Pitching and Storytelling: Workshop delivered by Cristina Cișmaș within the UBB Student i-Lab incubation program (28.05.2026) – UBB Student i-Lab

The UBB Student i-Lab incubation program marked an essential milestone in preparing future entrepreneurs by organizing a new strategic session dedicated to developing presentation and communication skills. The event took place on Thursday, May 28, 2026, starting at 18:00 on the ZOOM platform, and represented the tenth module of the program, focusing on the art of capturing the attention of investors and the general public. This session held particular importance, being the last workshop in the program before the grand finale, Demo Day.

How to tell a compelling story?

The ability to translate a complex business idea into a clear, captivating, and persuasive narrative is essential for the success of any startup. During this presentation, students received practical tools and essential techniques to structure their speech, showcase their value proposition, and generate a real impact before the jury and potential partners at Demo Day.

The special guest for this session was Cristina Cișmaș, a professional with a remarkable international career in education, entrepreneurship, and business consulting. With over 20 years of experience in education, teaching mathematics and high school business, Cristina has developed innovative educational programs, founding the BEAM Program in 2014—an international initiative through which students create their own startups with the support of global giants such as PwC and Ernst & Young. BEAM alumni are active across the globe today, and the initiative was recognized as an example of good practice in the Nuffic Report in the Netherlands. Named an Outstanding Alumna by Santa Clara University for her contributions to education, she holds a top academic and administrative background in Silicon Valley, where she served as Chief Program Officer at the Boys and Girls Clubs, a lecturer at Stanford University, and a guest speaker at the prestigious Wharton School of Business. Currently, Cristina teaches Design Thinking at Santa Clara University and serves as a consultant for the Santa Clara Ventures investment fund.
Invitatul acestei sesiuni a fost Cristina Cișmaș, un profesionist cu o carieră internațională remarcabilă în educație, antreprenoriat și consultanță de business. Cu peste 20 de ani de experiență în educație, predând matematică și afaceri la nivel liceal, Cristina a dezvoltat programe educaționale inovatoare, fondând în 2014 Programul BEAM – o inițiativă internațională prin care elevii își creează propriile startup-uri cu sprijinul unor giganți globali precum PwC și Ernst & Young. Absolvenții BEAM activează astăzi în întreaga lume, iar programul a fost recunoscut ca exemplu de bună practică în Raportul Nuffic din Olanda. Desemnată Alumni Remarcabil de către Universitatea Santa Clara pentru contribuțiile sale în educație, ea deține un background academic și administrativ de top în Silicon Valley, unde a fost Chief Program Officer la Boys and Girls Clubs, lector la Stanford University și speaker invitat la prestigioasa Wharton School of Business. În prezent, Cristina predă Design Thinking la Universitatea Santa Clara și activează ca consultant pentru fondul de investiții Santa Clara Ventures.

Participants in the UBB Student i-Lab program had the unique opportunity to learn the secrets of a successful pitch and polish their final presentations directly from an expert connected to the Silicon Valley innovation ecosystem, thus entering the home stretch for Demo Day.