Consulting firms often serve as trusted partners, guiding organisations to move closer to their business goals with clarity and purpose. In this spirit, Raluca Cibu Buzac leads as Founder and CEO of Luminspino, a consulting company dedicated to the full cycle of innovation management across private and public sectors. With deep expertise in economic development, EU-funded projects, and international collaboration, she has consistently driven impact at scale. Beyond her professional path, Raluca is pursuing a PhD in Consciousness Studies and is certified in Active Dreaming, bringing vision, depth, and creativity into her leadership and consulting approach.
Raluca’s move into entrepreneurship stemmed from a deep desire for independence and the freedom to create in alignment with her own vision. Having always worked at the heart of change and transformation within organisations and across innovation ecosystems, she naturally evolved toward building her own company. Founding Luminspino marked a true turning point, unleashing years of creativity, reinvention, and personal growth.
Her beloved horses, Laponia, Camael, and Elea, were constant companions through this transition. Camael, in particular, mirrored her restlessness and nudged her toward her next chapter. For Raluca, they have been profound mentors, teaching lessons of trust, resilience, and empathy that continue to shape her leadership.
Equally defining was the international dimension of her career. From her early work in international relations and multicultural research to her leadership in the Enterprise Europe Network, she built deep expertise in global collaboration. Today, the vast majority of Luminspino’s clients are international, a reflection of her belief that the most exciting outcomes emerge where cultures and like-minded people meet.
Her entrepreneurial path is also strengthened by a pioneering spirit. She has consistently launched initiatives that grew into regional, national, and European benchmarks, from the first regional innovation strategy in West Romania to innovation and scale-up competitions recognised as best practices. This instinct to explore new ground remains central to both her work and her vision.
Transforming Ideas Globally
The origins of Luminspino go back to 2014, when its foundations were first envisioned. However, the company officially began its activities in March 2021, when Raluca stepped fully into the entrepreneurial path. From the outset, Luminspino has been committed to delivering knowledge-intensive services designed to address pressing gaps identified at the European level. Its mission is to support ambitious innovators, managers, and researchers who dare to challenge the status quo and push beyond current frontiers, whether in science, business, or policy.
The firm’s services are built on an integrated approach to innovation management, spanning both private and public sectors. In today’s world, innovation no longer resides solely in boardrooms or labs; it is increasingly found within communities and public bodies striving to solve societal and environmental challenges. Luminspino guides the most critical dimensions of innovation, including strategy, funding, lifecycle management, multi-stakeholder initiatives, and the transformation of ideas into impactful products and services.
What sets it apart is its focus on the “how” of innovation, helping organisations establish structured processes rather than leaving breakthroughs to chance. By offering advanced process consulting, the company dives into the strategic and operational mechanisms that sustain long-term innovation performance. Over the past two years, the organisation has also expanded its portfolio with two signature services, both onboarded as partner services by the European Innovation Council, a recognition that places the firm among Europe’s leaders in supporting breakthrough innovation and deeptech ventures.
Flagship Offerings Unveiled
a. Breakthrough to Scale- Advanced Process Mentoring for Climate Innovation was developed in collaboration with peers and partners from Romania, Norway, and Canada. The programme addresses the complex needs of SMEs, creating radical products or processes that directly tackle climate change. Such innovations often require significant resources, specialised expertise, and strong networks. Breakthrough to Scale provides a tailored mix of training, mentoring, consulting, and coaching, helping enterprises strengthen in-house innovation management while connecting them to international resources and partnerships. To date, nine Romanian SMEs have benefitted, with measurable results, and new cohorts, particularly those working on nature-based solutions, biomimicry, and planet-centric innovations, are now being onboarded.
b. Learning Networks for First Movers- designed with Dutch peer Charles de Monchy, supports professionals who drive innovation strategies in the public sector by engaging diverse stakeholders. The service is anchored in three principles: first, that true innovation stems from the collective intelligence of stakeholders; second, that professionals move forward most effectively through collaborative learning, shared vision, and open dialogue; and third, that ecosystems thrive when professionals connect in meaningful, in-person settings, enriched by cultural and thematic diversity. This approach fosters dynamic, international networks where first movers can co-design impactful strategies across domains such as smart cities, climate action, and social entrepreneurship.
