Simpals turns 23! We’re sharing how the company has grown over the years, what transformations have taken place, and what has remained unchanged.
23 years! For a startup from Moldova that began in the 2000s, it’s a lifetime.
For a team of explorers who test new ideas, change direction when needed, and aren’t afraid to start over – it’s just the beginning.
At 23, Simpals has grown, transformed, and mastered processes and metrics. But throughout this journey, one thing has remained the same: the audacity to do things differently and an internal culture built on flexibility, symbiosis, and honesty.
No joking: It all started on April 1st
In 2002, on the morning of April 1st, a new company was registered in Chișinău. A day earlier, there were no grand plans, no big ideas, not even a name. But one thing was certain – it would be a place where things were done simply, and people worked “like friends.” That’s how Simpals was born, from a combination of “Simple” and “Pals,” and the person who laid the foundation for this ambitious project was Dmitri Voloshin.
The first projects? Selling PC components, producing commercials, and building websites that didn’t always bring in money. There were four people in a 50 m² office, a broken printer, and a team that just wanted “to survive”. That was the strategy. And, apparently, it worked.
From 4 people… to something much more
Over time, things started to take shape. In 2003, Roman Știrbu joined the team – the person who brought order to processes and laid the foundation for an organized structure. Without him, Simpals wouldn’t be the company we know today.
After the success of 999.md, more than 40 new projects were launched. From a passion for sports, thousands of runners have gathered in the Great National Assembly Square. And it all started with a simple “what if?”.
What if…
…we had a classifieds platform in Moldova? 999.md;
…we provided high-quality news? Point, Stiri;
…finding event tickets was easier? Afisha;
…we motivated everyone to do sports? Sporter;
…we revolutionized diving? Lobster, Sonr;
…we transformed the education system? Studii.md;
…we improved public procurement? Achizitii.md;
…we developed renewable energy? Energy;
…we impressed the world with our animated films? Simpals Studio;
…we made the city more colorful? Chisinau is Me;
…we planted more trees across the country? Verde.md.
And each time, this “what if” turned into reality!
The teams grew, processes evolved, and work became more structured — transforming Simpals from a local company into an international one.
What remains unchanged?
Yes, now there are processes. Yes, we have deadlines, reports, and regular meetings. Calendars, KPIs, OKRs, PDPs, and all sorts of other abbreviations. But the spirit of the company remains the same. Audacity, growth, symbiosis, the desire to do things differently, to ask “what if…” have stayed and will always stay the same!
The office has changed, technology has evolved, the team has grown, but we are still the same explorers eager to discover new worlds, inspiring by example. We get excited when an innovative idea appears. We say “let’s see what happens” more often than “impossible.”
Our internal culture has always been and still is about people who want to create, who want to grow, who may disagree but move in the same direction — not always perfectly, but with enthusiasm, honesty, and our signature sense of humor.
And now?
We look back with pride – not because everything was perfect. We’ve had losses, faced crises, closed projects, seen people leave, and watched plans fall through. But from every stage we’ve been through, whether good or bad, we’ve learned and continue to learn our lessons.
After 23 years, Simpals is no longer just a company. It’s a collection of ideas, experiments, and people who had the courage to do things their own way. And that’s exactly what keeps us curious — we want to know: what’s next?
Thank you to everyone who has been, is, and will be part of Simpals’ history — a place where there’s always room for bold ideas and curious minds!
Happy Birthday, Simpals!
