know-how Exchange Programme 2025, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic.
The program also benefits from the support of EU4Innovation East, a regional project funded by the European Union, co-financed by the Government of France, and implemented by Expertise France.
The program also takes place within the Swiss Partnership Moldova project, implemented with the support of Swiss Cooperation in Moldova.
