What is future makers?

Future Makers is a start-up incubator for future-oriented business ideas ready to test the market. In its 6th edition, Future Makers engages 40 start-ups founded by young entrepreneurs from 5 countries in Central and Eastern Europe. This year will come with a novelty: Future Makers will host 2 incubators focusing on different business areas: Future Makers Health and Future Makers Open Innovation.

More details about Future Makers 2023:

Future Makers 2023 is designed to support participants in building their business model, creating a comprehensive business plan, developing an executive summary, creating a business deck, and perfecting their elevator pitch. The program features a team of 60-80 international trainers, mentors, and experts who bring their expertise to the program.

The curriculum of Future Makers is focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to promote sustainability and social impact. In 2023, participants will be able to attend more than 15 workshops, guest sessions, and community meetings throughout the incubator. The program will also include a series of practical challenges to help startups and their teams grow and develop. The learning journey will take place on the SIS internal digital platform, and at the end of each incubator, more than 10 teams will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas. 

Future Makers 2023 will award the program-winning teams with a total of 60.000 euros and the community voting winners with a total of 15.000 euros.

Future Makers from 2018 to 2022:

In the past 5 years, Future Makers worked with over 5200 youth in Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia & Hungary in applied conversations about trends, technology & society and supported +200 start-up ideas with a 3-4 months business incubation program and over 120.000 euro in awards.
Find out more about Future Makers, our winners, and our work here.

Timeline 2023:

  • Timeline:

    February (06.02.) - April (30.04.): Application Period

    May (08.05) - Iuly (17.07) : Incubation Period (10 teams Health & 15 teams Open Innovation)

    July (31.07.): Final (20 finalists; 2 community voting winners)

  • Timeline:

    June (05.06.) - September (31.08.): Application Period

    September (11.09.) - November (17.11.): Incubation Period (15 teams)

    November (27.11.): Final (10 finalists; 1 community voting winner)


Future Makers 2022 Winners

Future Makers 2022 was an amazing experience for 35 teams that came from Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary. After 3 months of intense incubation, the teams were able to deliver their Business Plans, Executive Summaries, Pitch Decks and Business Model Canvases in order to qualify for the Future Makers Final. The final was hosted in Bucharest where all the start-up founders were invited for 3 days to visit the city, meet the local ecosystem and some of them had the chance to pitch their ideas during the Social Innovation Solutions Pitch Day. 

The Trained Ones (1-2 years maturity): AIMinded

The Beginners (0-1 years maturity): GreCup


Future Makers 2021 Winners

In 2021, Future Makers embarked on a journey of expansion into four new frontiers: Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary. The participating teams embarked on a thrilling 4-month digital incubation journey, where they were immersed in a plethora of enlightening workshops and guest sessions. The Future Makers Final was a grand culmination of this period, where 22 pioneering teams presented their innovative ideas, vying for a prize pool of 20,000 euros. After a rigorous selection process, 6 start-ups were extended an invitation to pitch their ideas to a panel of esteemed international investors.

GRAND WINNER: toboro

OTHER WINNERS: Swim.me, Dataphoria, DOIT


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future makers 2020 winners

Out of the 35 teams pitching in November 18 during Future Summit, the Jury chose 6 winners. A solution that uses artificial intelligence algorithms to manage plastic waste, a set of cutleries designed for arthritis people, an AR solution for artists, a portable medical device for joint recovery, a smart toys company and a medical device patch for vital parameters are the winners of the 2020 Future Makers edition.

Future Makers 2020 Grand Winner: Polymore

Winners: ACT - Arthritis Curved Tableware, ArtLink, Umalo, CardioMedive, Synovius and Brandoteca (public vote winner).


future makers 2019 winners

Out of the 35 teams pitching in November 28 during Future Summit, the Jury chose 6 winners. Forest industry digitalization solutions, a digital recycling platform, a method to treat phobias in VR, a modular station to charge electric scooters and a property management application are the winners of the 2019 Future Makers edition.

Future Makers 2019 Grand Winner: Dendro IT

Winners: Exposure VR, EcoTree, FinPlay, Glide, MiRenta and Eco Cool Socks (public vote winner).

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future makers 2018 winners

Future Makers 2018 Grand Winner: Tzitzi-Poc Adventures,  a complex story staged in the form of serial-theatre, in a technology adapted setting.

Winners: Auttie, FutureAgro, Glasskoo, I’m Fine, Re-cycled, Veltra – Craft bicycle.