project launched by Romanian Business Leaders SUCCESS STORY: FROM A GOOD IDEA INTO AN AMAZING PROJECT

Launched in February 2015, Re>patriot aims at supporting those who want to return Home, to get a quick access to local opportunities. We step in with information, counseling and a large network of partners recognized for their professionalism.

The project also targets Romanians who have been living abroad and want to remain there but are interested in both starting new business ventures in and transferring their expertise, knowledge and best practices acquired in their adoptive country.

Our main goal is to create links between the and Romanian entrepreneurs by identifying business opportunities, potential areas of partnership and mentoring relationships.

Returning home with capital, social connections, cultural and linguistic competence, intellectual expertise and business skills, the Diaspora can impact the local market with new technology, products and services enhancing competitiveness and innovation within the local economy. THE ROMANIAN DIASPORA - STATS

The number of Romanians working ROMANIANS WORKING ABROAD abroad is estimated to be 2.5 million. France 23.205

Out of these, more than 300,000 live Germany 33.089 in Italy and over 150,000 in . Great Britain 40.378

Spain 171.163

Italy 341.296

The Romanian Central Bank (BNR) has recently finalized an analysis that studied the impact of the 2.5 million migrants to Romania's GDP if they worked in the country, in their field of expertise. The additional value to the Romanian GDP would be 50 billion lei. THE ROMANIAN DIASPORA - STATS

DO YOU WANT TO RETURN BACK HOME? In how many years do you plan to return back home?

Don't know exactly 32% No More than 10 years

6-10 years

4-6 years

2-3 years Yes 68% Less than on year

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

68% of those who now live and work abroad plan to return to Romania, but almost half don’t know exactly when they would return

The country cannot afford to waste its precious human capital SUCCESS STORY: FIRST YEAR OF ACTIVITY

In its first year of activity, Re>patriot formed a dedicated team with over 30 successful entrepreneurs, held over 9 conferences throughout Europe and in Romania, developed www.repatriot.ro, a web-based platform in order to exchange knowledge and technological know-how, has built an online community which now includes over 10,000 entrepreneurs, business owners, marketers and forward-thinkers.

Conferences in key countries A dedicated team with over 30 Knowledge Transfer Active online community successful entrepreneurs Italy (Milano and Turin), Spain ( and Valencia), The Romanian Business Leaders Building and Building engaged audiences and an Great Britain (London), Foundation’s goal is to foster Sustaining a Knowledge-Sharing online community around the project Ireland (Dublin) and social involvement and as an platform for best practices and with quality content and resources action platform for leaders in the Germany (Munich) information transfers private sector OUR 9 RE>PATRIOT CONFERENCES ABROAD

Torino and Milano Madrid and Valencia München The first conferences took The Romanians living in Successful stories and place on May 22nd-23rd Spain and Re>patriot straight forward business 2015 in Torino and Milano. identified business development matters were Over 250 Romanians opportunities in October presented to the joined 2015 Romanians in Germany in February 2016.

Feb. Mai Sep. Oct. Ian. Feb. 2015 2015 2015 2015 2016 2016

Launch/Kickstart Londra and Dublin București, Focșani, Alba Iulia Following the success in Through conferences, Re>patriot – was launched Italy, we went to Londra și events, semminaries, in February 2015, through Dublin and met the Re>patriot wants to trigger the involvement of more Romanians living in these the public opinion’s than 30 volunteers – locations. attention on Diaspora’s entrepreneurs from matters. Romania. SUCCESS STORY: THE MOST IMPORTANT GOAL

Repatriot has achieved its most important objective proposed at the time of its launch: to persuade the Government and Presidency to accept that Diaspora is a National Priority.

On February 23, 2016, the President of Romania, , and the Prime Minister, Dacian Cioloș, have declared Diaspora as a national priority during the "Romanian Diaspora - A Vector for Development" conference.

The Diaspora can become a powerful catalyst for the Romanian economy. RE>PATRIOT GALA

On March 17th, within Gala Re>patriot, we auctioned both objects signed by personalities such as Simona Halep, Mircea Lucescu and “experiences” with Horia Tecău, Felix Pătrășcanu, Dragoș Anastasiu, Mihai Marcu, Gabi Szabo and other famous Romanians recognized for their remarkable careers.

All the funds raised are used to make Re>patriot a comprehensive platform that provides Romanians abroad complete and accurate information meant to support and inspire them in their business endeavours.

