Every year, about 300 researchers, students, and early-stage founders come together at Deeptech GigaHack, Moldova’s largest deeptech hackathon, to turn ideas into working prototypes. What makes the difference between a good idea and a market-ready solution is quality mentoring.

Out of the need to bring quality mentoring to the hackathon, we’re launching, for the first time this year, the Deeptech Train of Trainers programme: an initiative that equips mentors and coaches with practical tools, EU-aligned knowledge, and concrete coaching methods, for more structured and effective guidance across DeepTech initiatives, as well as Moldova’s Technology Transfer efforts – including in the context of building a National Alliance of Technology Transfer Offices (TTO).

𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲
The programme brings together mentors and coaches from diverse backgrounds – entrepreneurship, corporate, freelancing, research, academia, and the public sector – with expertise across HealthTech, EnergyTech, AgriFood, Cyber Security, FinTech, BioTech, GovTech, and AI as a transversal theme.

𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀
→ A practical mentoring toolkit: the Deep Tech Lean Canvas, Validation Canvas, Storytelling Canvas, TRL/BRL assessment framework, and the EU Alignment Scorecard
→ Applied knowledge of EU policy frameworks
→ Direct exposure to EU-level expertise through the partnership with Impact Hub Bucharest
→ A growing community of deeptech mentors in Moldova, with opportunities to stay involved beyond GigaHack

Deeptech Train 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 programme is also supported by EU4Innovation East, a regional project funded by the European Union, co-financed by the Government of France, and implemented by Expertise France.