Romania Connect, the business platform dedicated to companies, entrepreneurs, and institutional partners from Romania and Austria, is launching in Romania. After launching in Vienna on March 23, 2026, the platform has built its structure and institutional partnerships. It now offers the business community in both countries a clear framework where connections turn into tangible results. In the coming months, the association will focus on expanding the network and facilitating partnerships in both countries.
Romania Connect is a private initiative that builds a real business infrastructure, giving Romanian and Austrian business representatives access to networks, expertise, partnerships, and investment opportunities through relevant events, structured networking, and practical business content. It is a non-profit, independent, and apolitical association, funded entirely by its members’ fees.
“We want to build a long-term, truly active business community between the two countries, which is currently missing, even though the conditions are there: we have a strong economic relationship, Austria is one of the biggest investors in Romania, and the Romanian community is the second largest foreign community in Austria. The interest is very high, but it’s not organized, and our first goal is to become the framework where this interest turns into business decisions. We aim for a more balanced relationship between the two countries, through the presence of Romanian companies in Western markets, as they have the right products, people, and maturity. The careful selection we make can also help Austrian companies that need reliable partners. Another goal is to help Romanian companies be perceived as innovative through references, meetings, access to necessary services, and accurate market information. We have all the cards as a country for this: technical talent, speed of execution, flexibility, multilingualism, and an open-minded generation of entrepreneurs who have already grown up in the EU,” says Radu Stoica, president of Romania Connect.
Austria remains the main market of focus because interest from Romanian companies is growing. It’s a highly connected space, though, through the Austrian Economic Chamber (WKO) and its network of over 100 Advantage Austria offices worldwide. The country provides natural access to Germany and Switzerland, as Austrian partners operate in the DACH region as if it were a single market. Plus, Vienna is a regional hub for Central and Eastern Europe, with medium-term potential for the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and the Western Balkans.
The trust capital that Romania lacked 15 years ago in Austria is represented by its people. Many Romanians today hold top management positions in Austrian and international companies, and the Romania Connect board brings together such profiles. Radu Stoica, president, leads the operations of an international fashion retailer in Austria and Central and Eastern Europe. Victor Ioane, vice president, is the CEO of an Austrian services group. Cristian Codrea has executive experience in several European countries, including in the energy sector. Ramona Bordea is a strategist in artificial intelligence, while Sergiu Ardelean founded an AR technology company present in 190 countries. They are all now making their network available to those who want to follow the same path.
The Romanian companies with the greatest potential to enter the Austrian market are medium-sized, profitable ones with 5 to 10 years of activity and a mature product, but still without an international presence. The context is favorable for them: Europe is bringing its supply chains closer to home, and Romania, an EU member and, from 2025, with full Schengen rights, offers technical talent, fast execution, and competitive costs.
The most recent data shows where the demand lies. According to a survey by the Austrian Economic Chamber (WKO) from April 2026, nearly eight out of ten Austrian companies are feeling a shortage of skilled staff, and the economy is looking for about 155,000 specialists. For Romanian companies in IT and AI, industry, energy, construction, and the creative industries, this means real demand for their existing expertise.
“Austria is a relationship-driven market, not a transaction-driven one. We are already receiving very diverse requests, from IT companies that see Vienna as a gateway to an entire region, to manufacturers looking for distribution in the DACH area. We have a generation of entrepreneurs who grew up in the European Union and are ready for the Western markets,” adds Radu Stoica.
Romania Connect is a platform that connects companies with verified specialists, but member companies also benefit from mentoring sessions with board members, aimed at providing guidance rather than replacing specialized services. The connection process happens in three steps. Upon registration, each company defines: their industry, the type of partner they’re looking for, and their specific goal for the next 12 months. Then, the board and the team make one-on-one introductions between members and companies in the network based on these goals. Finally, connections continue in small, sector-specific meetings by invitation, as well as in larger events with pre-scheduled meetings.
The relationship works both ways: Austrian companies looking for reliable partners or investment opportunities in Romania, especially in energy and real estate, find in Romania Connect a contact who knows both markets.
“Each of us, Victor Ioane, Cristian Codrea, Ramona Bordea, Sergiu Ardelean, and I, have been through what it means to enter a new market. This is what we offer: not theory, but the experience and network of those who have already taken this path,” adds Radu Stoica, president of Romania Connect.
Romania Connect’s institutional partners are the Embassy of Romania in Austria, Austrian Business Agency (ABA), WKO Advantage Austria, and the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Austria.
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