Conscious Innovation
One of the central themes in her PhD research is the transformation of science itself. She argues that science, traditionally rooted in a rigid mind-matter divide, has long confined itself to studying only the “real” aspect of matter. Her vision is to move beyond this limitation by developing a new science of “consciousness-within-matter,” where consciousness is not separate, but intrinsic to matter, its interiority and self-shaping dynamic.
She elaborated on this perspective in her article Nature, Consciousness, and the Twist of Innovation, where she proposed that innovation must be “twisted” by drawing on nature’s own intelligence. For her, integrating consciousness into scientific inquiry is not only about human survival but also about reconnecting with the sentience of all life. From this expanded awareness, she believes humanity can innovate with nature, rather than against it, recognizing nature as the original innovator, constantly renewing and evolving. Instead of defining innovation purely as profitable invention, she prefers to frame it as renewal and evolution, creative processes that mirror nature itself. Biomimicry offers a clear example of this, reminding us that humans are part of Earth’s interconnected systems and can learn much by observing life’s strategies directly.
Alongside her academic work, she has pursued an advanced journey into Active Dreaming under the guidance of its founder, Robert Moss, completing the Dream Teacher program in 2017. By 2019, she was leading workshops and Dream Circles, both in person and online, and later facilitated sessions for innovation professionals in Stuttgart. For her, Active Dreaming is a profound way of accessing alternative states of consciousness (ASCs), natural human capacities that provide insights unavailable through ordinary perception. Such states may reveal premonitory glimpses, spark creative problem-solving, or bring moments of inspiration in the liminal space between waking and sleep.
She believes modern science is limited by its “one-state” approach, overlooking the full spectrum of consciousness. To truly evolve, she advocates for “multi-state sciences” that embrace altered states of perception, logic, and communication, unlocking complementary forms of knowledge. Her passion for exploring ASCs stems from their proven value in creativity, decision-making, emotional balance, and well-being. Whether through meditation, daydreaming, or simply walking in nature, she sees these states as gateways to inspiration, peace, and joy. Over time, she has come to view their intentional practice as essential not just for personal growth, but for cultivating a richer, more holistic science.
Bridging Innovation Gaps
Raluca brings to notice that Europe’s innovation support system is designed to strengthen the overall innovation ecosystem and reduce internal disparities through multi-level strategies and governance structures. It demonstrates a remarkable ability to manage complexity and diversity, underpinned by a strong commitment to driving competitiveness.
From an expert perspective, three main gaps can be identified according to her:
Integrated innovation support across the entire cycle: There is a need for a more holistic approach that supports innovation from seed to product or service, guiding startups from idea and proof of concept to scaling, while helping them avoid pitfalls and seize emerging opportunities. Luminspino addresses this challenge through its Breakthrough to Scale service. The initiative aims to expand the number of enterprises supported, while complementing advisory services with funding support, alongside consulting, mentoring, and coaching. In addition, the expert serves as Senior Advisor for the European Commission’s Booster initiative, which delivers a comprehensive suite of services for the exploitation of research and innovation results ranging from go-to-market strategies and business planning to startup and spinoff creation across the European Union, supporting researchers and innovators in EU-funded consortia.
Gender gap in innovation and investment: Women innovators and women investors remain a minority within Europe’s innovation ecosystem. While policies, strategies, and targeted initiatives have been introduced, women’s entrepreneurship remains in its early stages across the continent. To contribute to bridging this gap, the expert mentors women-led deeptech startups within the European Commission’s Women Leadership Programme, supporting them to strengthen their business models and build long-term sustainability.
Stakeholder engagement in innovation ecosystems: Raluca Buzac spotlights the involvement of stakeholders in preparing and implementing regional and national innovation strategies, which remains fluctuating and, in many cases, ad hoc. Yet, the ability of an ecosystem to foster seamless collaboration both internally and externally is one of the most critical drivers of performance. Luminspino responds to this challenge through its Learning Networks for First Movers approach, which supports collaboration throughout the full cycle of stakeholder management.
