Young people from Moldova trained in the second edition of the “AgTech Academy”

28 young people from the Republic of Moldova interested in practicing in the field of agriculture successfully graduated from the “AgTech Academy”. They were trained by mentors with experience in areas such as agriculture, IT or marketing for a month. Agrobiznes develop the initiative, in its second edition, in partnership with USAID Performing Agriculture in Moldova and TEKWILL, funded by USAID and Sweden through the Moldova Start-up Program.

The participants in the training sessions had the opportunity to communicate with representatives of agricultural companies in our country, but also with young people who have successful businesses. They also learned how to set priorities and prioritize opportunities, manage time, what are the digital tools that help you be more productive at work, trends in agriculture, innovation and business, how to adapt your business to stress situations, an example being the pandemic that changed businesses around the world.

Oleg Gheorghita, graduate: "During the classes I attended I managed to review certain ideas, but also to learn new things that I can apply in order to be more efficient and to save personal time. I was surprised to understand that in agriculture many successful people, who do not have studies in the field, work and develop successful businesses. Now, young people have access to so much information, being accessible so many possibilities and opportunities to learn, know and develop skills. Probably, it is important to identify funds, financing resources for business development”.

Constantin Moraru, graduate: "I was glad that I had the opportunity to meet people who have the courage and get involved. I had the opportunity to increase the number of acquaintances with whom I will communicate in the future, outside the Academy, from whom I have something to learn and with whom I had the opportunity to exchange experience”.

The training sessions took place between April 1 and May 6, 2021, and the most active young people will have the opportunity to participate in the internship program within the top companies in the agricultural field.

Sergiu Jaman, founder of Agrobiznes: "We would like to develop the educational component more and more, including jointly with investors and partners both in the country and abroad. More and more organizations involved in the field of Agtech abroad have been delighted by the fact that in the Republic of Moldova there are quite bold activities in this segment. Being a platform for promoting businesses in our country and abroad, such as Romania, we will identify external partners, including private ones, to support our initiatives. We thank APM and TEKWILL for their contribution to the development of the Academy”.

Benjamin Toric, Director of the Performance Agriculture in Moldova project, funded by USAID: "Within the APM Project we understand the value of the AgTech component in the agricultural sector. Through the activities we carry out, we promote the implementation of AgTech solutions within agricultural enterprises. Capitalizing on the AgTech component in the near future will require new knowledge and skills that I encourage you to develop by attending various trainings and seminars. The passion you have for the agricultural sector combined effectively with modern technologies can generate impressive progress and results”.

Mary Nemciuc, Program Manager Startup Moldova: "Supporting performance agriculture is one of the 5 business verticals that TEKWILL supports within the National Program "Startup Moldova"- a platform that encourages sectoral collaboration between representatives of traditional industries and IT. We would very much like to continue this Project dedicated to young people in our country, and the promotions of the Academy to be more and more. As a promoter of AgTech entrepreneurship, we aim to support and develop the startup ecosystem in our country. Obviously, agriculture has been, is and will be a priority direction in the life of each of us, because it provides us with our resources for existence. Hence the desire to support the development of the combination of agriculture and technology, digital solutions. At the same time, we bet that the participants will make the most of the knowledge they have accumulated during the training period”.

About TEKWILL

The TEKWILL project is implemented by the National Association of ICT Companies with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Sweden. Tekwill was created in 2017 as the Center of Excellence of the ICT sector in Moldova, with the main goal of aligning the field with the requirements of the 21st century. In order to continue to contribute to increasing the competitiveness of the IT industry and other strategic sectors of the economy, the centre has expanded its current fields of activity, becoming in 2019 a complex project at national level. The basic objective of the ”Tekwill Project”, as a platform dedicated to the progress of the IT sector, is to ensure a major impact on the economic development of the country by improving the entrepreneurial and educational capacities of society members, but also the research and development potential of higher education institutions, in line with the demand on the IT market.

“Tekwill Junior Ambassadors”

The “Tekwill Junior Ambassadors” competition has announced its winners! 67 teams from 30 schools in the country put their digital skills and creativity into practice, developing original and inventive projects for the competition. Whether they chose to create covers for books and bookmarks, the visual tourist identity of a locality or the visual identity of a local company, the winning teams were awarded with various digital gadgets and promotional materials. The competition was available to students and teachers from educational institutions who are part of the project “Tekwill in every school” and are studying the optional subject of “Graphic Design” in the academic year 2020-2021. “Tekwill Junior Ambassadors” took place with the financial support provided by the United States Agency for International Development, the Government of Sweden, EU4Moldova and UNDP Moldova, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research of the Republic of Moldova.

