About me
I consider risk my core expertise.
Over 10 years of experience in developing companies with global reach, currently focusing on technology start-ups.
Since 2015 I have been involved, as regular investor, shareholder or management position, in 3 major exits:
- markets.com (acquired by Playtech),
- trade.com (acquired by an individual investor)
- Vector Watch (acquired by Fitbit).
About me
My favorite quote is “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”. From this point of view, I consider myself a lucky man – I am an angel investor, an entrepreneur with multiple successful exits, and the founder and managing partner of a multinational company. I had opportunities, and a lot of preparation to get here.
Growing up in a small town, my first education was the one I received at home, as a child and teenager – and it was all about hard work and being responsible. I moved to Bucharest when I started college, I studied International Economic Relations at the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, complete with a Masters’, and also got a degree in Law – as I thought the two of them complete each other.
I started working early, while still studying, first with small IT projects – but the real breakthrough came when I started work for a multinational company operating globally in online trading on financial markets. For me it was fascinating – not only working in a multinational company, but especially the online trading and financial markets. Here I learned the challenges of a truly global business, how to innovate technologically and most of all what “business development” means.
Hard work always pays off, and as my results were very good for the company, “preparation met opportunity”.
I was offered a stock option plan, so when the company was acquired by one of the giants of the industry, for a deal which was substantial, that was my first successful exit.
I continued in the same industry as the CEO of the Romanian branch of a similar company. I applied all I knew from my first experience and it paid off. I developed the business, improved the technology, marketing and overall business processes. The success gave me the option to pursue my entrepreneurial dream of “having my own company”.
In parallel, I started investing in technological startups and real estate – as I’m always focused on innovation and creating “real” value. I like to invest in local startups with potential, but also in international innovative ideas.
I founded another fintech which is now a global multinational company, with hundreds of employees and offices in countries on all continents. I’m working every day on this project, mentoring and motivating my team by applying all that I’ve learned in the past.
My passion will always remain the financial markets. It’s a dynamic and engaging field, and like me, “always on”. I’m deeply connected with the markets not only through my main business, but in all my life – as I am a long-time investor, and an active trader.
Projects I have been involved in
2010 - 2015
Fintech Companies
I held an active position as Head of Business Development and minority shareholder. Markets.com was one of the top 10 fastest growing online trading companies in its period, due to it’s extensive branding and technological capabilities. It was acquired in 2015 by Playtech, a FTSE 250 listed company.
2016 - 2017
Fintech Companies
Being the CEO for Romania and Executive Director on a group level, I was able to help the company grow worldwide, using my experience aquired in markets.com. The company was sold to a Family Office in 2017.
2005 - 2007
Start-up
Consultaclick.ro is an international project, recognized and awarded at events dedicated to health in San Francisco, Vienna or Zurich. We help you save effort, time and money, because in consultaclick.ro you are looking for a medical service depending on the specialty that interests you, filter by area of interest, see the ratings and feedbacks of other patients and the prices communicated by the clinic.
2005 - 2007
Start-up
I was one of the investors in the well known Romanian startup which helped put the creativity of Romania’s talent on the international business map when the company was acquired by giant Fitbit.
2005 - 2007
Start-up
I invested in betvolution, a startup that aims to be a social platform in terms of online betting, giving an unique user experience powered by the latest technological developments. Having a team with more than 25 years experience, we plan to come with an unique concept in the online regulated sports arena.
2015 - Present
Investment Fund
TVP Family Office is involved in investing in various tech startups, real estate projects and many more.
2017 - Present
Fintech Companies
CAPEX.com is a young and rapidly developing multi-licensed fintech company acting in online trading, designed as a one-stop-shop for traders worldwide.
2015 - Present
Fintech Companies
Aggero is a B2B SaaS/Marketplace for esports&gaming and live streaming industry. Connecting brands and streamers. Build, manage, track, and measure sponsorship and influencer campaigns with Aggero. They are powering influencer campaigns with AI-driven analytics technology.
2015 - Present
Start-up
Skyline AI developed a platform for faster and more comprehensive analysis of commercial real estate properties. Founded in 2017, Skyline AI is backed by Sequoia Capital, JLL (NYSE: JLL), TLV Partners, Nyca Partners, DWS group and others. The company has offices in New York and Tel Aviv. It disrupts commercial real estate through advanced artificial intelligence. In August 2021 Skyline AI has been acquired by the real estate behemoth Jones Lang LaSalle.
2015 - Present
Start-up
I have invested in Just Eat(Just egg) because I believe in a disruptive startup. Ju.st is a deep tech company that reimagined the egg to better align with the idea of starting your day right. Made from plants (not chickens), Just Egg has zero cholesterol, it's packed with clean, sustainable protein, and it scrambles and tastes just like eggs. The latest venture round for Ju.st adds up to $200M bringing the total funding amount to $461M.
