On April 23–24, we officially kicked off the 3rd edition of the LevelUP Health & Life Sciences Accelerator with an introductory bootcamp. The event brought together the 15 selected startups for two intensive days focused on hands-on work, exchange of ideas, and connection with the local innovation ecosystem. The atmosphere was defined by energy, curiosity, openness, and a genuine willingness to learn and grow. From the very beginning, it was clear that this cohort came prepared to make the most of the experience. Founders were eager to challenge their ideas, receive feedback, and start working on concrete next steps for their startups. Day 1: setting the context and building connections The first day opened with a welcome message from the Deputy General Director of ADR Nord-Vest, Hegedüs Csilla, followed by an open conversation with ForDementia AI, one of last year’s winners. This gave startups the opportunity to hear directly from fellow founders about their experience in LevelUP and the lessons they learned along the way. Our support partners — Cluj Startups, Legal Accelerators, Ventures’n’Law, Oradea STEAM Park, ROTSA – Romanian Tech Startups Association, Techcelerator, and ClujHub — also took the stage to present the benefits available to this cohort. These include access to coworking spaces, discounts, mentorship, legal support, and other growth opportunities throughout the program. Day 2: meeting the experts and first pitches The second day focused on connecting startups with the program’s experts. Each team introduced their solution through a 90-second pitch — the first step in the mentor–startup matchmaking process that will continue in the coming weeks. A special moment was the presence of Aces Ro027, the robotics team of “Lucian Blaga” Theoretical High School. Their participation highlighted the importance of supporting young talent and creating opportunities for future innovators to experiment and grow. Hands-on work and defining the next steps Throughout the bootcamp, the workshops facilitated by Ștefan Rusu provided a practical framework for startups to better understand their customers, structure their roadmaps, and define clear objectives for the months ahead. The bootcamp took place at Founders Hive by Cluj Startups, a space that encouraged interaction not only among startups, but also with experts and other founders from the regional ecosystem. The introductory bootcamp marked the first step in a journey that will continue over the coming months, as startups work closely with mentors and experts to accelerate their development.