Scott Hocklander, Mission Director of USAID Moldova: “Well-educated young people are able to build a safer future for themselves, their families, their communities and their country. It is exciting to see so many original ideas but also how students used the technology and new skills developed to make a difference in the community. Congratulations to all the teachers who guided these students through the competition. USAID Moldova is implementing projects for young people from all over Moldova to provide them with more employment opportunities. The education system should enable all young people to acquire an education in order to develop the skills needed to be effective members of society.”

Anna Lyberg, Swedish Ambassador in the Republic of Moldova: “I was glad to see all these creative projects from the students. And I am glad to see that more than half of the participants are girls who play an active role in the competition and aspire to become future digital ambassadors. It inspires me to believe that these young people can bring added value to the future of Moldova, more colour, and a new visual identity for localities and organizations in Moldova. Together with USAID, Sweden has been a leading partner in the development of the IT sector of the Republic of Moldova. I believe that education is the key answer to the prosperity of any country. Through programs such as "Tekwill in Every School," students across the country have the opportunity to develop their skills and become better prepared for the challenges and demands of the job market. "

Ana Chirita, Director, Strategic Projects, ATIC: “The projects we saw in the competition show us that, since school days, young people develop excellent skills in the field of information technologies. We want to continue to help them evolve and get involved as much in the projects we prepare. When we started the “Tekwill in Every School” training program, our goal was to help them better understand information technology and discover the opportunities that this field can offer everyone. The results show that we have succeeded! ”

Between March 3 and April 21, students of upper secondary and high school had the opportunity to participate in the competition in teams of 2-4 people, presenting original products in one of the three categories of the regulation. The projects were presented online, being made, at choice, in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Inkscape or GIMP programs. A specialized jury evaluated the submitted files. Prizes were offered for each thematic subcategory and for each stage of school education (upper secondary and high school). Thus, for the first place, each member of the winning team received a tablet, for the second place – an e-book, and the winners of the third place – a pair of Bluetooth headphones. At the same time, all members of the participating teams received as a gift promotional materials with the brand “Tekwill in every school”

The winners of the Tekwill Junior Ambassadors Competition are:

“Book covers and bookmarks” category 

1st place

Upper secondary school level: Inspira team, Private Institution “Da Vinci” High School, Chisinau municipality;

High school level: Design Addicts team, “Aristotel” Republican Theoretical High School, Chisinau municipality;

2nd place

Upper secondary school level: Future Generation team, “Miron Costin” Theoretical High School, Floresti town;

High school level: Panda team, Magdacesti Theoretical High School, Criuleni district;

3rd place

Upper secondary school level: Vivid team, “Eugen Coseriu” Upper Secondary School, Catranic village, Falesti district;

High school level: Brawl Stars team, “Mesterul Manole” Theoretical High School, Salcuta village,Causeni district;

Tourist visual identity” category

1st place

Upper secondary school level: Inari team, “Magdacesti” Theoretical High School, Criuleni district;

High school level: Galateea team, “Mihail Sadoveanu” Theoretical High School, Calarasi district;

2nd place

Upper secondary school level: Team Panda team, “Socrate” High School of Modern Languages and Information Technologies, Chisinau municipality;

High school level: AMIGAS team, “Mihai Eminescu” Theoretical High School, Causeni town;

3rd place

Upper secondary school level: SMART team, “Mihai Sadoveanu” Theoretical High School, Calarasi town;

High school level: Lagom team, “Stefan Voda” Theoretical High School, Stefan Voda town;

 

 

“Visual identity of a local micro, small and medium-sized company” category 

1st place

Upper secondary school level: Real Design team, “Mihail Sadoveanu” Theoretical High School, Calarasi town;

High school level: Initiators team, “Mihai Eminescu” Theoretical High School, Causeni town;

 

Tatiana Alexeev, “Tekwill in Every School” Project Manager: “Through the “Tekwill Junior Ambassadors” competition, we aimed to identify and promote the development of digital and creative skills among students, so that they are better prepared for the professions of the future. At the same time, we want to motivate them to participate in other competitions that we organize regularly, to give them the opportunity to test their abilities and make them understand all the opportunities and benefits offered by information technologies. We thank all the participants and encourage them to follow us on our Facebook page to be up to date with the latest news and events we are preparing.”

