EIT Manufacturing South East proudly took part in the launch of the EIT Community Hub Türkiye, held in Ankara on 12 February 2025. This significant initiative aims to foster collaboration, support innovation and further integrate Türkiye into the European innovation landscape. The Hub was established through a collaboration between TÜBİTAK, Fark Labs and Sabancı University, marking a major step in strengthening Türkiye’s role in global innovation and entrepreneurship. The event brought together key stakeholders from entrepreneurship, research and industry, paving the way for new opportunities in technological advancements. Representatives from EIT Urban Mobility, EIT Food, EIT InnoEnergy, EIT Health and EIT Manufacturing actively engaged with major players in Türkiye’s innovation ecosystem. 

Panel Discussion: Strengthening Türkiye’s Role in European Innovation 

Dr Vivian Sophou, Senior Business Development and Innovation Manager at EIT Manufacturing South East, participated in Panel 2: “Collaboration and Growth with EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) in Türkiye”. Alongside key speakers from EIT InnoEnergy, EIT Urban Mobility, EIT Food and EIT Health, the discussion covered topics such as Türkiye’s role in energy innovation, green transformation and the funding and investment needs of agricultural and health technologies. Dr Sophou highlighted the importance of advanced manufacturing processes, automation and sustainable production in driving economic growth and technological progress. She also emphasized the necessity of cross-border collaborations to integrate Türkiye’s industrial potential into Europe’s broader innovation ecosystem. 

Success Stories: Driving Innovation in Türkiye 

The event showcased several EIT-supported success stories, demonstrating the tangible impact of these initiatives on Türkiye’s startup ecosystem: 

• Optiyol (EIT Urban Mobility): Developed innovative urban logistics solutions that have reduced operational costs by 15%, significantly improving efficiency in transportation systems. 

• Rumitech (EIT InnoEnergy): Secured over €630,000 in investment to accelerate contributions to Türkiye’s green energy transition, driving sustainability in the energy sector. 

• Parabol (EIT-supported): Leveraged AI-driven data analytics to enhance urban mobility, optimizing transportation networks and making mobility solutions more efficient and user-friendly. 

EIT Manufacturing South East extends its sincere gratitude to Mr Ömer Hantal for his invaluable contributions to the success of this event. His leadership and dedication to advancing innovation in Türkiye have been instrumental in strengthening collaboration within the region. We deeply appreciate the opportunity to participate in this transformative initiative and wish him the best in his future endeavors at ECO Türkiye.