Moderator – Olga Melniciuc, CEO at Startup Moldova
Speakers: Amir Hegazi, Managing Director of Capital Democracy, Steinar Hoel Korsmo, Seed Forum Global Founder & CEO, Nihat Muradzade, Chief Technology Officer at SABAH HUB Innovation Centre of Azerbaijan, Dumitru Ciorici, Digital enthusiast and Chief Business Development Officer at Fagura, Amir Hegazi, Managing Director of Capital Democracy
Olga Melniciuc, CEO at Startup Moldova
“Moldova, like many countries in Eurasia, is still developing its startup ecosystem. We need to work together—government, accelerators, investors, and startups—to ensure that we create the right environment for innovation and cross-border collaboration.”
Amir Hegazi, Managing Director of Capital Democracy
“In emerging markets like Eurasia, you need a minimum viable ecosystem. This means removing regulatory bottlenecks that deter founders from starting or staying local and that prevent investors from entering the market. It’s not just about capital; it’s about creating the right environment with clear regulations, strong education, and community support to help startups thrive. In Saudi Arabia, simplifying processes, removing red tape—such as enabling company registration in a day or a few days not weeks or months—unlocked massive potential. Eurasia can achieve the same by eliminating regulatory hurdles.
One thing I always tell entrepreneurs: you can’t disguise a bad business with AI. The key is to get the fundamentals right first. Use technology as an accelerant to build on solid foundations, not as a substitute for solving core problems and having a solid team and business model.
If you’re in a smaller country, you need to think beyond your borders. Investors are looking for companies that can scale, so from day one, you should be building with the mindset that you’ll expand into multiple markets.”
Steinar Hoel Korsmo, Seed Forum Global Founder & CEO
“In Moldova and Eurasia, we need to move away from the old economy to what I call ‘2.0 economy.’ Government-backed accelerators, like Ukraine’s startup fund, could be a game-changer, setting the framework for massive growth in startups.
The biggest challenge for early-stage startups is thinking big enough. You have to kill modesty and bootstrap through the painful early stage until you’ve secured funding and reached acceleration.
In Eurasia, we need to evolve the company legislation so that investors feel confident. If the legal framework is right, we can bring more investments into this part of the world. Political risk must be minimized to make these markets more attractive.”
Nihat Muradzade, Chief Technology Officer at SABAH HUB Innovation Centre of Azerbaijan
“In Azerbaijan, we’re developing a full ecosystem to support startups—from investment days to technology parks. By gathering the right people and creating the right networking opportunities, we’re fostering collaboration and innovation, which is essential for startups to grow and succeed.”
Dumitru Ciorici, Digital enthusiast and Chief Business Development Officer at Fagura
“We have promoted for years the adoption of the crowdfunding law in Moldova, according to EU standards. It took four governments, but now Moldova has a framework for crowdfunding, which will also boost the startup ecosystem.
Moldova has made important steps into developing the start-up ecosystem. We have joined the effort, by promoting the adoption of the crowdfunding law in Moldova, according to EU standards, that all the market can now benefit. Of course, there is still to improve, but I think we are on the right path.”