Currently, the “Tekwill in Every School” project is being implemented in 77 general education institutions throughout the Republic of Moldova, and the number of members will increase to 234 schools starting with the new school year.

About “Tekwill in every school”

The development of the “Tekwill in Every School” project was possible by mobilizing the financial efforts of the private sector and the citizens of Moldova or the diaspora (within the crowdfunding campaign of the TwentyTu project, which started in 2018), as well as external development partners – USAID Moldova, Sweden, EU4Moldova and UNDP Moldova. The project is also being developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research. In the long term, the project aims to enhance the human capital of the Republic of Moldova and to raise a generation of people to create at home, in Moldova, products and services that meet national and global socio-economic challenges.

Performance in Education and Innovative Teaching Methodologies! A Teacher From Comrat Created An E-Teaching Course That Was Placed Including on Udemy

She trained 35 teachers in the field of advanced teaching technologies with ICT, developing their level of IT literacy and giving them the opportunity to gain a complete group learning experience, and finally benefited from certificates attesting to the knowledge gained. We are talking about the doctor in pedagogy and the associate professor of the State University of Comrat Tatiana Velicova, who initiated and developed a complete course of E-teaching, intended for teachers from the southern region of the country. The innovative idea was implemented due to a project won under the “UTeach” program, carried out with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Sweden in the Tekwill project, implemented by the National Association of ICT Companies.

Tatiana Velicova, Associate Professor, PhD, Comrat State University: “The skills and competencies of future specialists to integrate and succeed in the century of innovation are developed even from university benches, and teachers have a significant role in this process. Moreover, the global pandemic and the restrictions of the last year have changed the traditional educational process, and online study has become a new normal. For this reason, I wanted to initiate this course so that innovative and modern teaching tools are adopted in the teaching process by a large number of teachers.”

E-teaching course on the Udemy international platform

Thus, between May 2020 and February 2021, the professors who carry out teaching activities at the Faculty of Economics, the Faculty of Agrarian Tourism, the Faculty of National Culture and the Faculty of Law at the State University of Comrat were trained based on the methodological manual of E-teaching, developing skills to successfully introduce new IT technologies in the educational process with students. At the same time, within the e-Teaching project, another 95 teachers participated in 4 thematic webinars. In order to ensure the resilience of the project, the strategy “Implementation of E-Teaching at the State University of Comrat in 2021 – 2025” was developed, in order to train in the innovative teaching methodology all teachers of the State University of Comrat.

Tatiana Velicova, associate professor, doctor, Comrat State University: “The E-Teaching program was a colossal success. After the registration period, many teachers desired to participate in the course and receive training in innovative teaching methodologies. For this reason, the course I took was accepted and placed on Udemy - an international online learning platform for professionals who want to develop their professional skills.”

During the E-Teaching course, implemented within the “UTeach” program, in the development of continuing education lessons for teachers, a group was created on Facebook with all participants for the first time at the State University of Comrat. They had the opportunity to discuss and exchange experiences about online teaching tools and platforms to facilitate the teaching process and to express their opinion about the software products they use in the educational process. During the course, teachers tested several learning platforms, where they learned the best practices in using different interactive tools.

Tatiana Velicova, Associate Professor, PhD, Comrat State University: This grant offered through the "UTeach" program, implemented by the Tekwill project, gave us the opportunity to create the strategy "Implementation of E-Teaching at Comrat State University in 2021 - 2025", which will successfully digitize the educational process within the university. The strategy will make it possible to familiarize teachers with the difficulties identified in the implementation of information technologies in the educational process and find solutions.”

Currently, another group of 43 people, who have expressed interest and registered, are participating in a new E-Teaching course, which takes place between April and May 2021. The participants are high school teachers, colleges and vocational schools from Comrat, Ceadir-Lunga and Vulcanesti, but also three teachers from Ukraine.

Irina Oriol, Deputy Coordinator, “Tekwill” project: “Initiatives to support teachers in the Republic of Moldova continue to revive the quality of university training in the field of information technologies. At the same time, we managed to improve the technical material base of universities through the "UTeach" program, by offering various equipment for organizing lessons, but also for IT projects developed by students, under the guidance of mentors throughout the implementation.”

