CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2023 15 Aug23227 Any startup begins with an innovative idea. Startup founders aim to fill a need within the marketplace and develop a groundbreaking product or service that will be irresistible to customers. For businesses that want to make an impact but don’t know where to start, TIGZ The Technology, Innovation and Startup Centre/ TIGZ Technologie-, Innovations- und Gruendungszentrum GmbH is a hub that supports startups from various industries to grow and reach their full potential. The business, situated near Frankfurt in Germany, is home to start-ups in the city of GinsheimGustavsburg, the Groß-Gerau district and the Rhine-Main metropolitan region. Dr. Petruta Tatulescu shares her mission and ongoing business strategies that continue to shape the landscape of sustainable start-ups. Established in 1998 and boasting a successful 25 year history as a Start Up Hub, TIGZ is led by CEO Dr. Petruta Tatulescu who has been named Sustainable Startup Support CEO of the Year 2023. TIGZ is a start-up hub that promotes the emergence and development of new companies and services, with a focus on sustainability, green technology, and climate neutrality. Currently around 60 start-ups work from the TIGZ building, which is dedicated to sustainable management and climate neutrality. The proportion of companies founded by women in the TIGZ is almost twice as high as the national average at over 38%. CEO Dr. Petruta Tatulescu personally provides consultancy services in the form of start-up consultancy, financial advice, technology consultancy, marketing consultancy, and information services. Her strategic and operational guidance to start-ups and scale-ups offers young companies’ opportunities to network and establish themselves within an ever-growing market. Dr. Petruta Tatulescu successfully planned, designed, and launched the first Accelerator and Incubator for sustainable start-ups: a free 12week intensive program featuring workshops on MVP, business plan, sales and marketing, incorporation law, and much more. The program offers constant support with feedback and a final joint pitch day with Business Angels, investors, and company representatives. Speaking on her vision for future development, Dr. Petruta Tatulescu states, ‘My mission is to continue developing the Hub, and the programs around it, in order to further strengthen the investment, innovation, sustainability, and start-up support in the area and beyond. Interconnecting the startups, investors, corporates, and various other players in the start-up ecosystem is one of my focus areas.’ Born and raised in Romania, Dr. Petruta Tatulescu studied at the Ruprecht Karls University in Heidelberg, where she received her M.A. and her doctorate. She also holds a degree in Strategic Management at the Open Universities of Australia and in Private Equity at Oxford Saïd Business School, UK. Prior to taking over the CEO position in 2021, Dr. Petruta Tatulescu worked as a management consultant and project manager, advising corporates and start-ups on investment, infrastructure change, and sustainability. This experience has enabled her to intensify connections with Investors, Business Angels, Venture Capitalists, and other professionals to help companies launch successfully. With 120 office spaces of varying sizes, meeting rooms and a woodpanelled conference room in a listed building that is over 120 years old, the TIGZ Hub caters to each company’s individual needs and ensures that they receive the support needed for them to thrive. The building has a fibre optic internet connection, and all meeting rooms are fit with state-of-the-art conference technology. Aligning with their pledge of sustainability, there are bicycles to rent for TIGZ tenants and 6 e-charging points in front of the building. Dr. Petruta Tatulescu’s ongoing business strategy focuses on investment, growth, innovation, and sustainability. She places emphasis on sustainable investment as a necessity for all businesses within the start-up and investment world. When asked about changes in the industry, Dr. Petruta Tatulescu shares, ‘The start-up and investment world are bracing for major changes that not only have a global nature, but also local effects on various markets such as the changing interest rates. The only continuity we see is the constant change. The startups and investors that thrive the most are adapting to the constant changes, listening to the pulse of the market and acting accordingly.’ When taking over the role after 2 previous CEOs, who were at the company helm for over 20 years, Dr. Petruta Tatulescu found herself stepping into a place with an established structure. She took time to evaluate TIGZ’s set processes and infrastructure and began to revolutionise, spearheading changes to shape the start-up ecosystem. She set up new initiatives, like the Accelerator Program, to search for innovative and sustainable ideas that would stand the test of time and impact the industry for the better. Dr. Petruta Tatulescu challenged the old ways in a brave display of leadership that paid off with tremendous feedback, allowing the business to reap the rewards of her efforts. Her belief in the importance of investing in your organisation and trusting your team has enabled TIGZ to work towards a shared vision that will drive the company to continued success. By placing trust in her team, the start-ups she advises, and the investors involved in their processes, she nurtures the very landscape that TIGZ itself strives to grow. Looking to the future of TIGZ, Dr. Petruta Tatulescu is motivated that new initiatives and ideas continue to flow. She plans to implement further networks for start-ups and investors so that they might consolidate to the benefit of the regional business eco-system. The business’s supportive culture allows young companies to learn, collaborate and flourish to develop successful and sustainable start-ups. Dr. Petruta Tatulescu’s background, experience and success make her an asset to every endeavour she undertakes and has deservingly earned her the title of Germany’s Sustainable Startup Support CEO of the Year 2023. Contact: Dr. Petruta Tatulescu Company: TIGZ Technologie-, Innovations- und Gruendungszentrum GmbH Web Address: www.tigz.de
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