2020 - Present
Start-up
Beez is a Romanian startup that is based on the concept of Buy Now Pay Later. As fintech is in my playground, I really wanted to be part of this young team helping millennials with their shopping needs. As a bonus, I love that they also offer you cashback on your shopping, making the whole experience even more rewarding. The latest venture round for Use Beez is EUR1.2M.
2021 -
Augmented intelligence for call-centers
Augmented intelligence for call-centers. Its AI solution analyzes the human voice and provides real-time guidance to enhance behaviour. Latest funding round: $75M to be used to expand the AI Coaching System to more enterprises.
2021 -
Payments infrastructure for crypto
Payments infrastructure for crypto - launched in 2019; it revolutionized how retail and business consumers participate in the most significant digital revolution since the Internet: cryptocurrency adoption. In a fast, simple, and secure way. Total funding amount: $642M.
2019 - present
Investment Fund
Sparking Capital is an early stage, Venture Capital micro fund backing
entrepreneurs with unique industry insights, powerful vision, passion, courage,
and excellence in executing their plans.
We spark the growth of the startups we invest in, side by side with their founders,
to become great companies that create long-lasting competitive advantages.
Among the prime vectors of Sparking Capital’s portfolio of companies:
Licenses & Certifications
The Bucharest University of Economic Studies
International Business Communication – ASE
Master in International Business Communication – ASE
Stanford University
Various online modules on Management and Finance
Ecological University of Bucharest
Law Degree
Harvard Business School
Online courses on different topics such as Leadership Principles,
Alternative Investments etc.
Certified Agent for Financial Investment Services (ASIF)
Issuing authority AUTORITATEA DE SUPRAVEGHERE FINANCIARĂ
Issued 2009 – no expiration date
European Institute on Management and Finance (EIMF)
- International Introduction to Securities and Investment
- Compliance in Marketing and Promoting of Financial Products
My experience for more than 10 years lies in the “fintech” and online trading industry startups, where I managed and led strong teams in global companies with hundreds or thousands of employees. I had access to innovative technologies, efficient processes and most importantly people – mainly entrepreneurs and investors – on a global level.
As I transitioned from the “corporate world” to entrepreneurship and investing, my aim was always to find businesses in which I can invest not only capital, but also to provide know how and support for the entrepreneurs and their teams. I have a hands-on approach, as I want to apply all the knowledge and my experience, by mentoring and working along the team. I already have proven success in taking companies “from scratch” and growing them to successful exits, by hard work and data driven decisions, so this is a motivation that I want to bring in every team I join by investing in the business.
In the past, ideas and investments were judged by “instinct” – and I was the only deciding factor. I still trust my instincts, but with time and experience, I now choose to rely on a team of experts and data driven decisions. More about the way I invest today can be found on my dedicated TVP Family Office page.
I strongly believe in the power of the Eastern European business environment to rise above the “outsource” paradigm and become an innovation hotspot. In the last few years, we’ve seen a plethora of new ideas that shaped the innovation landscape, not only in IT or Fintech but also in many other industry fields, like E-commerce, Medical or Real Estate. The number of SMEs, successful entrepreneurs and talented people is constantly growing, so I hope I can inspire other investors to join me and strengthen our place on the world’s business map.
A Family office is, in broad strokes, a private company that ensures investment and wealth management for a high-net-worth individual, family or group of families (these are known as “multi-family offices”). Such a company manages not only investments, but also accounting, taxing, legal matters or various household and corporate services like real estate management, trust administration or other. Some family offices even accept investments from – or manage services of – investors or companies that are not related to the owning family.
The “Family office” is a rather new concept in Romania, as in the last 30 years – after the communism fell – the economic life, including entrepreneurship, investments or wealth management was erratic, opportunistic and still dominated by state actor influences. As the investment scene matures and consolidates, investors are shifting away from old paradigms and embrace the investment paradigms of the western culture, and we start seeing angel investors, venture capitalists, family offices and investment funds.
My reason for creating and using the family office for my investments is a pragmatic one – i have a “data driven decisions” philosophy in all my businesses, and I want to apply it also to my investments. When I started investing in real-estate, for example, I saw decisions made “by instinct” – but even if I strongly trust my instincts as well, and in time we’ve seen a lot of “success stories” based on this – I don’t think this is the best way to start a multi-million dollar investment. Times have changed, and we have access to information that investors wouldn’t have imagined no more than 20 or even 10 years ago – and we must use it to the maximum.
For my Family Office I built a strong team of specialists, cherry picked from the business that I own or invested in. Backed up by a council of advisors which bring even more expertise when needed, the family office team is able quickly to analyze any investment opportunity from multiple angles, creating an overview of the current status, growth opportunity, a documented analysis that allows me to take a decision much more comfortably than relying only on instinct.
