The Client
Nordensa is a Cluj-based startup and the world's first fan-ownership football platform.
Operating through an innovative B2B2C model, it partners with football clubs, recruits talented players primarily from Africa and Eastern Europe, and enables fans worldwide to purchase shares in those players' careers, receiving a percentage of the player's income for five years.
While over 100 fan-engagement apps exist globally, none offered genuine ownership of real football assets until Nordensa, which had already launched its platform and fan-ownership model in 2024. Qubiz entered the collaboration in 2025 through an investment made by InQubator, its startup investment unit, to help define and deliver version 2.0, taking the product to the next level of performance and user experience.
The Challenge
Nordensa had a proven concept and a first version already in market, but scaling required more than technical development.
The core challenge was marketplace traction: growing the fan base and funded player campaigns simultaneously, with neither side able to wait for the other.
Version 1.0 had delivered strong early signals, but the user experience and feature set were not yet sufficient to drive the conversion and retention rates needed to close funding campaigns reliably or attract fans at scale. Compounding this, the team was preparing to raise its Series A. Launching version 2.0 on time was a business-critical condition for investor confidence.
Success Highlights
- On-time delivery.Version 2.0 shipped on schedule, directly supporting the company's Series A fundraising position.
- Twenty club partnerships. Established globally, including Burnley FC, Real Zaragoza, Standard Liege, Admira Vienna, Dinamo Bucharest, and Kawasaki Frontale.
- International media coverage. Secured across the Daily Mail, Sports Business Journal, Marca, and The Herald.
The Solution
The engagement opened with an intensive co-creation workshop in which Qubiz worked with Nordensa's founding team to map out version 2.0. Rather than moving directly into development, this phase was essential: Nordensa had a strong vision but needed a structured process to identify which features would deliver the highest value and in what order. The workshop clarified the roadmap, prioritised effort, and set the foundation for a product built to scale.
Qubiz's role extended well beyond engineering, encompassing product consulting, feature definition, and strategic co-creation alongside the build. This breadth of involvement proved particularly valuable to a founding team that recognised strategic support was as important as delivery capacity.
The platform Qubiz built is the Nordensa Champions product, a cross-platform app for iOS, Android, and web, through which fans discover, back, and track the careers of talented young players. Key components include:
- Self-registration as Athlete. Opened the target audience beyond backers to include players as well.
- Daily Athlete Duels and voting. A system that encourages fans to scout emerging talent.
- Referrals. Rewards backers who invite other users that go on to become backers too.
Technology
Stack: PHP Laravel, React, React Native, Stripe, Sports API.
The Results
Version 2.0 of the Nordensa platform launched on time.
In a fundraising context, this on-time launch carried significant weight, positioning the team with a stronger product and a demonstrable track record of execution as they prepared to raise their Series A.
Over 1,000 users downloaded the updated platform following launch, and six athletes have been successfully funded through it, validating the model across 20 countries. Behind these numbers sits the co-creation process that made the delivery possible: structured workshops that translated a complex vision into a focused, executable roadmap.
Key Learnings & Takeaways
Vision needs structure to scale
Defining version 2.0 rigorously before development began ensured effort was directed precisely where it would have the most impact. Slowing down at the start is what made moving faster further on possible.
Consulting is often the most underestimated deliverable
For founders scaling a product, experienced strategic and technical thinking alongside the build can be more valuable than development hours alone.
Time-to-market is a strategic asset
In a fundraising context, launching on schedule signals execution capability to investors and creates the commercial traction that supports valuation.
Standing apart in a crowded market starts with the product itself
With over 100 fan-engagement apps in market, Nordensa's edge is genuine asset ownership. The product needed to reflect that ambition at every level, from user experience to technical architecture.
Testimonial
“Our collaboration with InQubator has been the most efficient I have ever experienced. I literally struggled to find a weak spot in the process and failed. This is all down to the wonderful team. The machine-like efficiency is driven by people with proactive, creative, and structured minds who are genuinely invested in making the product better. Most importantly, this partnership delivered a critical business outcome. We managed to launch version 2 of our platform on time, which is essential for our growth. This allows us to offer a more exciting user experience, drive more traction, and ultimately puts us in a strong position to go out and raise our Series A.”
Adrian Docea, Founder and CEO, Nordensa
From Vision to Version 2.0: Build What Your Market Is Waiting For
The Nordensa engagement shows what a founding team can achieve when technical rigour and strategic depth are built into the partnership from day one. If you are building a product that needs to scale and want a partner who will consult, co-create, and deliver from the first workshop to launch day, Qubiz is ready to get you there.
