Business Pitch and Networking Event in Cluj-Napoca

Entrepreneurship, engineering, and innovation are at the forefront of solving global challenges. We invite you to be part of an extraordinary event where these principles come together to drive real-world solutions. Join other local entrepreneurs and business leaders in meeting four innovative teams from the University of Southern California, as they pitch solutions for the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

You will have the opportunity to promote the exchange of ideas and experiences among emerging entrepreneurial communities. We emphasize the importance of international collaborations and believe that participants will benefit greatly from this unique platform, paving the way for new opportunities in development and innovation.

The goal will be to develop strategies for organizing and promoting broader exchanges between Cluj and Los Angeles in the fields of creativity, innovation, and the use of film art, interactive media, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship to address global challenges.

Organisers

The event is organised by the USC Global Challenges Impact Lab, in partnership with the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration (UBB FSEGA) and the Department of Theatre and Film of Babeș Bolyai University, and hosted by GUILD together with the entrepreneurial community of Cluj-Napoca.

This event initiates a strategic partnership between the entrepreneurial ecosystems of Los Angeles and Cluj, inspiring a new generation of creators, innovators, and problem solvers, ready to address global challenges with vision, creativity, and determination.

Who Should Attend?

Innovation Link brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds to leverage the power of engineering innovation, design, entrepreneurship, ethics, and storytelling. Together, we aim to innovate solutions that address pressing global challenges.

Daniel Druhora is an award-winning filmmaker, entrepreneur, and educator. Born in Romania, he works at the intersection of global challenges innovation, film production and entrepreneurship. He is the director of the Global Challenges Impact Lab at the University of Southern California and is the co-founder of Safe Passage Films, a U.K.-based production company.

In his role at USC, Daniel is focused on launching student-driven innovations and startups that tackle global crisis. His career includes working on various international co-productions in Romania and the U.S., including projects for Warner Brothers Studios, PBS, ARTE, ARD, and RTE. Additionally, he serves on the board of the Yusra Mardini Foundation, supporting refugee communities through sports, and on the board of Frontida Records, a healthcare software company aiding in low-resourced regions as well as Way of The Mountain, an organization that cultivates creative communities around the world.

Brad Cracchiola is a lecturer at USC Viterbi School of Engineering and Associate Director of Global Program Management at Designworks, a BMW Company. With a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor’s in Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Southern California, Brad has extensive experience in product design and development.

Brad’s career began at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory before joining BMW Designworks in 2004. He has led projects for clients like Microsoft and Disney, developing products across industries including consumer electronics and medical devices. Brad also created the award-winning “Green Genie” iPhone app and designed the US Paralympic racing wheelchair, showcased at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

Brad’s work has been featured by NBC, USA Today, Wired, and others.

Why Attend?

You will have the opportunity to promote the exchange of ideas and experiences among emerging entrepreneurial communities. We emphasize the importance of international collaborations and believe that participants will benefit greatly from this unique platform, paving the way for new opportunities in development and innovation.

The goal will be to develop strategies for organizing and promoting broader exchanges between Cluj and Los Angeles in the fields of creativity, innovation, and the use of film art, interactive media, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship to address global challenges.