The February edition of the Catalyst Romania Newsletter
We are excited to share updates on our latest activities and insights from our team and from our portfolio companies. Stay tuned for more news on our investments!
🥳 Catalyst Romania Leads €2.3M Investment in Footprints AI to Drive Retail Media Expansion in CEE 🥳
Catalyst Romania, one of the leading technology-focused venture capital funds in Southeast Europe, has led a €2.3 million funding round in Footprints AI, a Romanian technology company revolutionizing the retail media and retail data insights space.
With a €1.5 million investment from Catalyst Romania, the round also saw participation from SeedBlink and all previous investors, who reaffirmed their confidence in Footprints AI’s vision and traction. The funding will be used to expand operations across Romania, CEE, and new global markets, as well as accelerate platform development by integrating advanced artificial intelligence and automation capabilities.
“Retail media represents one of the biggest transformations in digital advertising globally, and Footprints AI is at the forefront of this sector. We chose to support Footprints AI due to the company’s ability to provide a scalable and integrated solution that addresses real market needs and generates measurable results. The platform and the team behind it have exceeded our expectations, and according to the latest data, the company’s revenue increased sixfold in 2024 compared to the previous year,” said Marius Ghenea, Managing Partner at Catalyst Romania, part of the 3TS Capital Partners network, one of the leading technology-focused venture capital funds in the region, with extensive experience in supporting innovative companies.
“This investment allows us to meet the growing demand in CEE, a region where the demand for retail media far exceeds the supply, and to expand into new markets where we identify exceptional growth potential. Our priorities include the continuous development of the platform, the integration of advanced artificial intelligence functionalities, and consolidating our position as a regional leader,” said Dan Marc, CEO and co-founder of Footprints AI, emphasizing that the reaffirmation of confidence by all previous investors, through the supplementation of their initial investments, highlights the value of Footprints AI’s solutions, the impact it has on the market, and the strategic direction it is pursuing.
Footprints AI estimates that the retail media market in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) could reach an annual value of €500 million in the next six years, driven by increasing investments in data-driven advertising. This growth potential reflects the accelerated adoption of retail media strategies by brands that recognize the importance of leveraging data to optimize advertising campaigns.
📈 3TS Capital Partners announces two new investments! 📈
3TS Capital Partners, alongside red-stars.com and other strategic investors, has led the €11 million Series-A+ financing round for MAVOCO, a leading provider of Connectivity Management Software (CMP) for the Internet of Things. This investment underscores the Fund’s confidence in MAVOCO’s technology and its potential to reshape the telecom landscape.
Since launching its CMP in 2021, MAVOCO has rapidly expanded across Southeast Asia and the Middle East, proving its ability to replace legacy solutions from industry giants like Cisco, Ericsson (now Aeris), and Vodafone at a fraction of the cost. In 2024, the company secured key contracts with mobile network operators across Europe, with further deployments set to go live this year.
“Securing growth capital for scale-ups in the current market is increasingly challenging. Our continued investment in MAVOCO reflects the company’s impressive achievements and our shared vision for the future of global IoT connectivity,” said Phat Huynh, CEO of MAVOCO.
3TS Capital Partners Leads Wealthon’s €7m Round to support Wealthon’s unique end-to-end platform that seamlessly combines point of sale, scheduling, payments, loyalty, lending and other solutions in a single easy to use suite, which significantly streamlines and simplifies merchant operations. 3TS Capital Partners co-invested alongside a group of early-stage investors. Following the round, Wealthon also secured a PLN 500m (€116m) debt financing facility from Fortress Investment Group.
“We are consistently executing our strategy to create a new standard in SME financial management. We are no longer just a lending company. We are well on our way to becoming the leading provider of digital financial services for entrepreneurs. Our goal is not just to provide capital but to integrate a comprehensive multi-product platform that combines interrelated services – from easy and fast access to financing to efficient financial and business resource management. Soon, we will be adding even more complementary solutions. I’m thrilled that, thanks to the trust of our new investors, we can execute our highly ambitious plans,” said Aleksander Majchrzak, Founder and CEO of Wealthon.
“We are impressed with the quality of the management team and share their vision of becoming a regional leader for SMEs in selected high-growth industries. The market is still in the early stages of adopting such integrated solutions, yet it is large, and all sub-segments are growing rapidly,” commented Zbigniew Łapiński, Senior Partner at 3TS Capital Partners.
🥁 ESX announces a €600,000 investment in the development of PTN.esx.ro 🥁
ESX, the platform aggregating fitness, sports, nutrition, and wellbeing activities, announces a €600,000 investment in developing PTN.esx.ro (Personal Trainer Network), the digital extension dedicated to personal trainers, nutritionists, kinesiotherapists and physiotherapists, according to a statement from the company’s representatives. Through ESX and PTN, both trainers and clients benefit from greater flexibility and diversity. Users can access a variety of workouts—fitness today, yoga tomorrow, boxing the day after—thus avoiding monotony and the risk of quitting.
“PTN by ESX allows trainers to diversify their services, create personalized online programs, and manage client relationships more efficiently. According to our optimization calculations, using the platform can increase their income up to 10 times compared to the current average. Digitalization is the future of the fitness industry, and ESX is investing in solutions that bring value to both professionals and users,” said Andrei Trofin, CEO of ESX.
