Establishing a Company in Romania: How AI Simplifies the Process
Romania offers an increasingly attractive business environment for entrepreneurs. With a market of over 19 million inhabitants, a skilled workforce, and competitive operating costs, the country is becoming an important hub for start-ups and SMEs in Central and Eastern Europe. However, the company registration process involves administrative steps that can be overwhelming for those experiencing entrepreneurship for the first time.
Legal Forms: LLC or Self-Employed?
The most popular forms of business organization in Romania are LLC (Limited Liability Company) and Self-Employed (Authorized Natural Person).
Self-Employed is ideal for independent activities — consulting, IT, liberal professions. Registration is done at ONRC (National Register of Commerce Office) and is relatively simple. Self-employed individuals are liable with their entire personal assets, but benefit from a simplified tax regime: 10% income tax, social contributions (25% CAS and 10% CASS) calculated on net income.
LLC is the most widely used form for businesses of any size. The minimum share capital is just 1 leu (practically zero). Registration is done at ONRC, with notarized constituent documents. The LLC offers limited liability to the subscribed share capital, and the profit tax is 16% (or income tax for microenterprises: 1% of turnover for companies with income below 500,000 EUR).
Other forms include Startup LLC — a special variant for young entrepreneurs (18-35 years old) with tax benefits, and Individual Enterprise.
Registration Steps
Self-Employed:
- ONRC — registration request with proof of professional address
- ANAF (National Tax Administration Agency) — tax registration, VAT regime option
- City Hall — operating permit (if applicable)
LLC:
- Name reservation at ONRC (online, 36 lei)
- Constituent Act — drafted and notarized
- ONRC — registration request (fee ~150-300 lei)
- ANAF — tax registration, tax number
- Bank account — deposit of share capital
Financing: Start-Up Nation and EU Funds
Romania offers several financing programs for entrepreneurs:
- Start-Up Nation — non-refundable grants of up to 200,000 lei (~40,000 EUR) for new companies. The program covers equipment, software, consulting, marketing
- NRRP (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) — funds for digitalization, green transition, innovation
- Just Transition Fund — support for regions in economic transition
- SME Invest — state guarantees for bank loans (up to 80% of the loan value)
- Microindustrialization Program — grants for production activities
The microenterprise regime (1% tax on turnover) makes Romania one of the most advantageous tax destinations in the EU for small businesses.
How Do AI Tools Help?
AI-Generated Business Plan
The BoostPro AI platform generates a professional business plan in just a few minutes. The document includes financial forecasts for 3-5 years, market analysis, marketing strategy, and human resources plan — all in PDF format accepted by banks and Start-Up Nation evaluators.
Free Diagnostic
The BoostPro diagnostic tool evaluates your business project readiness in 30 seconds. Answer 7 questions and receive a personalized score with concrete recommendations.
Aid Simulator
AI identifies all available aid — from Start-Up Nation to European funds and local support. The system automatically compares your profile with the eligibility criteria of over 3,000 support programs.
Conclusion
Establishing a company in Romania is more accessible than ever. With minimum share capital of 1 leu, an advantageous tax regime for microenterprises, and financing programs such as Start-Up Nation, Romania offers excellent conditions for entrepreneurs. AI tools bring added efficiency, allowing rapid generation of necessary documents and identification of the best financing opportunities.