NEWS

17 October 2023, Bucharest, Television Pro Tv

At the beginning of the Robotics Valley project, we needed all the promotion we could get, so through the Valea Jiului Implicată association, we had the opportunity to apply for the TV show “Imperiul Leilor” (The Lions’ Empire). We went through many selection stages, and in the end, we managed to pass all auditions and were invited to the show. However, after several discussions, we decided not to participate due to the high risks involved. Some time later, the show's producers called us again and convinced us to take part. Once we arrived on set, we had to make some radical changes that made us work as a team and persevere in creating a Business Plan and presenting the Pitch in front of the Lions, receiving an offer of €10,000 from each investor.
Result: Investments for Robotics Valley
- National recognition of the teams
- Appearance on National Television
- Strong connections with various entrepreneurs

This opportunity came through Adina Vințan, a collaborator of our team whom we met after joining the Valea Jiului Implicată organization, a group with which we managed to carry out impactful and successful projects and which provided us with many opportunities.

At first, Imperiul Leilor seemed like the perfect opportunity to take our project to the next level. Since Robotics Valley was just beginning, we did everything we could along with the WAFY team to promote this project. Diana Isac, the leader of our team, created the project pitch and sent it to the producers. To our surprise, we were accepted for the casting, and from there, the whole selection process began until we were finally chosen to appear on the show. The casting was held by Diana Isac and Mihai Danciu, co-founder of the project, under the Robotics Valley umbrella, specifically for the Robotics Hub project at the Petrila Mining Exploitation. Upon hearing this idea, the producers decided to move us forward in the selection.

After many discussions and opinions, we concluded that such a major step was too risky so early in the project. We felt it could harm our image due to the short preparation time, so we withdrew from the idea and continued our activities. At one point, one of the show's business advisors called and convinced us to participate by promising we had a good chance and that they would help us refine our project. A week after receiving this news, we headed to Bucharest to film.

Once in Bucharest, we went to the studios for rehearsals, where we made several important decisions that would shape our path in the show. We changed about 90% of the Business Plan, which led us to switch the person who would present the pitch. These changes disrupted our initial plan and led to serious discussions about what we wanted from Robotics Valley and from ourselves. It was an important moment when, for the first time, we truly worked as a team, set clear boundaries, and created a full plan for filming day—this brought us together as a team.

At the filming, we arrived focused on our plan, knowing what we were willing to change and what not. The pitch itself demonstrated our determination regarding the purpose of the project and what it meant to us. The pitch was a success— the Lions were impressed and each offered us €10,000 and their support as a Board of Advisors.

The impact of the show was enormous—it propelled both our team and the project forward. We appeared on TV screens across the country, and everyone came to know about us, proving that all our efforts had been worth it.

The last collaboration with the Lions took place in January as a follow-up meeting. Thanks to the show, our project became well-known and popular in the world of robotics, with many teams recognizing us as the teams from Robotics Valley. This show was a very important pivot in our journey toward success and a well-deserved accomplishment after a lot of hard work.

25 October 2023, Bucharest, Studio ProTV

Following our appearance on Imperiul Leilor, our team, together with the Wafy team from Petrila, were invited by Cătălin Măruță to his TV show to help make our Robotics Valley project better known. We also used this opportunity to promote the principles of FIRST and to increase our visibility both nationally and within the Valea Jiului community.

We arrived at the ProTV headquarters in Bucharest alongside the Wafy team, representing Robotics Valley.

We entered the studio at 4:30 PM, and Cătălin Măruță asked us several questions to which we responded openly.

Our television moment ended with a photo alongside the celebrity, who warmly greeted us and wished us continued success.

We were invited to the reality show "La Măruță" on the ProTV television channel. After our appearance on Imperiul Leilor, our team, along with the Wafy team from Petrila, were invited by Cătălin Măruță to his show to further promote the Robotics Valley project. We also used this opportunity to promote the principles of FIRST. We spent quality time as a team before participating in the show. Before the broadcast began, we arrived at the ProTV headquarters and were guided to our preparation area. Since our segment was scheduled at the end of the broadcast, we were very emotional. Eventually, we entered the studio and began presenting our project together with the Wafy team. We highlighted the importance of Robotics Valley entering the tech landscape and how Valea Jiului has become a hub of innovation in the field of robotics.

We talked about the development of the world of robotics and the emergence of robots in Valea Jiului. We also presented the roles these robots play in both educational and industrial environments, as well as a small demonstration showcasing what our robots can do. At the end of the show, we took a photo with Măruță.