”I congratulate those who came back home, it is not an easy decision to make. The majority of those who left and suceeded abroad built the basis of their success here, at home; we are what we are today partly because of our country too” Gabriela Szabo. RE>PATRIOT CALLS MAYORS TO ACTION

„After last year when we went across Europe and met more than 1500 Romanians, this year we concentrated on triggering the attention of the local and central authorities to the role that Diaspora could play in the development of the local communities.”

Dragoș Anastasiu, President of Eurolines

On June 7th, Re>patriot launched a “Call to action” to the newly elected mayors asking them to create opportunities for Diaspora. In this way, Re>Patriot opened the first communication channel between the local authorities and those Romanians who are interested in returning home. This dialogue platform offers rapid access to the investment and jobs opportunities in Romania and facilitates the contact between the two parties. As an immediate result, 5 mayors joined our initiative and undertook to organize events dedicated to the diaspora starting with the summer/early fall of 2016. THE DAYS OF DIASPORA IN EVERY LOCAL COMMUNITY!

Re>patriot names the day of August 15th the Re>patriot Day! Furthermore, we would like to name the week around this date as The Week of Diaspora that is going to be celebrated across the whole country!

The project is dedicated to the local authorities in Romania which are encouraged to look at Diaspora as a human resource and knowledge capital that is available to them and that once activated could contribute effectively to the development of Romanian local communities.

Starting with 2016, local authorities in Romania will organize events whose main actors are those Romanians who for differents reasons left the community to other countries. These citizens are invited by the mayors to reconnect with the local community in which they were born and raised. „ANTREPRENORI ROMÂNI DE PRETUTINDENI” PROGRAM

The “Antreprenori români de pretutindeni/ Entrepreneurs from everywhere” Program was launched by the Foreign Affairs Minister, Re>patriot and Fundația Națională a Tinerilor Manageri (The National Foundation of Young Managers).

The initiative offers 300 online scholarships, for free, to those Romanians abroad interested in opening their own business.

The program aims at stimulating the entrepreneurial attitude and the encouragement of business endeavours which can bring a better life to Romanians, regardless of where they live. The scholarships are offered to Romanians living abroad and the e-courses will take place between the 1st of July – 15th of November 2016. „ANTREPRENORI ROMÂNI DE PRETUTINDENI” PROGRAM

“We have joined the initiative „Antreprenori de pretutindeni” as the added value created by the Romanian entrepreneurs will positively impact the economy and business environment in Romania regardless of the location they choose to operate, abroad or in Romania.”

Ramona Ioana Chirilă, Executive Director Re>Patriot

“In a modern economy we need innovative young people who align to the modern technology, are motivated and energetic (…). Romanian people come home with ideas but this is not enough – we have to support them to adapt to the Romanian market, to reintegrate, to connect with each other and develop their own ventures. This is the purpose of these online scholarships for Romanian entreprenerus worldwide that we launch today together with our partners.”

Dan Stoenescu, Minister for Romanians Abroad. BUSINESS SUMMIT - ÎMPREUNĂ PENTRU ROMÂNIA

We fully believe that Romania needs the Diaspora’s expertize, civic culture and technical knowledge for a sustainable development. Together we can build the core of the support that our country’s leadership needs.

Re>patriot, the Romanian Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organize the Business Summit – an event dedicated to the Union of Diaspora with Romania through business.

100 most successful Romanian entrepreneurs abroad will meet 100 most successful entrepreneurs in Romania, high officials and outstanding guests from countries that have already implemented viable solutions for both bringing their citizens back home and unifying the Diaspora with its country of origin. BUSINESS SUMMIT - ÎMPREUNĂ PENTRU ROMÂNIA

The Business Summit - Împreună pentru România | “Together for Romania” will be a special event that will mix plenary sessions, dialogue, networking and creativity with informal meetings organized on different sectors. Thus, strategic partnerships are supposed to be generated benefiting both Romania and their initiators.

We will share with our guests the opportunities that Romania offers and we will put in place the needed infrastructure so that investors can turn the opportunities into profitable businesses.

The Diaspora has the potential of becoming one of the main anchors of stability, security and influencers for economical development. Thus, Romania will become stronger and more united. RE>PATRIOT JOBS MARKETPLACE

As a contact point for both Romanian professionals and the companies in Romania, Repatriot Jobs Marketplace aims to become the most relevant platform through which Romanians abroad can directly receive competitive jobs offers and companies can find the right employees for the success of their projects.

We build together a network of Romanians from home and abroad for mentorship, training, socializing. This is the way we plan to support and stimulate sustainable economical growth.