More than this, if the decision is made to invest in the business, the family office team can offer support to the entrepreneur so we can use all the knowledge and resources available to accelerate the growth of the company.
I think a family office is the best way to maximize the power of the capital invested, and I am always actively looking for partners that can come and join my family office, so that together we can have not only just more investment power and capital, but also increase the expertise and experience that we can bring to a business that we invest in. This way, not only the wealth that we create can be passed on, but also the value that we create inspires more and more local investors and entrepreneurs.
Even if the concept of “giving back to the community” or “charity” (or whatever you want to call it) is not new – in fact, it’s as old as the known history, as every culture or religion known to man has a similar concept – in the modern age and especially in the last years it has gained more signification than ever.
Ranging from anonymous donations, corporate social responsibility programs or even “The Giving Pledge”, “giving back” is the attribute of every successful entrepreneur (and, I would say, of everyone, not just businesspeople).
In Romania (and Eastern European countries in general) we are still very caught up in the “showing off” mindset, ranging from entry level employees buying latest mobile phones on credit, middle class managers celebrating in fancy restaurants or business people driving around in luxurious cars. It’s a celebration of success by desperately – and sometimes ridiculously – showing it off to everyone around. Millennials in the region are drivers of this mindset – superficially “preoccupied” by the environment or “trending” social causes, they focus on luxury status symbols or superficial consumerist expenses and “go out” to display their brand clothes while forgetting to actually share quality time with their friends.
I strongly believe in the “starve the ego, feed the soul” philosophy. I think it’s important for us entrepreneurs to always “give back” and support the society and environment that nurtured our growth. I am strongly committed to charity work, both financially and by other means, supporting the growth of our society and those in need.
Most of my donations I want to keep anonymous, but I wanted to mention some of them that I support/supported, in hope of inspiring other entrepreneurs to join me in “giving back”.
I am dedicated to giving not only money, but also my time, each year, to support several causes, and I also try to make it as a recurrent contribution, so that the effects are compounded over time.
I supported the publishing of the “Portrete” magazine. It’s a collaboration between the P.A.V.E.L. Association, the Oncological Institute of Bucharest, and the Fundeni Clinical Institute. It offers a glimpse into the harsh life of children that suffer from cancers, leukaemia, and severe anaemias. The magazine supports social and institutional cohesion and the rights of paediatric cancer patients, and promotes social responsibility and empathy. It also promotes programs of school continuation for the children that unfortunately cannot join their colleagues in the classrooms.
I donated to the Endoscopy Unit of Floreasca Hospital because I was impressed with the team, especially with professor Constantinescu. They are professional, working tirelessly, and the most remarkable thing I saw is that they treat everybody the same. It doesn’t matter if you’re young, old, from the countryside or a well-established person, they give their best to assist everybody, trying to serve and help as many people as possible. Even though it is a public wing of a state hospital, they work like a private one.
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to make a donation and support “Asociatia Taxi Gratis” because it is an example that each of us has the power to bring a change for the better in society, we can help those in difficulty. Alex Bobes developed this project with his own resources, transporting doctors and medical staff free of charge between home and hospital, in increased safety conditions.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to sustain the activity for the Cantacuzino Institute, I donated financially in order to support acquiring medical equipment that benefits the Viral Respiratory Invections’ Laboratory.
Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder that disrupts the growth of cells in the nervous system, causing tumours to form on nerve tissue.
The Association of Hope and Support for Neurofibromatosis Patients comes to the aid of patients with this genetic disease with doctor’s recommendations, donations, up-to-the-minute information for this disease, and moral support.
I was able to help a family that had problems with their only son’s congenital hearing loss. I provided them support, not only by contributing to the buying of the cochlear implant but also with accommodation and transport or medical and imaging appointments.
Every year I dedicate myself to supporting the needs of several challenged families. With the help of an NGO, I receive “Christmas letters” from the kids, and it’s my joy to fulfill their wishes. It’s a great feeling to know that I can bring a smile to these kids and to enjoy the wonderful time of Christmas! “
I took over some of the needs packages of children hospitalized at the Oncological Institute in Bucharest, as follows:
– we have provided financial support to children with oncological diagnosis, in palliation, for individualized and innovative treatments abroad (Italy, Germany),
– I bought for them chemotherapy rooms, eye prostheses for children with eye discharges following retinoblastomas, orthopedic prostheses for those with osteosarcomas,
– I fully equipped and offered backpacks to the patient students, enrolled in the Hospital School at IOB,
– we offered new household appliances to families who have a child with a cancer diagnosis,
– I financially supported families with children with children,
– I have supported and continue to support financially (since 2015), the publication of the magazine Portraits, which publishes the literary creations of children hospitalized in Pediatric Oncology, a magazine distributed free of charge.
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