A rebel 2020 in retrospective. Ready, set, remote!
Tags: 2020, Remote Working, Company Culture, Technology, Organizational Culture

We left or HQ behind.

Perhaps this was the decision that wrapped up the whole year.

Being more or less forced by the context, we had to finally wave our goodbyes to the Buftea Street office. We gradually got used to the idea of finding productivity no matter the setting and got excited at the thought that the office would become a social space, an environment where we would catch up rather than work.

This is why we started to look for a new office, one that would fit this new set of needs, a house that looks more like a residence than an office. It was obvious that this change was going to take place eventually, but, to most of us, it was, indeed, a sudden transition.

Although we had a few specific requirements in mind, in less than a month we found the perfect space, added a splash of yellow, and quickly populated it with our rebel spirit. Now we got ourselves a brand new rebel playground where we can meet to take the edge off a challenging project and chat about anything not work-related in front of the chimney or outside, enjoying the beautiful weather in our spacious garden.

New clients acquired.

Looking back, we will remember 2020 as the year in which business became virtual. Companies started looking at technology as a way to streamline their business processes and make them more available to their customers. It’s funny how reflecting back at the year that just passed, technology has found its way into every possible business sector out there.

It kind of reminds of the joke below, that was roaming around LinkedIn feeds at the beginning of the pandemic.

2020 was also the year in which businesses were forced to think outside of the box, more into the real lives of their user, finding clever ways in which to blend technology into the daily lives of their customers.

From pivoting existing digital products to create new experiences for users, this year we acquired over 10 new clients building web and mobile apps in new industries, some of which are: Influencer Platforms and Networking, Bills and Utilities Management, FinTech, LiveEvents, Parking Management and InsurTech.

You can see the entire product index of web and mobile apps we have built since 2008, on our website.

We invested in 3 technology startups from Romania, Amsterdam and UAE.

Today, technology helps us stay safe by bringing our favorite events to us. It staying igets our groceries delivered to our doorsteps and helps us get in touch with our families and friends’ miles away. It helps businesses remain in touch with their audiences, and gets the news where it needs to be, in little to no time. If we ever dared to question technology’s potential, 2020 proved the contrary. Technology is here to stay, and we are here to facilitate its way into the hands and pockets of people.

One of the startups we have proudly invested is Eventmix, a Cluj based startup aiming to revolutionize the industry of events, bringing event organizers a new way of starting engaged with their communities.

I am thrilled to let you know that I have joined Eventmix as an investor, closely collaborating with them to build a platform through which event organizers can easily set up online events directly on their website. 🎉 Eventmix is a startup co-founded by Sergiu Biriș and Andrei Dunca, two entrepreneurs who are not new to the #techstartups scene, having already built Trilulilu, acquired by Digitap, and LiveRail, acquired by Facebook. The two successful exits brought them a lot of media traction that they have wisely used to push the local startup ecosystem forward. What excites me the most about Eventmix is that it makes it super easy for me and even my kids to host whatever online interactive events we want, be it a game streaming or a business conference. From the early days of RebelDot we devoted to supporting startups in their journey towards innovation. While we collaborated with visionaries from all over the world, we were driven by a desire to support the local scene. I am happy to see entrepreneurs from Cluj create products like Eventmix, that are a reference standard for what it means to be #Agile, and adapt to the ever-changing business environment. Thank you for placing Romania and #Cluj on the #startupecosystem map! — Tudor Ciuleanu on Linkedin

Giving back to the community.

Besides the internal remote initiatives and regular “pulse checks” carried out by our People and Culture department to ensure that every team member is being taken care of, just like in 2019, this preoccupation with caring was a major element in our external efforts this year too.

Being fortunate enough to be part of a community that has been nurturing our growth for years now, we wanted to keep on giving back so that the support is mutual.

We continued to support the young techies by joining various student hackathons and defining potential career paths for them, but we also glanced at the ones in need, offering a helping hand.

From supporting organizations like ELF, Un Sigur Cluj & CERT, to making more conscious decisions when it comes to sustainability and the way we care about our planet, 2020 has made us more aware of the world around us and the impact the business ecosystem can have over the world around.