Within the scope of Izmir NIC Project carried out by Teknopark İzmir, İzmir NIC Talks #10 event was held on September 26, 2023 at Originn Coworking Space. The event started with the opening speeches of Teknopark İzmir General Manager and İzmir NIC Senior Manager Prof. Dr. Metin Tanoğlu and İzmir NIC Coordinator Efsa Sabit. Prof. Dr. Tanoğlu gave his speech about the importance of Technopark İzmir in the Aegean Region, its services and activities that have reached international dimensions, and the achievements and objectives of the İzmir NIC Project. Also, Yaşar Görkem Dönderici from İzmir Development Agency (IZKA) was hosted and made his presentation about the cooperation between Teknopark İzmir and IZKA and the opportunities offered by IZKA for entrepreneurs and Izmir entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Then, Efsa Sabit informed the participants about the achievements and outputs of the Accelerate İzmir Programme carried out within the scope of the İzmir NIC Project. In addition, Efsa Sabit and Teknopark Izmir Entrepreneurship Unit Coordinator Burak Köle and İzmir NIC Project Key Expert – Gökhan Çelebi conducted presentations and have speeches about the Accelerate İzmir Programme and the achievements of the second cohort – the goals of the third cohort.
In the ongoing session of the event, the focus was on the difficulties experienced in the globalization journeys of startups and tips on how effective mentoring helps overcome these challenges. The session was moderated by Gökhan Çelebi, Izmir NIC Project Key Expert, and 2 companies and their mentors from previous cohorts of the Accelerate İzmir programme were hosted in the session. Tuğkan Tuğlular from Research Ecosystem, and Sinem Altuncu, the mentor; Kadir Bahar from Kuika and their mentor İlker Tabak talked about their experiences and the development of the companies within the scope of the programme.
In the last session of the day, 2 more companies from Accelerate İzmir were hosted and shared their experiences about globalization, getting investment and making effective pitchings with the participants. In this part of the event, Dr. Görkem Astarcıoğlu from Hekimanne and Hasan Erkan and Mehmet İlem from Sade Labs were hosted. The two companies also talked about the partnership processes they had after they met in the Programme.
At the event, the announcement of the third cohort of the Accelerate İzmir Programme and in general İzmir NIC Project was brought together with a wide range of audience. In addition, entrepreneurs were provided with information about tips to overcome the challanges they faced on the way to globalization.
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.