In January 2020, the TEKWILL project launched the second edition of the “UTeach” program, in which university lecturers had the opportunity to propose unique training programs, innovative teaching approaches, extracurricular projects and initiatives capable of modernizing the quality of university training as regards ICT. The initiative is part of the ‘’Tekwill Ambassadors Program’’ and provides development opportunities and resources for all those interested in achieving performance in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The program is carried out with the support of the United States Agency for International Development and Sweden in the project “Development of the Center of Excellence in ICT Tekwill”, implemented by the National Association of ICT Companies.

UTeach: Teachers Will Develop Quality Training In Universities In The Country

The ”UTeach-2021”’ initiative is part of the Tekwill Ambassadors Program and is aimed at academics teaching ICT, and aims to diversify ICT education and adjust it to current industry requirements, nationally and internationally. The program provides development opportunities and the necessary resources for all those interested in achieving performance in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). It is carried out with the support of the United States Agency for International Development and Sweden in the project “Development of the Center of Excellence in ICT Tekwill”, implemented by the National Association of ICT Companies.

During the third edition of “UTeach-2021”, launched in May 2021, eight professors from the country were selected, who teach ICT specialties at the Technical University of Moldova and the State University “B. P. Hasdeu” from Cahul, who will develop innovative initiatives.

Lecturers had the opportunity to propose unique training programs, innovative teaching approaches, extracurricular projects and initiatives capable of modernizing the quality of university education in the field of ICT and related industries.

Thus, between June and December 2021, university professors will benefit from all the necessary tools, which include: technical assistance, consulting services to implement innovative ideas of education.

The expected result will provide an assessment of the quality of university training in information technology, will show their true potential, so that young people can opt for that university in the country, which could offer them opportunities similar to those abroad.

The “UTeach edition of the Tekwill Ambassadors Program” is meant to support the development of the university education system, with direct answers to the demands of the labour market, to raise a generation endowed with skills and competencies necessary for the professions of the future.

The initiatives of the 8 university lecturers selected in the third edition “UTeach-2021”:

— ’’Remote Laboratory” – a virtual laboratory for the distance teaching of                             engineering disciplines (Victor Ababii, UTM);

— Modernization of the curriculum of the course unit “Database management                     systems”   (Svetlana Birlea, USCH);

— The digital approach within the mixed teaching activity (2 components) (Vitalie             Maftei and Gheorghe Ceban, UTM);

—  Information technology in education (Svetlana Cojocaru, UTM);

— Training course “Digital collections 2D/3D” (Elena Florea-Burduja, UTM);

— Circle Student Club (Dumitru Moraru, UTM);

— Platform for collaboration with the industrial environment in the process of                     teaching disciplines in the field of robotics (Viorica Sudacevschi, UTM).  

Moldova ICT Summit”, The Impact Event of the IT Industry, Returns With A New Edition

Moldova ICT Summit, the major event of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry in our country, returns after a 2-year break. The current edition will be dedicated to digital transformation – the process of reconfiguring, improving and consolidating business environment models and social systems (education, health, public services in general) by adopting and continuously adapting technological innovation, ICT solutions and tools. The topic is one of critical importance, especially in the context of the developments of the last two years and the challenges that have led to the reset of the way society, business and public institutions work.

The tenth edition, generically entitled “The Future of Digital” (Digital Future) will take place on September 23, 2021, inside the Tekwill Center, with the presence of a limited number of participants in the hall and will be broadcast online. The event is organized by the National Association of ICT Companies in partnership with the Moldova Invest Agency, GIZ Moldova, with the support of the “Tekwill” Project funded by the United States Agency for International Development and Sweden and with the support of the European Union and private partners.

The organizers aim to identify directions and strategies for the digital transformation of several critical areas for the Republic of Moldova, by applying the latest global trends, stimulating digital innovation and attracting investment. In addition, another objective of the event is to serve as a catalyst for increasing the competitive advantage of our country for the next 5-7 years.

“Moldova ICT Summit 2021: The Future of Digital” will bring together technology leaders, government officials, media influencers, ICT companies, high-ranking experts, donors and representatives of diplomatic missions in the Republic of Moldova. The sessions and discussions of the event will focus on: the impact of technologies in building better experiences for society as a whole, the role of the ICT sector in the digital transformation of the country, and the future of the digital domain for Government, business and academic environment.

