In 2005, Amazon opened its first R&D center in Central Eastern Europe — not in a capital city, but in Iași, a university town in Romania's North-East Region known for its academic excellence and cultural heritage. In only 20 years, what began as a small team in modest offices has grown into a thriving campus of thousands of professionals building solutions used by millions of customers worldwide.
The “Vectors of Innovation in Romania” event brought together Members of the European Parliament, representatives of the European Commission, academic leaders, and regional development experts to celebrate this success, showcase how strategic investment, talent development, and public-private-academic partnership can transform a region.
A model for regional development
“Together with the Iași community, we have helped transform the city into a technology and innovation hub recognised across Europe,” said Cristian Josan, General Manager of Amazon Development Center Romania Iași. “This achievement would not have been possible without a strong partnership between the business sector, academia, and local authorities.”
Dragoș Benea, MEP, Chair of the Committee on Regional Development, underlined that the North-East Region is already delivering tangible results in terms of innovation: "The North-East Region is no longer just a region with potential – it is an area already delivering concrete results. Iași is a clear example of this, through partnerships with global players such as Amazon, which have helped create real innovation ecosystems."
Amazon’s growth in Iași has mirrored the city’s own transformation. Since 2010, Iași has become Europe’s third-fastest-growing major city, with a thriving technological environment that attracts and retains top talent in the region. Today, Amazon Development Center Romania employs over 2,500 professionals across three cities — Iași, Bucharest, and Timișoara — developing globally impactful solutions, from Simple Email Service (SES), an AWS product built entirely in Romania, to advanced artificial intelligence systems that serve millions of customers worldwide.
Investing in community and talent
Costel Alexe, President of Iași County Council, highlighted Amazon’s contribution to the development of Iași and the North-East Region: “Amazon’s investment in the Iași community and in Romania is an investment in the future. Innovation cannot come solely from central or local administration – this is where the private sector plays a crucial role. Our responsibility, as public authorities, is to create an ecosystem in which both businesses and the academic environment can thrive.”
Amazon’s commitment extends beyond technology. The partnership with “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași (TUIASI) has been central to the region’s success. Together, Amazon and TUIASI have developed a university partnership, supported various education initiatives, and created the project for Romania’s first STEM park within TUIASI Campus — a forward-looking initiative designed to inspire the next generation of innovators.
The Brussels event featured a panel discussion on “Building Competitive EU Regions: How Strategic Investments Drive Regional Growth & Talent Retention,” bringing together perspectives from industry, academia, and EU development agencies. Panellists — including Cristian Josan, Vice-Rector Simona Caraiman of TUIASI, and Francesco Molica, Director of EURADA (European Association of Development Agencies) — explored how the collaboration model developed in Iași can be replicated across Europe.
Victor Negrescu, Vice-President of the European Parliament, sent a recorded video message highlighting the North-East Region as a strong example of successful regional transformation: “Once perceived as lagging behind, the region has become a hub for innovation, technology and entrepreneurship, thanks to committed people, strong collaboration and the smart use of European funds. The story of the North-East Region should become a model at the European level, an example of what can be achieved.”
The key ingredients? Investing in digital skills, fostering genuine collaboration betweenall players, and creating conditions that attract talent to regions beyond capital cities. This ethos builds on former Italian Prime Minister and ECB President Mario Draghi’s report, which underscores sustained investment and public-private collaboration as drivers of EU competitiveness.
Innovation made in Europe
Amazon operates ten R&D centers within the EU, where thousands of engineers work on AI, robotics, and software — with many of those technologies deployed around the world, helping European talent drive global innovation and strengthen local economies.
Siegfried Mureșan, MEP, Member of the Committee on Budgets, congratulated Amazon for its activity in Romania and underlined the importance of a stable EU framework: “I believe our role is to provide a stable and predictable framework, including long-term financial predictability for research and innovation. In the European Union’s next seven-year budget, support for competitiveness, innovation and research will be further strengthened, with the objective of ensuring that public funding generates as much private investment as possible.”
The Romania story is one of the most striking examples and demonstrates that EU-US cooperation creates opportunity for science, innovation, and regional development — boosting transatlantic innovation that benefits customers on both sides of the Atlantic.
Looking ahead
“We have a clear vision for Iași: to become not only a leading technology hub, but a model for other cities across Romania and Europe,” said Josan. “When we invest in education, technology, culture, and quality of life, we are investing not just in today, but in the future.”
The evening demonstrated that strong partnerships can replicate this success across European regions — and that the next 20 years of innovation are just beginning.
The “Vectors of Innovation in Romania” event was organized by the North-East Regional Development Agency, Iași County Council, and the Embassy of Romania in Belgium, in collaboration with Amazon Development Center Iași.
See further links below about our activities in Romania and in Europe:
https://www.aboutamazon.eu/news/tag/romania
https://www.aboutamazon.eu/map/investing-in-europe
