Welcome - Aspire

Are you a mover or a shaker?

There's a place for you in our community!

If you wish to be notified when the 2024 edition of the Aspire programs opens up its application period, sign up to our mailing list using the form above.

In 2023, Aspire will organise its flagship summer program physically in Poiana Brasov, Romania while adhering to the Romanian and European Union health and safety guidelines. The wellbeing of our students, professors and staff are our primary concern and we will take take all necessary measures to comply with all local, national and international requirements. We are closely monitoring the situation and are in contact with authorities to assess and implement any additional guidance, of which we will keep all participants informed.

About Us

More than an academy, a life-changing experience for future leaders and entrepreneurs

Aspire is the only academy in Romania, where Ivy League professors and lecturers teach and inspire. Founded 11 years ago in Romania by five Ivy League graduates (Harvard, Princeton, Stanford and other), Aspire offers a unique experience to young leaders around the world through our leadership, entrepreneurship and personal development programs. Our regular speakers are members of the faculty of Stanford, Georgetown and other top schools from the US and Europe, as well as successful managers and entrepreneurs.

Our mission is to discover, develop and connect outstanding young people, who have a proven track record of leadership in the domains they activate in. We inspire and empower our over 1000 alumni community to find their true life goals and bring their contribution to the society’s development.

DISCOVER

selective recruitment

We adhere to the highest standards of recruitment and focus on four key areas: leadership track, intellectual and emotional maturity, personal drive and community engagement.

DEVELOP

transformative experience

Our programs are designed to inspire and motivate participants, help them grow in all areas of life and unlock their true potential.

CONNECT

supportive community

We offer 360-degree support to our alumni and empower them to reach their goals and aspirations. We create exclusive professional, educational and social opportunities for our members by connecting them with like-minded peers, mentors and companies.

What unites the Aspire community is a shared commitment to excellence and societal impact. We are defined by our values:

KEEP GROWING

Be introspective and challenge the status quo. Be committed to developing yourself personally and professionally

STRIVE TO GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY

Bring about positive change in your community by engaging in social projects or starting a sustainable business

THINK LONG-TERM BUT START ACTING NOW

Set clear goals for yourself and start working on them now. Think of what would make you proud years from now, when looking back at your life

EXCELLENCE IS A MUST

We select highly motivated and diverse participants who stand out within their communities. As an Aspire Alumnus or Alumna you become an ambassador for Aspire so you are expected to adhere to the highest standards of achievement

ASPIRE IS A LIFELONG JOURNEY

We provide opportunities that go far beyond our summer programs and are committed to supporting you in all stages of your life

We like empowering our alumni and giving back to the community. That's why we offer a follow-up system with mentorship, education and career guidance, as well as incubation for all types of projects and ideas.

Alumni Success Stories

Aspire Programs

The only leadership and entrepreneurship programs in Romania where Ivy League professors teach and inspire

Start with our core programs and continue your development for a lifelong experience!

Aspire Academy

Dedicated to distinctive students, Aspire Academy is the only leadership and entrepreneurship academy in Romania with courses taught by top Ivy League lecturers, successful regional CEOs, and renowned speakers.

Aspire High School

Dedicated to outstanding high school students Aspire High School aims to help them define their academic and professional journey and connect them with mentors who will inspire and challenge them.

Aspire Professionals

Dedicated to young professionals, Aspire Professional is our unique educational and professional development experience in which participants interact with Ivy League professors and inspiring leaders.

Aspire Academy – that milestone that splits your life into ‘before’ and ‘after’.

Georgiana Epure / Romania

Excellent recruitment process and very good facility options. The courses were remarkable too.

Dani Sandu / Romania

It was an excellent start for the program, a successful prototype as you named it. The best is yet to come!

Cosmin Buteica / Romania

I liked the atmosphere we created together as a team and with you the organizers, the positive vibe that you shared and your professionalism.

Lavinia Alexandra Cristescu / Romania

It was a really nice experience and a chance to increase our network.

Sorina Petrescu / Romania

At Aspire I learned that I can teach myself everyday to learn better than I did yesterday and prepare for a brighter tomorrow. Proud

Florin Amariei / Romania

Aspire Academy is more than a summer school program. Aspire is a state of mind.

Delia Stamate / Romania

Aspire is about defining yourself from the inside, while shaping the outside under the guidance of experts. The experience helped me accept my real

Cezara Lozneanu / Romania

One might think that all those people promoting Aspire must be a bit crazy… But no, what they promise is what you actually get.

Alexa Stanescu / Romania

It was like a one-week reality show! Not a regular one though, but extremely meaningful, educational, super emotional and turning your world upside down!

Olga Mazur / Ukraine

Aspire was that magical recipe with a mixture of “emotional” and “educational” experiences. Once you taste it, you’ll be immediately integrated in the most

Riadh Mansouri / Algeria

Not at all what I expected. It was actually far more than I ever could have expected! And this coming from an almost religiously

Miklos Buksa / Hungary

Amazing experience! You really don’t expect that 7 days can change your life completely and that you’ll meet so many great people at one

Jelena Lučić / Serbia

Professors, Speakers and Mentors

Steve Jarding

Former Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government

Sam Potolicchio

Professor at the EMBA programs at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown and at the Mannheim Business School

Luciana Herman

Lecturer in Public Policy, Stanford University, PhD in the Art of Writing

Phil Malone

Professor at Stanford, Innovation and Intellectual Property

Janet Martinez

Director of the Martin Daniel Gould Center for Conflict Resolution and Senior Lecturer in Law at Stanford Law School

Alain Heureux

Expert in strategy, digital, innovation, marketing and entrepreneurship. MBA Lecturer and serial entrepreneur

Matthew Lee

Assistant Professor at INSEAD MBA Singapore, PhD at Harvard

Andreea Gorbatai

Assistant Professor at UC Berkeley, PhD Harvard Business School

Alumni Club

Born in Romania, raised around the world

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Founders Team

After graduating from top universities across the United States and Europe such as Harvard, Princeton, Georgetown and Warwick, we started Aspire Academy in 2011. As friends, we shared a passion for education, a strong belief in the Romanian youth and a desire to offer our peers in Romania and Eastern Europe similar educational and social opportunities to the ones we experienced abroad.

Our vision is to develop a community of ethical, successful and influential leaders across a wide variety of disciplines, with diverse backgrounds, across Europe and beyond.

Ana Sarbu

Alex Radu

Alexandra Copos de Prada

Dinu Gheorghe

Executive Board

Maria Drăgoi

Octavia Maria Vereșteanu

Our Blog

We're writing about our great experience at Aspire and we're also letting you take a sneak peak behind the scenes.