The agenda of the event will include sessions dedicated to the development strategy in the field of digitalization, interventions to increase the competitiveness of the ICT sector (including the presentation of the White Paper of the sector), revealing global trends and aspirations of local actors in digital transformation. Topics related to the strategic development of different sectors through ICT will also be addressed, tools and applications that can increase the efficiency of government institutions in providing public services will be presented and opportunities to develop corporate business through innovation and ICT will be reflected.

“Moldova ICT Summit: The Future of Digital” will highlight how the Government and the private sector can join forces for digital transformation to play a key role in restoring the economy, developing digital culture and stimulating positive change. The event will provide an effective platform for dialogue for actors involved in the digital transformation process, present existing partnerships and encourage new ones, so that technology provides solutions to the most complex national problems.

The event can be watched online, starting with 09:00, on the Moldova ICT Summit, ATIC and Tekwill pages in the Facebook social network and on the live broadcast site www.privesc.eu.

High Speed Internet And Digital Technologies For Schools In Moldova

High-speed internet access in study classes, but also the integration of digital technologies in schools in the Republic of Moldova are essential for the continuity and efficiency of the current study process, but also for the long-term development of competitive professionals. According to the data presented in the Integrated Management System in Education, 16,575 students and 212 teachers stated that they do not have access to the internet.  

Therefore, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, the Moldova Competitiveness Project, the TEKWILL Project, but also the “Starnet”, “Moldtelecom”, “Orange Moldova” and “Moldcell” companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support internet connectivity in schools and the use of digital technologies in education. 

The partnership comes in the context in which the COVID-19 pandemic reconfirmed the need for digitization to facilitate and improve the process and quality of studies. 

Lilia Pogolsa, Minister of Education, Culture and Research: “One year ago, the epidemiological situation forced us to reconceptualise the teaching process, and teachers to develop their digital skills to teach students. Together we mobilized and adopted different models to ensure quality in education. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Research is grateful to the development partners for their involvement and contribution in providing educational institutions with high-performance computing technology and access to the Internet. Moreover, this response to our needs for students to continue their studies speaks of mutual trust. The acquired skills will help us to move forward and to carry out other projects that we propose.”

Scott Hocklander, Mission Director of the USAID Moldova: “The USAID International Development Agency supports the digital transformation of education. Public-private partnerships to bring high-speed internet to schools and support the development of digital skills will reduce the connectivity barrier exacerbated by the pandemic crisis. USAID remains a strategic partner for advancing STEAM skills (science, technology, engineering, art and math) and digitizing Moldova's education through projects such as the Class of the Future and Tekwill.”

What does the Memorandum provide?

Public, private and development partners will capitalize on their own resources and ongoing initiatives through a joint and coordinated effort to support the development of Moldova’s digital education, to achieve a systemic impact, which will have sustainability and effectiveness. 

Doina Nistor, Director of the Competitiveness Project of Moldova: “Although private operators have previously supported digital education, more sporadically, through this partnership we are witnessing a convergence of efforts and a synergy to unite equipment, internet access and skills. We are glad that the Competitiveness Project facilitated the partnership between the state, donors and private operators, because each is an indispensable and interdependent component part to advance the educational system in the digital age.”

Ana Chirita, director of the TEKWILL project: “By signing this Memorandum we reconfirm the strategic objectives of the TEKWILL Project. As a platform dedicated to the progress of the IT sector, we aim to develop actions with major impact on the economic development of the country by improving the entrepreneurial and educational capacities of society members, but also the research and development potential of higher education institutions, according with the demand on the IT market.”

Internet operators support the connection of Moldovan schools to the Internet

Internet and telecommunications operators have joined the partnership to support Gigabit connectivity of Moldovan schools, providing them with secure, accessible and high-speed internet access, as well as covering internet classrooms for integrating digital technologies into classes.

Providers will connect schools to the internet for free or at reduced prices and will focus on both urban and village institutions to avoid the gap between them.

 Private partners will also be involved in individual initiatives related to providing     equipment and improving digital skills for students and teachers. 

