Leadership, sport and a fairer shot for my generation.
I'm Nicholas Cârstoiu, a young Romanian leader who combines over 13 years of competitive basketball with real civic and humanitarian work. Since 2023 I've been a member of the UNICEF Romania Children's Board, advocating for children's rights, education, health and youth mental health through initiatives like Mental Health and Sports.
I'm also a member of the Bucharest Children's Advisory Council of the Bucharest City Hall, an assistant basketball coach, the founder and CEO of the HANDIFY project, a bilingual writer, and Ambassador in Romania of United Citizens of Europe. I study at the Romanian-Finnish High School in the Mathematics-Informatics profile with Intensive English.
Across everything I do, one conviction stays the same: talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not - and that is exactly what I want to help change for my generation.
My journey
Nominated, Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Prize
In July 2026 I was nominated for the Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Prize, an international recognition of the Tällberg Foundation for innovative, courageous and ethical leaders from any country and any discipline. Candidates cannot nominate themselves and every nomination is reviewed through several stages. A nomination is not the Prize itself, but it is a real recognition and, more than that, a responsibility: it tells me the path I have started on is worth continuing, and it obliges me to take it further.
Winner, Grant My Passion 2026 - Better World
The Fake News Factory won the Better World grant of Grant My Passion 2026, a national programme run by McDonald's Romania with the support of The Social Incubator - making the project a double award winner.
Ambassador for Romania, United Citizens of Europe
Since July 2026, appointed Ambassador for Romania of the pan-European civic network United Citizens of Europe.
Winner, Mème la vérité 2026
The Fake News Factory, my interactive media-literacy project, was selected among the winners of the regional Mème la vérité competition organised by Freedom House Romania - earning an invitation to the international study visit in Bucharest.
Founder & CEO of HANDIFY
Led the HANDIFY project, which proposes a smart glove that replaces the computer mouse, to the National Final of GEN-E 2026, Europe's largest youth entrepreneurship competition.
Creator of two civic projects
Designed and wrote The Fake News Factory - named winner of the "Mème la vérité: Démasque la désinfo" competition organised by Freedom House Romania - and I Belong (APARTIN), a national finalist at the DI_PLOMA AWARDS 2026, the Diversity & Inclusion Awards organised by the Puternici prin Diversitate și Incluziune (OPEN MINDS) Association.
Assistant basketball coach
Joined the Romanian-Finnish High School Sports Club as assistant coach, working with athletes across all age groups.
C1 English certification, Fordham University
Earned a C1-level English certification in New York, with a final report graded Excellent.
rethink Romania Summit
Took part in the Infrastructure of Trust summit alongside the UNICEF Children's Board, on keeping young people's future in Romania.
Bucharest Children's Advisory Council
Joined the Council, working with city leaders to bring children's voices into decisions that shape their future.
National television and radio
Spoke live on Realitatea Plus TV and Radio România Actualități for World Children's Rights Day.
Student of the Month
Recognised as Student of the Month for January at the Romanian-Finnish High School.
UNICEF Romania Children's Board
Selected, from many children nationwide, to join the UNICEF Romania Children's Board, advocating for education, health and youth mental health.
Model United Nations (BISAAC)
Represented Brazil in the UN General Assembly, developing public speaking, negotiation and diplomacy.
Smart Online = Safe Offline
Adapted and began delivering the Smart Online = Safe Offline cybersecurity education programme for teenagers.
rethink Romania Summit, Poiana Brașov
Took part in the rethink Romania summit on Human Capital in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.
Erasmus+ exchange, Antalya
Represented my school in an Erasmus+ exchange on student mental health, working with peers from across Europe.
School Ambassador
Named School Ambassador of the Romanian-Finnish High School and awarded an honorary diploma for social, humanitarian and athletic involvement.
Romanian-Finnish High School
Began studying at the first school in Romania to implement the principles of Finnish education.
Education & certifications
Student at the Romanian-Finnish High School, Bucharest - Mathematics-Informatics with Intensive English.
Leadership & civic engagement
- Ambassador for Romania, United Citizens of Europe (since July 2026)
- Member, UNICEF Romania Children's Board (since 2023)
- Member, Bucharest Children's Advisory Council (since 2024)
- Volunteer with Invictus Romania, supporting wounded-warrior sports rehabilitation
- Volunteer with Asociația GO-AHEAD, supporting educational programmes
- Member of the Romanian-Finnish High School volunteer team
Sport
Basketball has shaped me since childhood. Over more than 13 years of competitive play across Bucharest clubs - BC Alpha, CS Spike, CSO Voluntari and CSU ASE Bucharest - I learned discipline, resilience and a team-first mentality. Today I pass that on as an assistant coach, helping younger players build their fundamentals and confidence. Playing for CSU ASE, the team of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE), is a genuine source of pride for me - representing a university's colours is an achievement that universities abroad value highly when they look at a student-athlete.
Recognition & media
My work and my voice have reached a wide audience - dozens of newspaper articles, interviews and television and radio appearances, alongside hundreds of videos on my YouTube channel. Rather than list everything here, I have gathered it all in two places.
What drives me
Sport taught me that no team wins by leaving its weakest player behind. I want to build systems - projects, platforms and a fairer playing field - where a child's chances depend on their effort, not their address. To me, change is a team sport, played one honest action at a time.
Areas of expertise
Recognised by
My work has been recognised, supported or featured by leading civic and educational organisations:
Frequently asked
Who is Nicholas Carstoiu?
Nicholas Carstoiu is a Romanian youth leader, student-athlete, social entrepreneur, writer and public speaker. He is a member of the UNICEF Romania Children's Board, Ambassador for Romania of United Citizens of Europe, and founder of HANDIFY.
What has Nicholas Carstoiu created?
He founded HANDIFY, a smart-glove startup and Gen-E 2026 National Finalist, and created The Fake News Factory (a double award-winning media-literacy project), I Belong (a school-belonging lab) and the Smart Online = Safe Offline programme.
Which organisations recognise Nicholas Carstoiu?
UNICEF Romania, United Citizens of Europe, Freedom House Romania, Junior Achievement Romania, the OPEN MINDS Association and McDonald's Romania.
Which awards has Nicholas Carstoiu received?
The Fake News Factory won the Mème la vérité 2026 competition (Freedom House Romania) and the Grant My Passion 2026 Better World grant (McDonald's Romania and The Social Incubator). I Belong is a national finalist at the DI_PLOMA AWARDS 2026, and HANDIFY reached the Gen-E 2026 National Final.
What topics is Nicholas Carstoiu associated with?
Youth leadership, media literacy, education, sport and mental health, inclusion, digital citizenship, social entrepreneurship and youth participation.
Where has Nicholas Carstoiu appeared?
In national media including EduPedu, TVR, Digi 24, Business Lounge and Rock FM, and as a contributor to United Citizens of Europe.
What is Nicholas Carstoiu currently doing?
He studies at the Romanian-Finnish High School (Mathematics-Informatics with Intensive English), plays competitive basketball, writes essays on youth and sport, and leads civic and media-literacy projects across Romania and Europe.