İzmir NIC Accelerate İzmir Demo Day was successfully held on 23 June 2022 at Teknopark İzmir. Growing their businesses through Accelerate İzmir with a strong emphasis on globalisation from İzmir, 21 companies of the first cohort came together at Demo Day after the 4-month Accelerate İzmir journey.
In their opening remarks, the General Manager of Teknopark İzmir and the İzmir NIC Project Senior Representative of End Recipient Prof. Dr Metin Tanoğlu and the Rector of IZTECH, and the Chairman of the Board of Teknopark İzmir, Prof. Dr Yusuf Baran, emphasised the significance of the programme for İzmir, while providing an overview of the achievements attained by the Project. Following the Opening Session, İzmir NIC Project Coordinator Miray Şanlı Taşkın and Technical Assistance Team Leader David Tee made an overall assessment of the project and the programme and gave the participants a rundown on the Impact and Results of the İzmir NIC Project and Accelerate İzmir 1st Cohort.
The session was followed by a keynote speech from Özgür Ülkü, CEO of Litum Technologies, who shared his company’s growth and internationalisation experience with the attendees. In the panel session of the event, Accelerate İzmir 1st Cohort companies, under the moderation of Commercialisation Key Expert Gökhan Çelebi, revisited their experiences in the programme and how the process contributed to them and their businesses.
The event’s afternoon session featured 3-minute company pitches. Based on the participants’ anonymous online voting following each pitch, Robot.alp received the “Highest Potential to Grow” award. Ne Ekersen was voted as the recipient of the “Best Pitch” award, and Maritime Trainer was named the “Most Interesting Technology.” The entrepreneurs received their prizes from Teknopark İzmir General Manager and İzmir NIC SRER Prof. Dr Metin Tanoğlu.
The event concluded with companies receiving their certificates of completion of the Accelerate İzmir programme.
İzmir NIC – İzmir Network and Innovation Centre Project
İzmir Network and Innovation Centre (İzmir NIC) Project, is implemented by Teknopark İzmir within the scope of the Ministry of Industry and Technology Competitive Sectors Programme, realised with the financial support of the European Union and the Republic of Turkey, aiming to enhance the commercialisation and internationalisation of innovative products, by fostering networks and strategic partnership among relevant stakeholders. The project, focusing on ICT and RE sectors, which are among the pioneers of economic development; aims to increase the capacities of innovation ecosystem actors (SME, Start-up, TTO, TGB, R&D Centres, etc.) in İzmir through training, Acceleration programmes, mentoring support, and networking activities.
The project, implemented with partners İzmir Institute of Technology (İYTE) and the Software Industrialists Association (YASAD), will run for 3 years.