Mariusz Gaca, Executive Director of “Orange Moldova”: “Digital education, along with digital inclusion is an important part of the “Orange” strategy, established until 2025. I am glad to share with you that from 2015 until today, “Orange Moldova” has supported learning and training initiatives for 180,000 beneficiaries. On this occasion, I want to thank all the partners with whom we have been collaborating fruitfully for so many years and congratulate the partners who have been involved in the implementation of this common goal that brings together so many talented people.”

Alexandru Machedon, Executive Director of “Starnet“: “Over the past year, in discussions with external development partners, we have come to the idea that it is necessary to have a class of the future in every educational institution in the country. I am glad that we have been supported in this project and that the best operators in the country have joined forces and supported this initiative. My dream is to implement, through technologies, more projects related to innovation and digitalization and to offer the possibility to all children in the country to have access to the internet in order to be better prepared for the professions of the future.”

Carolina Bugaian, Executive Director of "Moldcell": "I am glad that we have a common goal that we put competition aside and contribute together to a sustainable future for Moldova. We saw in the pandemic that neither teachers nor students had access to the internet in isolation, so we came up with digital packages with mobile internet and free minutes to facilitate the connection and the educational process. Through today's partnership, we aim to continue that support with mobile internet packages for at least a period of 12 months for teachers, as well as for children from needy families.”

Inna Kiriakova, Human Resources Director, Moldtelecom: "Moldtelecom is committed to further developing the process of digitization of education in the Republic of Moldova and ensuring distance communication, providing free packages to educational institutions and being responsive to requests from public authorities. Only in this way, by investing in high-performance equipment and connecting all sectors to the digital age, we will be able to enjoy the wonderful results of education in Moldova.”

According to the Memorandum, the signatories aim:

  • To support an inclusive and high-performing digital educational ecosystem by providing accessible and high-speed digital equipment, technologies and internet connectivity for schools in the Republic of Moldova, as well as high-quality digital educational content, tools and platforms;
  • To strengthen the digital skills of Moldovan teachers and students, which are crucial for the continuity of education adapted to the challenges of COVID-19, as well as for long-term investments in competitive human resources;
  • To integrate diversity, equity and inclusion, using technology as an equalizer to eliminate gender, income and living differences.

The “Memorandum of understanding to support internet connectivity in schools and the use of digital technologies in education” is a partnership between the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, the Moldova Competitiveness Project funded by the USAID, Sweden and the United Kingdom, the TEKWILL Project funded by the USAID and Sweden, but also the “Starnet”, “Orange Moldova”, “Moldtelecom” and “Moldcell” companies”.

In the New Academic Year, Students Will Learn Tech Entrepreneurship At Moldovan Universities

New development opportunities for young people in the Republic of Moldova! They will study tech entrepreneurship right from the university benches within the “Startup Universities” program. Thus, starting with September of this year, 40 students from the universities of Chisinau, Balti, Comrat and Cahul will benefit from the program and will gain knowledge and entrepreneurial skills. The initiative aims to stimulate the potential of the younger generations for the development of the national economy. “Startup Universities” is part of the “Startup Academy” program, developed by TEKWILL, with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Sweden.

Ana Chirita, TEKWILL Project Director, ATIC Strategic Projects Director: “Currently, there is a great growth of startups and own products with added value worldwide, obtained through technological entrepreneurship. As the field is not studied in universities, we noticed the need to support universities, including teachers, in order to be able to adjust, later, the curricula based on which they guide students from economic profiles. Thus, a generation of entrepreneurs with new knowledge and skills in the field will grow.”

The course will be integrated into the university curriculum and will be certified within the bachelor’s degree. It contains topics related to ecosystem trends and technological business development. Within the discipline, students will learn to develop a business from idea to application, being mentored by teachers trained in the field. Also, during the course, students will be familiar with strategic management, financial planning, marketing, pitch, attracting investors, etc. The educational process will involve a mixed approach of working in groups, but also individually, young people being stimulated to study and apply knowledge outside the classroom.

Madelene Eichorn, program manager, Swedish Embassy: “Sweden and USAID have joined forces to support an initiative that has changed one of Moldova's key sectors. The project will include extensive courses on the development of technology business and the entrepreneurial ecosystem. We especially encourage girls and women to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in order to realize the potential of all young people in Moldova.”