Our entire journey was documented on our social media channels, including Instagram and Facebook, as well as on Cătălin Măruță's social media accounts. It was a constructive and educational experience for us, one that helped us grow as a team and promote both our project and our team through this season's new robots and our passion for robotics.

14 October 2024, Corvinilor Castle

The conference brought together important figures, including ministers and international experts, to discuss policies and initiatives related to children, youth, and families. In this context, we, the robotics teams from Hunedoara County, had the opportunity to present our projects and innovations, emphasizing the importance of STEM education in the development of young people.

The main goal was to promote the technical skills of the team and to increase our visibility at both national and international levels. The robotics team showcased the impact of their activities on the local community, highlighting the county we come from and drawing attention to educational programs and robotics competitions. The event offered valuable opportunities for networking and collaboration, contributing to the promotion of STEM initiatives and the development of potential partnerships.

11 October 2024, "Mihai Dragan" Cultural Center Deva

Following the invitation received from AJOFM Hunedoara, we had the opportunity to connect with many young people who were interested and inspired by our work, as well as with personalities from the STEM field. We had the chance to present our team to the guests at this event and to those who were present in search of a stable job. Both the important invited figures and the visitors were very receptive to robotics and our team's mission, and the conversations were interactive and engaging. As a result, we built connections within the community — one of our team's greatest goals and missions.

We had the opportunity to present our team to the Minister of Family, Natalia-Elena Intotero, to the General School Inspector of ISJ Hunedoara, Mrs. Ștefănie Maria, as well as to high school students from technical colleges in the county. Alongside us were two other teams from the Jiu Valley: Wafy and Lazarus Ascending.

15-16 October 2024, Bruxelles, Belgium

Event Description: On October 16th, the AlphaBit team had the honor of participating in the “Just Transition Platform” conference held in Brussels, Belgium. This conference was an extraordinary opportunity for us to share our passion for robotics and promote the Robotics Valley initiative. At this event, we had the chance to showcase our innovative projects in front of an audience of dedicated and inspired individuals, passionate about technology and innovation.

Activities Conducted: At our booth, we demonstrated the achievements of the AlphaBit team. We had valuable discussions with Commissioner Eliza Ferreira, who expressed her support for our project. Additionally, we had the opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas, discussing various strategies and methods to improve our projects.

Outcomes and Impressions: Participating in this conference allowed us to increase our visibility and build new collaborative relationships essential for the future development of our projects. Meeting with professionals and opinion leaders in the field of technology and innovation offered us valuable perspectives and inspired us to continue innovating. We were also impressed by the interest and enthusiasm shown by participants toward our projects, which further motivated us to dedicate ourselves to our mission.

Conclusions: This international experience was a major success for the AlphaBit team and the Robotics Valley initiative, giving us the opportunity to present our projects and establish new strategic partnerships. We are excited to see what opportunities the future holds and to continue promoting STEM education and innovation among the youth in the Jiu Valley and beyond. These connections and experiences will help us turn our dreams into reality and build a better future through technology and collaboration.

5 February 2025, "Mihai Eminescu" National College, Petrosani

We had the opportunity to host a meeting with representatives from Greenpeace Romania and Bulgaria, who wanted to learn more about our activities. We presented the projects we are working on, how we organize ourselves, and the values that guide us.

The discussion was open and engaging, and they were very curious to understand how we manage to work efficiently as a team. To ensure everything would go smoothly, we started by preparing the room where we were going to receive our guests. We organized the space as best as possible, set up the presentation screen, and made sure everything was working properly.

We also prepared the area for a hands-on demonstration, so we could directly show them how we carry out our activities. Before our guests arrived, we were visited by Mondo TV, who came to conduct some interviews.

We spoke with them about our work and the event we were organizing. After the interviews concluded, the Greenpeace representatives arrived, and our presentation officially began. We opened the discussion by explaining how our team is structured, how we are divided into departments, and the role of each member. We wanted to show how important each person's work is and how we manage to collaborate effectively to achieve our goals.
We continued with a presentation of the most important events we have participated in and organized, followed by our volunteer activities.
Then, the department leaders provided details about the hardware and software components of our robot, explaining how it works, what it can do, and of course, what the theme of the current season is. We followed with a practical demonstration, simulating a match. After the presentation, the Geography Club of our high school spoke to the guests about our environmental protection projects and activities. Toward the end, the guests asked us a few questions to better understand how our team functions. In closing, we presented the technical notebook from last season in detail, and a few team members gave brief interviews.

Conclusion: We would like to sincerely thank them for their visit and for the interest they showed in our work. We truly appreciate their curiosity and attention, and this meeting gave us even more motivation to continue growing and dedicating ourselves to our projects.