With over 500,000 users and unlimited access to more than 650 sports centers and gyms across Romania, ESX continues to expand its ecosystem by facilitating access to personalized digital services. Through PTN, users can quickly and securely find a personal trainer or nutritionist that meets their needs. Additionally, the platform offers transparency, with well-defined contractual relationships for both experts and clients.
In Romania, over 5,000 personal trainers and nutritionists are active in the industry, with 60% concentrated in Bucharest. These professionals face challenges such as fluctuating incomes due to industry seasonality, limited earning opportunities because they lack the resources and knowledge to promote themselves and their services, and a lack of flexibility in gyms—most do not allow trainers access unless they have direct partnerships, even though their clients pay a monthly membership fee, ESX representatives added.
The PTN by ESX platform is free for clients, allowing them to search for and choose the right trainer at no initial cost.
“For trainers, registration on the platform is currently free, and ESX charges a commission only on completed transactions. By the end of the year, a listing fee for experts will be introduced, while access will remain free for users. Currently, over 600 personal trainers and nutritionists are registered and enjoy visibility and access to an active community of users. Soon, there will also be a dedicated section for kinesiotherapists and physiotherapists.”, continued Andrei Trofin.
⚡ SeedBlink Expands Secondaries Offering with Shares of Epic Games, a Global Gaming Powerhouse ⚡
SeedBlink, Europe’s investment & equity management platform, announces that shares of Epic Games, a leader in the global gaming industry, are now available for buying on its Secondaries. This move underscores the platform’s commitment to providing mature investment opportunities in established technology firms.
Epic Games, known for developing Fortnite and the Unreal Engine, has played a pivotal role in shaping digital interactive landscapes worldwide. With a presence spanning multiple industries beyond gaming—including film, television, and automotive—Epic’s influence is both broad and profound.
Eric Bartha, Head of Financial Services at SeedBlink, commented, “Our platform is designed to open the gates to high-quality investment opportunities in sectors driven by innovation and growth. Offering shares of Epic Games aligns with our strategy to facilitate access to promising late-stage companies through a flexible, liquid secondary market.”
The introduction of Epic Games into the secondary market allows investors to engage with a company that boasts an impressive footprint in the tech world, highlighted by its 800 million global accounts. Notably, Fortnite has garnered over 350 million registered users, demonstrating significant market penetration and consumer adoption in Europe.
“Secondary markets are essential for they provide both exit and entry opportunities that are crucial in today’s fast-evolving economic climate,” added Bartha. “Investing in a company like Epic Games, through our platform, offers a balanced approach to participating in its ongoing success while benefiting from the potential upward mobility in the gaming and entertainment sectors.”
🏆 DotLumen’s performance at CES 2025 🏆
We’re thrilled to congratulate dotLumen, a recent addition to our portfolio, for winning the US Army xTech pitch competition at CES 2025 in Las Vegas! This recognition, accompanied by a $10,000 award from the U.S. Army, underscores the transformative potential of dotLumen’s technology in assisting visually impaired individuals worldwide.
With patented AI-powered wearable devices designed to replace guide dogs at a fraction of the cost, dotLumen is making independent mobility more accessible to millions. Their work has already been validated by over 300 visually impaired individuals across nearly 30 countries, and their impact continues to grow.
We’re proud to support their mission and can’t wait to see what’s next! 🚀
🤖 Code of Talent releases new AI-virtual Trainer 🤖
Code of Talent is pleased to introduce new features designed to enhance training program delivery, effective February 2025. The AI-Virtual Trainer, Cotty, offers a significant upgrade to the learning experience by providing instant feedback and evaluating answers. This AI-powered assistant not only supports learners by helping them improve in real-time, but it also enables L&D professionals to streamline their work, saving time while optimizing training effectiveness and focusing on performance improvement.
Through continuous feedback from clients, Code of Talent has integrated 8 key business needs into the platform. These needs, identified through client input, ensure that the learning experience is aligned with the most pressing business challenges. By combining AI capabilities with these insights, training programs are better equipped to drive tangible results and address organizational objectives.
In addition, the platform’s program creation flow has been simplified and streamlined. The new process allows for faster and more efficient development of training programs, enabling L&D professionals to create tailored learning journeys with ease. This enhancement ensures that the focus remains on content quality and performance improvement, ultimately leading to more impactful training initiatives.
📝 Press Review 📝
In this section, we showcase the latest articles, interviews, and press appearances featuring our team, along with the events we attend to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Whether as mentors, jurors, panelists, or interview guests, we are proud to actively contribute to shaping and inspiring the next generation of innovators and leaders.
- Podcast Alina Georgescu in start-up.ro “Pitch-ul unui start-up, imbinare intre poveste si ceva realizabil”
- Marius Ghenea participated at ”De vocație Antreprenoare”
⚡ Career Opportunities within the portfolio ⚡
dotLumen
dotLumen is looking for a Senior Software Tester who can implement and execute a plethora of test cases being mindful of the needs of our end users, act as a gatekeeper of the product processes and functionality and go out and test the products ‘in the wild’, in real life conditions. Read more here.
Adservio
Adservio is looking for a Senior Test Lead. In this role, you will lead the charge in test management, test execution, testing strategy, and quality assurance, ensuring we deliver excellence daily. Read more here.
ESX
Esx is looking for a Senior Human Resources Specialist. You will have to manage payroll coordination, benefits administration and employee documentation while serving as a key resource for HR-related inquiries, work closely with department managers to identify hiring needs, oversee recruitment processes and ensure a smooth onboarding experience for new employees. Read more here.
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