John Riordan, Deputy Director, USAID Moldova: “Currently, future professionals need to acquire new skills to be more competitive in the labour market and to generate innovative and useful products for society, with the aid of information technologies. We believe that promoting the culture of entrepreneurship in Moldova will generate positive results, if it is correlated with educating young people and developing related skills. USAID will continue to contribute, providing the highest quality educational opportunities, encouraging business development and cultivating connections to a variety of markets.”

A pilot edition of the program took place in March-May this year, in partnership with the Technical University of Moldova. During the course, 10 students from the Faculty of Computers, Informatics and Microelectronics, but also from the Faculty of Economic and Business Engineering were acquainted with technological entrepreneurship.

With this program, students will be able to generate innovative and useful products for society. The program aims to change the visions of young people, orienting them towards the development of the digital economy, which is constantly rising internationally.

About „Startup Academy”

“Startup Academy” part of the Startup Moldova program is an educational initiative dedicated to current and potential entrepreneurs, which is developed within the TEKWILL Project, with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Sweden. The basic objective of the Tekwill Project, as a platform dedicated to the progress of the IT sector, is to ensure a major impact on the economic development of the country by improving the entrepreneurial and educational abilities of society members, but also the research and development potential of higher education institutions, in line with the demand on the IT market.

HealthTech Hackathon: 10 Teams Have Developed Digital Solutions For The Medical Field

3 teams interested in developing medicine through technology will continue to transform and improve their digital solutions in the HealthTech Acceleration stage! The ideas were selected during the HealthTech Hackathon, which brought together future doctors, students, biologists, entrepreneurs, startups, medicine and technology enthusiasts, but also all those interested in innovation and science. For 3 days, 10 teams exchanged experience, participated in mentoring sessions and increased their skills to develop solutions aimed at improving medical services. HealthTech Hackathon is part of the “HealthTech Vertical 2021” – a program dedicated to tech startups that develop solutions for the medical field and is organized by Startup Moldova in collaboration with the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemitanu”, with the support of USAID and Sweden within the Tekwill project, other partners FreshBlood and SanoPass.

In the acceleration stage, the 3 winning teams will validate their products, using all the necessary means, support and expertise of specialists, both in the IT and medical field, to improve their technological products and to move on to the next stage – the piloting. At the end of the acceleration program, the participants will have the opportunity to test their solutions in practice.

"I have long been waiting for the chance to participate in a Hackathon that combines both my professional directions - medicine and IT. Here I had the chance to state my ideas and receive invaluable advice on market implementation and analysis. I hope the accelerator will bring me even more knowledge and experience”. Dascal Mihai, CoRLab Tech, 1st place winners.
"We are very lucky to have been invited to this event which gave us access and the opportunity to talk to valuable people and collect useful data for the validation and adoption of our project to the current needs of the market. Thank you so much for the organizers, mentors and trackers for their support and effort!! I also consider that this type of event gives a very important impetus for the future successful projects of Moldova.” Sergiu Motreac, MyID "I participated in the Hackathon for the first time; I was very satisfied and pleasantly surprised. I managed to be part of a very creative team, together we reached the top three finalists. I am very grateful to our tracker and mentors for invaluable advice, support and experience”. Margareta Iachimenco, Keep my child safe

The 10 solutions presented at HealthTech Hackathon:

  • 1st place: „Corlab-Tech” – a software that collects and analyses data provided by customers for early detection and monitoring of Parkinson’s disease – a chronic degenerative disease;
  • 2nd place: „Keep my child safe” – a solution that aims to help parents with children under the age of 5 to monitor and supervise the temperature of the little ones, the rhythm and the respiratory rate;
  • 3rd place: „HeroDoc” – an application that aims to improve the relationship between patients and doctors, by removing distances;
  • „Medplatform.md” – a platform aimed at continuing education for doctors and medical staff, includes a wide range of validated collaborators and a team of professionals from several medical institutions;
  • „MyID” – Digital Health Passport – a digital health passport solution that helps solve problems with verifiable test results, vaccine certificates, privacy controls and data sharing;
  • „Pharmec” – an application that connects pharmaceutical companies with patients;
  • „Fastboss digital assistant for healthcare” – an application that will help medical staff to complete routine acts in a matter of seconds;
  • „TeleMedPrevention” – an application that solves the problem of getting to the doctor quickly in the context of a pandemic;
  • „OMG! WELL BEING!” – a platform that will connect people with real experts in medicine;
  • „intoAction” – an application that aims to support people to be active, leaving the sedentary lifestyle.

