Evelina Necula, Kinderpedia, about the entrepreneurial journey: ”It was a lonely ride for a while”

The documentary "Romanian Startups: Roaring Tigers of Europe", made by the start-up.ro team, spans across 33 years of history, from the first entrepreneurs in the transitional years to the initial technology company transactions that brought Romania into the international spotlight.

Romanian Startups: Roaring Tigers of Europe - The Extended Series will present the people who built the Romanian ecosystem and who discussed with the VideoCorp and start-up.ro team for this documentary. In this series you will find the extensive interviews and find out the stories of those who built entrepreneurship in Romania.

Kinderpedia originated from Evelina Necula and Daniel’s experience working in a digital marketing agency, where they felt a lack of control and ownership over client projects. Motivated by a passion to create something meaningful, they brainstormed various ideas before settling on education, an area where their skills and passion aligned.

The founders observed a significant communication gap between schools, nurseries, and families, despite all parties being well-intentioned and dedicated to children’s growth. This gap often resulted in frustration and conflict, negatively impacting children’s development. Kinderpedia was conceived as a technological bridge to facilitate better communication and collaboration between educators and parents.

Starting around 2013, the company secured European funding to develop its beta version, launching it in 2015.

“Back in 2015, the startup ecosystem was there but not very accessible or visible. It was a lonely ride for a while until we became part of the ecosystem and connected with mentors, supporters, and investors. Since then, the ecosystem has grown and become more dynamic and supportive”, says Evelina.

Initially focused on communication, they quickly learned that schools needed better internal organization and management tools as well.

This insight led to the evolution of Kinderpedia into a comprehensive school management platform that includes features like classroom management, student progress tracking, financial management, and parent engagement.

“We had some of the most well-intended users, teachers, school managers and parents. They all cared for the future of children but very often they could not find a means to turn that into collaboration. This motivated us to see that people who are willing to do their best to help children grow were helpless because they didn’t have the tools to do it properly. And we said okay, we can build those tools”, Evelina comments.

They also realized the importance of mobile accessibility for teachers and parents, prompting early development of native mobile apps. 

During our interview for the Romanian Startups: Roaring Tigers of Europe, Evelina recounted a personal journey from skepticism about entrepreneurship to embracing it as a high-responsibility commitment, driven by passion and accountability not just for oneself but for others.

Over the years, Evelina says that she felt both exhaustion and immense satisfaction from the impact Kinderpedia has had on schools and families.

Kinderpedia’s early financial strategy involved bootstrapping alongside continued work at their digital agency, with the founders personally reinvesting in the project without salaries. The vision from day one was international: the software was designed as a multi-language, multi-currency SaaS platform aimed at universal educational needs. Despite this, market education was a constant challenge since many potential users did not initially recognize the need for such a tool.

Funding was difficult to secure locally in Romania, especially during the bootstrapping years (2015-2018) when investor interest was limited to proven, large-scale ventures.

This led the team to focus on other markets, particularly Switzerland, where education is highly valued and the need for digital solutions was similar. Their persistence paid off when South African executives invested in 2018, recognizing their commitment and product quality.

Despite the challenges, Evelina values starting the company in Romania, emphasizing the emotional connection to their community and the pride of exporting a Romanian product globally.

“I feel overwhelmed by the impact we have generated. It’s so rewarding to meet people who use Kinderpedia, see their smiles, and know we are truly transforming education. We are just stepping out to build our international presence and contribute bricks to the transformation of education worldwide.” 

• Kinderpedia began from a digital agency’s desire for ownership and passion-driven impact.
• The platform bridges communication gaps between schools, nurseries, and families, improving collaboration for children’s growth.
• Early adoption of mobile apps empowered dynamic teachers and busy parents to engage on the go.
• Initial funding was tough; bootstrapping and European grants sustained early development.
• Internationalization was a core vision from the start, leading to market expansion beyond Romania.
• The Romanian startup ecosystem grew from isolation to a supportive community with better access to funding and mentorship.
• Kinderpedia’s next phase focuses on integration and seamless interoperability to scale internationally.

• Passion-driven entrepreneurship enhances commitment and resilience: Evelina’s transition from employee mindset to entrepreneur was marked by realizing entrepreneurship requires deep responsibility—not just for self, but for a broader community. This mindset fuels perseverance despite exhaustion and setbacks, ultimately driving Kinderpedia’s sustained growth.
• Identifying and addressing real user pain points is crucial for product evolution: Kinderpedia’s shift from a simple communication tool to a comprehensive school management platform illustrates the importance of close user engagement and adaptability. By observing users’ real workflows and needs, they integrated features like financial management and competency tracking, enhancing product relevance and user retention.
• Building for international markets requires foresight and versatile design: From the very beginning, Kinderpedia was designed as a multi-language, multi-currency SaaS solution, anticipating diverse global educational needs. This strategic design enabled smoother entry into various countries and markets, demonstrating the value of scalability in product architecture.
• Market education is as important as product development in emerging sectors: The founders discovered that schools and nurseries often did not initially understand the benefits of digital tools, requiring ongoing efforts to educate and demonstrate value. This highlights the dual challenge startups face in innovation—creating technology and cultivating demand.
• A supportive ecosystem transforms entrepreneurial prospects: The evolution of Romania’s startup scene from a fragmented, lonely endeavor to a vibrant community with accelerators, angel investors, and mentorship drastically improved Kinderpedia’s access to funding and strategic support. This communal growth is vital for sustained innovation and scaling.

Roaring Tigers of Europe is a production by start-up.ro and Videocorp, part of the Romanian publishing company InternetCorp, active for almost 20 years on the market. The documentary was made with the support of partners BCR, Orange, and 2Performant. Community partners included Guran Consulting Global, How to Web, Launch, Impact Hub Bucharest, Flaviu Simihaian, Rubik Hub, SoftServe, and the Romanian-American University.