Between June 26–29, Cluj-Napoca’s Central Park hosted HealthFest 2025, a festival dedicated to health and community, organized by Organizația Tinerilor Medici. The event brought together doctors from various specialties offering free consultations, alongside healthcare providers, startups, and families in an interactive and educational setting. Visitors had the chance to explore the latest health innovations, learn about nutrition, longevity, and relaxation techniques, and take part in fun activities like the Health Hunt, water fights, and educational games for children. Mindfulness zones added a touch of calm to the event through massage and meditation sessions, while the hackathon organized by FreshBlood sparked creativity among young innovators looking to solve real challenges in the healthcare system. The festival also created a space where parents and children could discover the principles of a healthy lifestyle together through workshops, themed games, and expert talks. In this setting, two startups from the LevelUP Accelerator (SmartBites and ForkPie Kids) had the opportunity to showcase their solutions and connect directly with potential users. Both teams used the platform offered by HealthFest to educate and inspire families toward healthier habits through balanced nutrition and innovative tech. “At HealthFest 2025, we spoke with moms about their kids’ eating habits while the little ones colored the ‘healthy plate’. It led to stories, laughter, and real conversations about favorite foods and healthy routines. We were happy to introduce them to ForkPie Kids, our app that uses AI to analyze children’s meals and provide personalized nutritional advice. Many thanks to the INNO team for their support and for making this experience possible!” – ForkPie Kids For SmartBites, HealthFest marked their first time participating in a large-scale public event, a great opportunity to connect with families interested in leading a healthy lifestyle. “We were able to engage with many families and talk about their challenges. Together with the children, we learned, in a creative and fun way, what healthy eating means and how we can maintain it. Through these workshops, conversations with parents, and educational materials, SmartBites became more visible to our target audience.” – SmartBites The hackathon, organized by FreshBlood and UBB Tech Transfer, encouraged health and innovation enthusiasts to bring bold ideas to the table and turn them into real solutions. Students, healthcare professionals, and digital health enthusiasts were invited to collaborate and test their concepts in a setting built for creativity and experimentation. While not all ideas become products right away, the experience provided participants with confidence, valuable feedback, and sometimes even the first step toward future impactful projects. We were excited to be part of this year’s edition of HealthFest and to support LevelUP Accelerator graduates as they promoted their solutions directly to their target audience. It was an excellent opportunity for validation, visibility, and real user engagement. We’re already looking forward to the next edition of HealthFest, which will take place June 25–28, 2026!