Multifaceted Strategies
Raluca Buzac is principled about her approach to “the power of allies” as it is a cornerstone of her perspective on internationalisation. It depicts that she values and is committed to her global network of partners and peers. These international partnerships enhance her horizon for gaining insights into cultural and regulatory trends. She actively participates in Advisory Boards for EU-funded projects, which she leverages to gain in-depth knowledge on specific geographies, sectors, or topics that enhance the firm’s ability to navigate varied environments with credibility and precision.
She taps into global startups to introduce Luminspino’s consulting services to expand its reach to an international level. Sharing an example, she told us about partnering with a German-based advanced materials innovation network; the duo successfully reached and supported businesses from beyond geographical boundaries. Adopting such an approach by leveraging the “cohort” initiative, they also facilitate peer-to-peer learning programs between managers and innovators. Due to the cross-border approach, value addition and thought exchange take space in terms of consulting.
The organisation’s consulting approach revolves around being tailored, extracting maximum benefit for clients, which combines alignment with the founder’s future vision. Cultural nuances, regulatory frameworks, and intellectual property considerations are seamlessly integrated as key layers within a bespoke consulting process, ensuring strategies that are both context-sensitive and future-oriented.
A Shared Vision
Luminspino approaches multi-stakeholder collaboration with the belief that successful development strategies are built on inclusive, meritocratic decision-making. For any strategy to be effective, diverse actors must be given both the space and the time to share their knowledge, perspectives, and interests. This process does not emerge spontaneously; it requires deliberate facilitation and structured communication to ensure that every contribution adds value.
In the case of the Timișoara Smart City Strategy, Luminspino designed and orchestrated a bottom-up intervention, enabling the widest possible consultation with stakeholders across the city. The process was structured around four main groups: a Steering Group of experts with deep knowledge in urban development, mobility, environment, quality of life, transparency, open data, and innovation; an extended stakeholder group of more than 500 professionals from business, academia, finance, research, public administration, civil society, and freelancing sectors; citizens, engaged through the European Digital Economy and Society Index survey; and international experts from Singapore, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Hungary who provided external perspectives and peer review.
A bespoke consulting process was then deployed, ensuring the strategy evolved organically through a mix of workshops, consultations, and research. Three workshops with the Steering Group guided the creation of the vision, objectives, and actions, followed by the design of strategic projects and ultimately the development of the strategic and operational framework. In parallel, a series of online consultations with the wider stakeholder community validated needs, refined actions, and identified opportunities for partnerships.
To ensure credibility and robustness, Luminspino conducted in-depth research throughout the mission, addressing each component of the intervention logic. This included data analysis and content development, the organization of events and background materials, and continuous communication with the City Hall of Timișoara and local stakeholders. The firm also adapted international best practices in public policy, smart city planning, and innovation management to the specific local context, while securing contributions from international experts.
The outcome was a strategy that combined cutting-edge international methodologies with the lived knowledge and expertise of Timișoara’s professional and civic community. By leveraging global experience, facilitating trust-based collaboration, and ensuring transparency at every step, Luminspino demonstrated how multi-stakeholder engagement can produce strategies that are both visionary and actionable, anchored in local realities while aligned with global trends.
Meteoric Drive
While underlining the volatility of the climate innovation sector, Raluca sheds light on the company committed to climate innovations, operating with a crystal-clear and success-oriented endeavour. The consistent climate changes are the root cause of this volatility that compels organisations to innovate tirelessly.
Raluca Buzac noticed an undying passion in the perspectives of founders. They are on their feet to launch radically innovative climate solutions. Carrying the psyche of a better world from a deep inner peace and profound creativity, managers and innovators in this space demonstrate the ability to overcome adoption barriers, transforming breakthrough ideas into the “new normal.” They do so by actively engaging in international research and development partnerships, expanding user bases, and driving mindset shifts that foster acceptance of innovation.