We are committed to writing successful stories of those who choose to return to Romania, to develop professionally and personally or to find their dream job for a better life here in Romania. RE>PATRIOT JOBS MARKETPLACE

„People in Diaspora have a significant competitive advantage respectively their ability to connect to a wide network of potential partners and supporters in both Romania and their adoptive country. These connections can generate opportunities for investments, trade, strategic partnerships, transfer of know-how, representing extraordinary opportunities that Romanians abroad should learn to make the most of.”

Gabriel Istoc General Manager, B-Team Consult and Services SRL

“I would like to see that those people who left Romania come back home with their newly acquired community culture. These people have lived in systems where they had learned a lot. That is why I see them as a valuable treasure and opportunity for Romania.”

Felix Pătrășcanu, CEO FAN Courier RE>PATRIOT MEDICAL

According to the Ministry of Health, since 2007 when Romania joined EU, approximatelly 25.000 doctors and 15.000 nurses left Romania in countries such as Germany, France, Spain and Italy.

It’s time to bring our medics back!

The objectives of Re>patriot Medical are to

• Retain Romanian doctors in Romania • Motivate students at medical schools to remain and practice in Romania. • Create attractive conditions so Romanian doctors abroad are motivated to return

Through Success Stories, dedicated events, a medical caravan, and support offered to the students at medical schools, we aim at promoting and increasing the awareness about the huge need Romania has to bring its doctors back and retain those still in the country. THE RE>PATRIOT TEAM

Felix Pătrășcanu Ramona Ioana Chirilă Felix Tătaru Dragoș Anastasiu Gabriel Iștoc, General CEO FAN Courier Executive Director President GMP Group Prresident Eurolines Manager, B-Team Consult Re>Patriot and Services

Simona Pirtea Florin Furdui Hildegard Brandl Andra Giucă, Marius Bostan, Managing Associate, Country Manager Managing Partner CEO Voss Review Initiator of Re>patriot Bulboacă & Asociații Portland Trust Romania UNITH2B A R C H I T E C T U R E THE RE>PATRIOT TEAM

Sergiu Manofu Roxana Olaru Alina Stanciu Cezar Nourescu Lidia Burluc Cosmin Lixandru Managing Partner Partener Creadiv Head of Strategy (MP) Fondator CBN IT Senior Consultant Iceberg Founder, Tyre Travel Ideea JustAD Management Consulting

Bianca Grip Bogdan Georgescu Iulian Chihaia Emil Munteanu Violeta Cenusa, Director Gabriel Aftenie Founder Grip ADS Partner, Stein & Partners Managing Partner Founder Power Net of Business Development General Manager Management Consulting Focus Plus Consulting & Atra Doftana PA Services & Events Babylon Consult SRL Re>patriot in pictures SUCCESS STORY: FUTURE PLANS

This year, Re>patriot will continue the project in other cities like Paris and Berlin in order to bridge the gap between the Diaspora and entrepreneurs based in Romania.

Additional goals include the creation of local groups, both in-country and abroad, bringing entrepreneurs and investors together so they can work and learn from each other, supporting local investment opportunities, building networks with the Associations of Romanians Abroad, launching crowdfunding events and conferences, a Diaspora jobs platform and a Re>patriot Business Summit on October 6, 2016. OUR BELIEF

„I came back to Romania to do big things for people. I fully believe that if Romanians abroad came back home bringing with them everything they learnt, they would become the change agents that Romania needs so much.”

Ramona Ioana Chirilă, Executive Director Re>Patriot

„Romanians worldwide should know that they are welcome home! The business environment, the Presidential Administration, the Romanian Government and the Local Public Administration consider the connection with the Diaspora a priority. The most important investors who can make the most of the opportunities that exist are Romanians - regardless of their location. The internet and the new communication technologies help us to stay closer to those who left; our mission is how to use all these so that we strenghten Romania”.

Marius Bostan, Initiator of the Re​>Patriot project About Repatriot

Marius Bostan, the project's initiator "Repatriot is no longer a project, it is a movement, a constant fight for us and our children. We've only catalysed more forces and I wish that every day more "soldiers" will join us in this unification movement. The flag was already raised by the President and by the Prime Minister. We are the soldiers of this cause. Technology and Internet development is helping us in this mission. The communication "highways" connecting us with the whole world will bring the Romanians closer to their home country."

changemakers in Romania Project Contact Details

Web-site: www.repatriot.ro Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/repatriot/

E-mail address: [email protected] SUPPORT REPATRIOT

changemakers in Romania