How to dedicate your life to ideas

Vlad was born in Arad, a city in Romania which is actually very similar in architecture to Vienna, thus being called “little Vienna”. As a child, he already started having big ideas for the world. His games would take him into worlds in which he could fly or break the limits of physics. He frequently tried to do so also as a teenager, being passionate about extreme sports and skateboarding. His ideas would become more ambitious after getting his degree in Strategic Management in Bucharest: now he did not only have the visions but also the means to achieve them. After being involved in exciting high-profile events in the Romanian capital, his entrepreneurial spirit came to life and he opened his first consulting business, helping people access EU funds for health, agriculture and tech. As his business was expanding, Vlad came soon to realise that, in order to bring more of his ideas to life, he would need to look for a different environment. He left Bucharest and took a European trip through several big capital cities, assessing for each of them the entrepreneurial scene and the possibilities to turn ideas into reality. Fluent in 4 languages, it wasn’t hard for him to imagine starting anew in any Western European city. It was his confidence and his sense of an explorer that helped him focus on the positive sides. His thorough assessment got him to decide on Vienna, where in the first year he was already working on new start-up ideas. Although he left his family back in Romania, his girlfriend joined him in this exciting adventure. His advanced German skills and his openness got him to quickly build a network and stand out in the start-up scene. He fitted in because he had an ambition and looked for the right people to help him achieve it. In 2010, Vlad offered a tribute to the world of knowledge through founding TEDx Vienna and organizing events in which Austria and the whole world could encounter ideas worth spreading. Today Vlad is an achieved serial entrepreneur, counting in his portfolio positions such as associate at i5invest, member of the board at Austrian startups and founder of Adspired Technologies. Through the TEDx events, he offered a platform where over 1000 people from Austria meet locally to exchange ideas. Through his influence in the startup sector, he helps tens of people to navigate around the tech scene, being a point of reference for tech entrepreneurs.

His view of the modern city as a gigantic coffeehouse in which ideas are exchanged to support progress gave him the ideal basis to be a great networker. For the future he will use his openness and sense of humour, combined with the agility and competence of a well-rounded entrepreneur to bring more impact in the Austrian society.