Ana Chirita, TEKWILL Project Director: “We are at the stage where we must learn to combine digitalization with medicine in order to offer more possibilities on the one hand to doctors and on the other hand - to patients. Here I mean digital services, an individual approach, expertise, help and modern practices. The HealthTech Hackathon has brought together a community of people with ideas who are ready to adjust to be successfully implemented in the health field, and we are ready to provide all the tools and platforms needed to achieve these goals.”

Academician Stanislav Groppa, vice-rector for research at USMF: “It was an exceptional event, where the 10 teams presented themselves exclusively, with major involvement, offering important solutions with well-targeted strategies for digitizing the health system. We tried to offer them some advice and guidance through the involvement of mentors - specialists and valuable experts in medicine. Congratulations to the winning teams and at the same time we encourage everyone not to give up their ideas, because there are many funding opportunities”

Mary Nemciuc, Coordinator HealtTech Moldova: It is important for the Republic of Moldova to be aligned with global trends in the personalization of human needs in terms of improving the quality of life and digital connection with objects and surrounding organisms. Synergy between technology and medicine is inevitable, only so the provision of health services will be considerably improved.

The hackathon was attended by over 30 mentors, teachers, doctors, representatives from the private sector, startups and experts of international organizations in the field of healthtech.

Participants were also guided by trackers, who monitored their progress and provided the necessary connections. Among them were representatives from the ecosystem of Kazasthan and Moldova such as: Evgney Frolov, Aliona Rotaru, Dmitrii Albot, Gulzina Baltabaeva, Assel Seifulina, Ion Mocanu, Iulia Cozacenco.

HealthTech Hackathon Moldova 2021 is organized by Startup Moldova in collaboration with the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemitanu”, with the support of USAID and Sweden within the Tekwill project, partners: FreshBlood and SanoPass.

FinTech 2021: Find Out What Domain Development Projects Are Implemented In Moldova

Technological development has led Moldovan Fintech startups to place technological innovation at the heart of their business. In order to promote the new industry and drive digital solutions directly in financial companies in our country, Startup Moldova with the support of general partners Moldova Agroindbank and Mastercard, but also USAID and Sweden partners launched within the TEKWILL project – “FinTech Vertical 2021”. We are talking about an extensive program that connects different players in the industry and creates collaborations for the rise of innovations in the field of FinTech in Moldova.

Adam Amberg, Head of the Development Cooperation Section, Swedish Embassy: “Moldova's IT industry has grown rapidly in recent years and has become one of the most dynamic and competitive sectors of the Moldovan economy. As part of supporting digital transformation and the Moldovan IT sector, Sweden supports the FinTech industry. We are convinced that Moldovan financial and IT startups and companies are crucial parts in bringing benefits to the entire society. We believe that the sector will become stronger and that many well-paid jobs will be created, thus providing a more attractive future for young people in Moldova.”

Brian Wittnebel, Deputy Director, USAID Moldova: “One of the areas with great potential for development in the Republic of Moldova is financial technology. This is because IT accelerate processes and change paradigms, and startups and IT specialists can become more involved and contribute to the process of digitizing services in the financial-banking sphere. The FinTech Vertical 2021 aims to help this sector collaborate and find connections, on the one hand, in detecting the problems faced by banking companies in the country and, on the other hand, in providing relevant IT solutions to change the way which these services are provided by companies.”

Digital Education in Schools

The most revolutionary project that brings the professions of the future to schools – “Tekwill in every school” comes with new opportunities for teaching staff. This time, the initiative launched the continuing education program for primary school teachers for the subject of “Digital Education”. During the training sessions, the teachers benefited from education, mentoring, guidance and assistance from qualified specialists, in order to be able to teach the discipline “Digital Education” to primary school pupils in the autumn.

The continuing education program for the 1,200 teachers aims to train teachers to be able to teach “Digital Education” to primary school pupils, so that pupils can develop computer skills, technologies and robotics, to cultivate their passion for STEM education, so that, later, he/she can consciously choose one of the professions of the future.

“Digital Education” is a compulsory subject for primary school pupils, which was introduced in 2018 by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research (MECC), in order to learn the use of digital tools and technologies by pupils. The program was launched after signing a Memorandum of Understanding on the development of digital education in general education between the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure, the National Association of ICT Companies and the Tekwill project.