Young people in Glodeni are turning ideas into fintech solutions

More than 175 students from northern Moldova participated in the Innovation Camp project, organized by Junior Achievement Moldova with financial support from iute Moldova and in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research. The event, held on October 8 at the “Vasile Coroban” Theoretical High School in Glodeni, aimed to promote financial inclusion and foster an entrepreneurial spirit among young people.

Participants were challenged to identify and develop innovative solutions to a real-world problem: limited access to financial services in rural areas. Currently, according to data from the Ministry of Economy and the World Bank, over 35% of young people aged 18 to 30 do not have a bank account, and more than half of the rural population does not use digital financial services.

Building on this reality, the young people developed concepts for secure and accessible fintech products and services designed to support the financial inclusion of vulnerable communities. Among the ideas proposed by the 11 participating teams were apps for making quick payments, financial education platforms, e-wallets for young people, voice-authentication apps, and assistant bots for managing personal budgets.

Sergiu Sobuleac, CEO of iuteMoldova

“iute Moldova strongly believes that financial education is the foundation of a prosperous society. We are honored to partner with Junior Achievement Moldova and the young people in the north of the country. We are happy to support programs that help them develop critical thinking, creativity, and financial responsibility. Through such initiatives, we reaffirm our commitment to pioneering the promotion of financial education among Moldova’s younger generation.”

In addition to providing logistical and financial support for the event and for the “Vasile Coroban” Theoretical High School, iute Moldova introduced participants to its own financial education program—#YouthEconomy, a platform that connects the business community with future professionals. Through this initiative, young people have access to mentoring sessions, meetings with specialists, and hands-on activities designed to develop their financial, digital, and entrepreneurial skills.

Laurenția Filipschi, Executive Director of Junior Achievement Moldova

“iute Moldova is now in its fifth consecutive year supporting the Innovation Camp project and is committed to fostering a generation that thinks freely, innovatively, and sustainably.”

Liliana Leucă, Principal of LT “Vasile Coroban”

“This year’s Innovation Camp was extraordinary! I told the students that they were one step closer to their business ideas. I’m glad to see a generation passionate about technology, ready for the demands of the times. iute Moldova’s donation of the interactive whiteboard supports exactly this modern spirit of our high school.”

Damian Bizdiga, Innovation Camp participant

“It was the first time I worked in a startup-style team. I learned how to develop a digital product, how to build a business plan, and, above all, how important it is to understand what financial inclusion means for people like us.”

Through such initiatives, young people not only learn financial concepts but also acquire essential skills in critical thinking, collaboration, and innovation, preparing them for integration into a modern and inclusive digital economy.