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Tekpon Awards 2024 Winners | Founders of the Year

Sergiu Negut | Co-Founder @ FintechOS
Andrei Pitis | Founder & CEO @ Genezio
Daniel Melkersson | Co-Founder @ PinMeTo
Alin Dobra | CEO & Founder @ Bunnyshell
Andrei Avadanei | CEO @ Bit Sentinel
Mateo Carmona-Arango | Co-Founder & CEO @ AF

Founders of the Year—trailblazers whose ingenuity, passion, and tenacity have birthed ventures that disrupt industries, solve real-world problems, and inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs. The Tekpon Awards for Founders of the Year honor these exceptional individuals whose entrepreneurial spirit and relentless drive have not only created successful companies but have also left an indelible mark on the business world.

A founder is more than just the originator of an idea; they are the heart and soul of their enterprise. They are the dream-weavers who see possibilities where others see obstacles, the risk-takers who venture into the unknown, and the relentless pursuers of excellence who turn visions into viable businesses. Founders are the lifeblood of innovation, injecting their passion and creativity into every aspect of their company, from conceptualization to execution.

Sergiu Negut | Co-Founder @ FintechOS

Sergiu Negut - co-founder @ FintechOS - Tekpon Awards

Sergiu Negut is an entrepreneur and business leader known for his role as the co-founder of FintechOS, a company at the forefront of financial technology innovation. With a background that combines strategic acumen, a deep understanding of technology, and a passion for transformative business models, Sergiu has been instrumental in steering FintechOS to its current status as a significant player in the fintech landscape.

FintechOS is a pioneering company that revolutionizes the way financial services are created and delivered. It provides a powerful, low-code platform that enables financial institutions to rapidly design, build, and deploy personalized digital products and services. The core mission of FintechOS is to empower traditional banks, insurers, and other financial entities to transform into agile, customer-centric organizations without the need for extensive and costly infrastructure overhauls.

Andrei Pitis | Founder & CEO @ Genezio

Andrei Pitis - founder & CEO @ Genezio

Andrei Pitiș is an entrepreneur and technology visionary renowned for his innovative contributions to the tech industry. As the Founder and CEO of Genezio, Andrei brings a wealth of experience in software development, product management, and business leadership. With a track record of successful ventures and a deep commitment to fostering technological advancement, he has established Genezio as a forward-thinking company in the software landscape.

Genezio is a cutting-edge technology company that focuses on simplifying and accelerating the software development process. It offers a platform designed to streamline the creation, deployment, and management of complex software applications, enabling developers to focus on building high-quality, scalable solutions without the typical overheads of traditional development environments.

Daniel Melkersson | Co-Founder @ PinMeTo

Daniel Melkersson - Co-Founder @ PinMeTo

Daniel Melkersson is an innovative entrepreneur and business leader, best known as the co-founder of PinMeTo. With a keen eye for technology and a passion for enhancing digital presence, Daniel has played a pivotal role in shaping PinMeTo into a significant player in the location marketing industry. His expertise in business development and strategic planning has been instrumental in driving the company’s growth and success.

PinMeTo is a location marketing platform that helps multi-location businesses manage their online presence across various digital channels. The platform is designed to help with local visibility, improve customer engagement, and drive foot traffic to physical stores. PinMeTo’s suite of tools allows businesses to effectively manage and optimize their digital presence on search engines, social media, maps, and directories.

Alin Dobra | CEO & Founder @ Bunnyshell

Alin Dobra - ceo & founder @ Bunnyshell

Alin Dobra is an entrepreneur and the Co-Founder and CEO of Bunnyshell. With a background in computer science and over a decade of experience in IT, Alin has held various significant roles, including Chief Information Officer at Omniconvert and Chief Technology Officer at Marketizator. His previous experience in software engineering and IT management has been pivotal in shaping Bunnyshell into a leading tech company.

Bunnyshell is an “Environments as a Service” (EaaS) platform designed to simplify and enhance the software development lifecycle. The company provides tools to create and manage development, staging, demo, and production environments on Kubernetes for any application. By automating the creation and management of these environments, Bunnyshell helps developers save time, reduce costs, and improve the reliability and scalability of their applications.

Andrei Avadanei | CEO @ Bit Sentinel

Andrei Avădănei is a known figure in the cybersecurity industry, known for his extensive contributions and leadership. He is the Founder and CEO of Bit Sentinel, a cybersecurity agency established in 2015 that focuses on protecting organizations against cyber threats through a range of services, including penetration testing, security assessments, and incident response. Beyond his role at Bit Sentinel, Andrei is also the founder of DefCamp, the largest cybersecurity and hacking conference in Central and Eastern Europe.

Moreover, Andrei’s work extends to mentoring startups and advising on blockchain security, leveraging his expertise to help new companies navigate the landscape of cybersecurity. His dedication to the field has earned him recognition in various prestigious listings, including Forbes 30 Under 30.

Mateo Carmona-Arango | Co-Founder & CEO @ AF

Mateo Carmona-Arango is the co-founder and CEO of AF. With a background in innovation and a keen understanding of business dynamics, Mateo has been instrumental in establishing and steering AF toward growth and success.

AF Robotics is a company that specializes in Robotic Process Automation (RPA). With a focus on automating highly repetitive business processes, AF Robotics uses software bots to perform tasks such as data entry, automatic billing, and text recognition. These bots mimic human actions to increase efficiency, reduce errors, and free up time for crucial activities, ultimately enhancing overall business performance.

Authors

Writer

Ana Maria Stanciuc

Head of Content & Editor-in-Chief @ Tekpon

Creative Content Chief

Ana Maria Stanciuc is a highly skilled writer and content strategist with 10+ years of experience. She has experience in technical and creative writing across a variety of industries. She also has a background in journalism.

Editor

Ana Maria Constantin

CMO @ Tekpon

Chief Marketing Officer

Ana Maria Constantin, the dynamic Chief Marketing Officer at Tekpon, brings a unique blend of creativity and strategic insight to the digital marketing sphere. With a background in interior design, her aesthetic sensibility is not just a skill but a passion that complements her expertise in marketing strategy.