Tudor Stanciu, Ventures’n’Law, the man who saw thousands of founders: ”The largest contribution you can bring is to leave a better ecosystem than the one you found"

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.

Tudor Stanciu saw most of the founders that entered, grew and, sometimes, left our startup ecosystem. Nowadays, he went back to being a lawyer, but with a twist: he is still helping founders get their due diligence in order at Ventures'n'Law, where alonside other lawyer colleagues provides legal solutions for tech projects.

Tudor’s journey into tech law was somewhat accidental, sparked by involvement in a law firm that engaged with technology companies and participation in startup-focused events such as Venture Connect and How to Web.

Cum arată ecosistemul de startups din Republica Moldova

“Having these types of structured events help you get exposure in a very condensed period of time to relevant experts, to investors which might not be the right fit for you at that moment in time. That exposure allows you to create those connections and again create that funnel from the perspective of the people relevant for your business”, said Tudor about how essential it is for founders to have networking events and exposure to showcase their ideas.

Throughout the years, Tudor witnessed the Romanian startup ecosystem mature from a niche, underdeveloped market primarily composed of service companies, to a more diverse and dynamic environment with increasing numbers of early-stage startups and greater ecosystem complexity.

The role of first startup events in building an ecosystem

He highlighted the critical role that programs, competitions, and community-building initiatives played in providing startups with exposure to investors, mentors, and peers, which was otherwise difficult to obtain due to the nascent state of the ecosystem and limited local investment.

An important theme is the evolving legal awareness among founders. Initially, many startups did not prioritize legal frameworks, often engaging legal services only during transactions or investment rounds.

Investitorii specializați în food și HoReCa se aliază sub umbrela Food Angels Hub

“I see that they’re more willing to admit when they have a legal issue. What I don’t see changed is a founder’s understanding that legal is something that around which you can create a framework, an operating system for your business. The earlier you try to understand the legal issues you might run into, the better it will be for you as a company”, stated Tudor.

Over time, there has been a gradual increase in founders recognizing the importance of legal structures, intellectual property protection, and having legal expertise within founding teams, which significantly correlates with business success and sustainability.

“It’s okay to have legal support when you’re raising an investment. It’s okay to not have legal support. But even if you have legal support, it’s up to you to understand what you’re signing because at the end of the day, a legal advisor or any kind of advisor is just that, an advisor. You’re the one who has to live with the consequences, good or bad, of what you’re signing.”

Looking forward, Tudor expressed hope for greater collaboration within the ecosystem, more openness to fresh faces and cross-industry leaders, and stronger ties with the Romanian diaspora.

He emphasized the value of large-scale events and success stories—like UiPath and Bitdefender—as critical ecosystem accelerators and sources of inspiration.

Highlights from our conversation:

• Tudor's path into tech law was accidental but driven by a fascination with the logic behind legal rules.
• Early Romanian startups were mostly mature service companies; early-stage startups were rare and underrepresented in legal discussions.
• Startup programs and competitions provided vital exposure for founders to investors and mentors, crucial in an emerging ecosystem.
• The importance of legal expertise within founding teams has grown, correlating strongly with startup survival and growth.
• Romanian startup-specific legislation is sparse; ecosystem collaboration is needed to drive regulatory improvements.
• Many startups incorporate abroad, mainly for market access and business growth reasons rather than legal challenges.
• Large-scale events and success stories are key ecosystem accelerators; the Romanian diaspora is an untapped resource for growth.

Key insights from Tudor Stanciu, cofounder Ventures'n'Law

• The appeal of law as a foundation for tech entrepreneurship: Tudor’s initial attraction to law was not about becoming a lawyer but understanding the logical framework of rules. This highlights how legal knowledge can empower entrepreneurs to build and protect innovative business models, emphasizing that law is not just a regulatory hurdle but a tool for structuring and scaling ventures effectively.
• Transition from traditional law to the integration into the startup ecosystem Integration: The shift from working with traditional business law clients to engaging with technology startups was gradual and opportunistic, facilitated by events like Venture Connect. This underscores the importance of ecosystem-building initiatives in bridging the gap between legal professionals and emerging industries, enabling lawyers to contribute more meaningfully to innovation.

• Exposure through structured programs is a catalyst for startup growth: Programs like How to Web’s Spotlight and MVP Academy provided critical exposure to investors, mentors, and peers. This exposure was particularly valuable in an emerging market where informal networks and capital were scarce. Such initiatives serve as trust filters, reducing barriers to investment and partnerships and accelerating ecosystem maturation.
• Legal services and startup growth are intertwined: Tudor’s career trajectory demonstrates that legal services can no longer be siloed or reactive in the startup ecosystem. Instead, legal strategy must be integrated into startup growth plans from inception, balancing risk management with enabling innovation and scaling, especially in areas like intellectual property and investment transactions.
• Continuous legal education: Despite progress, many founders still require education about legal frameworks and their strategic value. Legal providers have a responsibility to not only service but also educate startups, creating an iterative process where legal literacy improves over entrepreneurial generations.

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.

Watch the full documentary in the video below: