Real Stories, Bold Strategies, and the Builders Behind the Next Wave of Tech
Day 2 of Techsylvania 2025 didn’t just deliver ideas, it delivered blueprints for action. From billion-dollar scale-ups to breakthrough infrastructure, every speaker brought depth, honesty, and vision to the stage. If Day 1 lit the spark, Day 2 turned up the heat.
Here’s a deeper look at what went down on Center Stage, Impact Stage, and the exclusive Q&A sessions.
CENTER STAGE
Scaling Revolut: From Idea to Europe’s Biggest Private Tech Company – Vlad Yatsenko, Co-Founder & CTO, Revolut
In one of the most anticipated talks of the conference, Vlad Yatsenko gave the audience a behind-the-scenes look at Revolut’s journey from a scrappy startup to Europe’s most valuable private tech company. He spoke about building code by hand, answering customer tickets himself in the early days, and launching with just a few thousand euros.
Yatsenko emphasized that Revolut succeeded not because of perfection, but because of relentless iteration and clarity of purpose.
Beyond Autocomplete: Developers, Agents, and the Future of Building Together – Kyle Daigle, COO, GitHub
Kyle took us into the evolving relationship between developers and AI through the lens of GitHub Copilot. Instead of treating AI as a shortcut, he positioned it as a creative partner that helps teams focus on what really matters solving meaningful problems. He shared internal GitHub stories on how AI agents are transforming engineering workflows and offered a compelling case for why AI won’t replace developers, but elevate them.
“We don’t need more tabs we need more time.”
From Seed to Stock: Investing, IPOs & the CEO Skills That Drive Success – Tim Jackson, Managing Partner, Walking Ventures
With experience that spans founding VC-backed startups to taking companies public, Tim Jackson provided practical wisdom on the emotional side of the startup journey. He talked about weathering market downturns, managing investor expectations, and building companies that last not just ones that raise.
“Resilience, not hype, separates good founders from great ones.”
Jackson also highlighted how great founders show up consistently especially when things get hard.
Bad Day? Good. Turn It into Rocket Fuel – Adrian Ionel, Founder & CEO, SurfDancer
Adrian shared an emotional and raw journey through the highs and lows of building companies including moments of burnout and near failure. His talk wasn’t about celebrating success, but about surviving the hard parts and continuing anyway. Through humor and personal stories, he reminded the audience that progress starts with small steps even if it’s just writing a subject line.
“Just begin. Even the tiniest action can create momentum.”
From Kabul to Silicon Valley: Entrepreneurial Innovation in GovTech – Zac Bookman, Co-Founder & CEO, OpenGov
Zac delivered a compelling story of how OpenGov, now valued at $2 billion, came from humble beginnings in a shipping container in Afghanistan. He spoke about designing systems that make local governments more transparent and efficient, and how OpenGov succeeded by staying mission-driven even through 49 funding rejections.
“Don’t raise too much too fast. Stay capital-efficient. Stay focused.”
His session underscored that purpose and capital discipline can (and should) coexist.
From Legacy to Leading Edge: The Tech Behind the UK’s Payment Modernisation – Karrista Rayment, Technology Service Owner & Eugenia Planas, Deputy Governorship Chief Information Officer, Bank of England
This technical but powerful session highlighted how the UK’s core payment infrastructure processing up to £750 billion per day was rebuilt from the ground up. Karrista and Eugenia walked the audience through the process of replacing legacy code with modular APIs, while ensuring zero downtime.
From digital currency compatibility to fraud protection, this was a masterclass in modernizing systems that can’t afford to fail.
“We’re not just building for now we’re building for the next 30 years.”
Economics of Living Longer and Why We Need a Whole City for This – Alexey Strygin, Core Team Member, Viva.City
Alexey Strygin took the stage with a provocative talk on the economics of living longer. He explored why the world urgently needs cities designed for health span, not just lifespan, citing the looming demographic crisis driven by aging populations and declining birth rates. From breakthroughs in biotech to experimental “pop-up cities” like Viva.City, Alexey challenged conventional thinking and made a compelling case for targeting aging itself, rather than individual diseases. His bold vision? A future where longer, healthier lives are not only possible but sustainable.
Panel: Bridging Silicon Valley and Transylvania: Lessons in Global Scale-Up – Mark Porter, CTO, dbt Labs & Adrian Ionel, Founder & CEO, SurfDancer
In a dynamic conversation about scaling across continents, Adrian Ionel, Mark Porter, and Philipp Kandal shared hard-earned lessons from building global tech teams. From early culture shocks to structuring truly autonomous teams, the panel explored how to balance independence with shared purpose. They emphasized the value of clear communication, strong local leadership, and purpose-driven expansion—especially when bridging ecosystems like Romania and Silicon Valley. Their key takeaway? Don’t just replicate Silicon Valley abroad—build systems that empower, trust, and scale locally with global impact in mind.
IMPACT STAGE
Identifying Your Target Customers: A Guide for Engineers in Tech – Sebastian Dobrincu, Co-Founder, Revocalize AI
Sebastian shared the story of Revocalize, a startup that uses AI to create digital voice replicas for music production. At first met with skepticism, the tool is now embraced by artists looking to scale their creativity not replace themselves.
“It’s not about replacing artists. It’s about giving them a powerful tool.”
His message resonated deeply with creators in the audience, showing that ethical AI can enhance not erase human expression.
How to Make $100 Million in the Stock Market – Dylan Yolles, Former Partner & Portfolio Manager, Capital Group
Dylan gave a masterclass in equity investing, explaining how real returns come from unique insights not chasing trends. He encouraged attendees to look for “rabbits dressed as ducks” companies that are miscategorized and undervalued.
“The best returns come when your insight becomes consensus years later.”
Owner-Led, Investor-Free: How to Build and Grow Without VC – Anurag Mendhekar, Co-Founder & President, Paper Culture
Anurag’s session was a refreshingly honest take on building companies without VC funding. He talked about aligning purpose with profit, and why owning your business matters more than chasing scale.
“When you’re mission-driven, you can choose freedom over pressure.”
Scaling Enterprise Sales in EMEA: Lessons from SAP, Oracle, Salesforce, ServiceNow, and ScaleUps – Thomas Cser, Seasoned Enterprise Software Leader
With over two decades in enterprise sales, Thomas broke down the complexity of selling across culturally diverse regions like EMEA. From compliance to communication, his session offered practical advice for scaling across borders without losing local relevance.
“In EMEA, one-size-fits-all will kill your deal before it starts.”
Workshop: Building Great Products at Scale – Daniel Chis Product Manager, Ilona Farkas UX Researcher, Mihai Mustea Software Engineer and Technical Lead Manager, and Catalin Miclea Technical Program Manager at Google
Google hosted an immersive workshop using Transylvanian woodcraft as a metaphor for product development. Teams explored how to build at scale, test ideas quickly, and stay grounded in user empathy.
“Great products come from teams who listen, iterate, and build together.”
Q&A STAGE: Honest Questions, Unfiltered Insights
Day 2 also featured intimate Q&A sessions with some of the most inspiring speakers:
- Kyle Daigle (GitHub) on AI’s real role in creative work
- Adrian Ionel (SurfDancer) on failure, grit, and mental resilience
- Alexey Strygin (Viva City) on smart cities and public infrastructure
These off-stage conversations gave attendees space to ask bold questions and receive practical, human answers from leaders who’ve been through it all.
Surprise session at this year’s Techsylvania!
Billion-dollar company founders Sacha Dragic and Zac Bookman went head-to-head in a live, on-stage chess match.
The tension was real, the moves were bold, and the crowd was hooked.
Congratulations to both players on an intense and unforgettable game!
Techsylvania 2025: Day 2 Wasn’t Just a Finale It Was a Launchpad
Day 2 reminded us that behind every bold vision is a team, a mindset, and a million small decisions. From founders building systems governments rely on, to investors spotting value where others don’t, the message was clear: the future belongs to the builders.
Techsylvania 2025 brought together over 3,000 participants and over 50 leaders in business and technology across three main stages: Center Stage, Impact Stage and Q&A Session Stage.
With over 400 meetings facilitated through the matchmaking area, attendees had the chance to engage in meaningful conversations that might not have happened anywhere else. The Startup Alley brought together 35 innovative startups, creating space for discovery, partnerships, and peer exchange. At the expo area, our partners hosted interactive booths sharing opportunities, insights, and even prizes!
The Official Reception on Day 1 and the Cocktail Party on Day 2 offered exclusive settings for deeper networking and relaxed conversations. Whether you were speaking with a global tech leader, connecting with a potential investor, or simply sharing ideas over coffee, the real value of Techsylvania lives in the community it brings together one you don’t easily find anywhere else.
As we reflect on the success of Techsylvania 2025, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the entire community, participants, partners, speakers, and volunteers who contributed to making this event a resounding success. We look forward to continuing this journey of business and technology exploration and discovery with you all in the years to come!
We’ll see you in 2026 until then, keep pushing boundaries.