Climate innovators, in particular, showcase strong expertise in managing the inherent complexity of innovation processes. Their success stems from achieving alignment across all critical scalability factors: defining the market, refining the value proposition, shaping a viable business model, conducting risk assessments, advancing technology readiness levels, monitoring trends that may accelerate or hinder innovation, maintaining competitor intelligence, and designing robust business plans and scaling roadmaps.
At the heart of their efforts lies professional innovation management, a discipline that not only structures growth but also underpins the transformative impacts these innovators seek to deliver for businesses, communities, and the broader global ecosystem.
Like-Minded Partnerships
About upcoming geographical scope, Raluca brought the discussion to Europe being the priority, as the organisation is connected to EU initiatives, events, and platforms. Her vision is to expand the horizon of alliances with a partner company in Chile. She envisions elevating her consulting mission there, especially in relation to regional innovation ecosystems. Next on the Latin America list are Colombia and Peru, with the former already explored in relation to an international innovation event in 2026.
Singapore is also on her radar
In terms of sectors, the focus will be on radically innovative enterprises working on specific “niches”:
Clean space technologies for stratospheric applications, to monitor climate patterns
Blue economy with a focus on biodiversity restoration and development
Nature-based Solutions, with a focus on the complexities to be managed both in private and public areas, from strategies to funding and business models.
Luminspino aims to invest in a selected number of innovative startups, driven by similar values, as it nurtures.
Advice for Founders
The scaleup ambition is fundamentally defined by its founders, who set the direction and are subsequently supported in their pursuit of these objectives. The initial phase involves a comprehensive and realistic diagnostic to establish the prerequisites for scalability. Following this, a strategic roadmap is developed, which includes a reflection on the business model both before and after scaling, the identification of essential competencies, an analysis of operational aspects, and the establishment of key partnerships. A crucial asset for scaling up is the implementation of robust procedures that enable the company to capitalize on emerging opportunities.
In today’s business landscape, the pursuit of “unicorn” status is viewed as an outdated strategy, as the model of high-growth, high-income enterprises is rooted in a paradigm that is no longer sustainable. It is now imperative to transcend this status quo and embrace a degrowth approach. For the long-term prosperity of both the planet and all life, future enterprises must be profitable while remaining fundamentally mission-oriented.
Foreseeing the Goals in the Future
Luminspino is expanding its core business by scaling its signature services and increasing its global reach. The company will continue to provide advanced consulting to help innovative enterprises secure funding, enter new markets, and scale operations, while also fostering innovation ecosystems globally.
The company is set to launch “Ascendant Innovation,” a new service that merges innovation management with consciousness research. This service is designed to bridge the gap between mainstream innovation practices and the vast, often overlooked contributions from non-ordinary states of consciousness. It aims to provide clients with a competitive advantage by integrating traditional knowledge with insights gained from experiences like dreams and intuition.
In conjunction with this new offering, Luminspino proposes the creation of a new corporate role: Chief Consciousness Officer (CCO). This position would be tasked with applying knowledge from consciousness research to influence key business areas, including strategy, research, and organizational culture.
As a thought leader, the company’s founder is also expanding their speaking and writing activities. A key upcoming engagement is a keynote address titled “The Metamorphosis of Science: Radical Empiricism, Consciousness, and Extra-Rational Ways of Knowing” at the World Young Scientist Summit in Brussels.
Quotes to Keep Going
To “Unlearn” is to recognize the need to release the burdens of conventional life and travel through existence with less weight. It involves letting go of the reliance on external quick fixes and challenging deeply ingrained beliefs and assumptions about how life should be lived.
To “Rewild” is to reconnect with our natural, human instincts. Indigenous cultures have largely maintained their “wild” qualities, demonstrating a seamless integration with the natural world. This concept encourages individuals to trust their intuition and instincts to navigate life effectively, much like other species do.
To “Be” is to experience a deeper state of existence that moves beyond the pursuit of external achievements. This state is often accessed through practices like meditation and is defined by inner depth, clarity, and peace. It’s about consciously evolving with a sense of freedom, kindness, and love, rather than conforming to societal expectations.
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