From Idea to Commercial Value: Our University Hosted the “Mersin Innovation Meetings”

Organized in collaboration with our university’s Technology Transfer Office (TTO) and the Mersin Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MTSO) European Union Information Center, the “Mersin Innovation Meetings” brought together young entrepreneurs, academics, and the investment community. During the Entrepreneurship Workshop held as part of the event, students learned from experts about the processes ranging from ideas to technology and entrepreneurship.

On the second day of the event, held at the Mersin Entrepreneurship Hub on October 13–14, the “Entrepreneurship Workshop” was conducted by our university’s Project Development Society. The program, which drew significant interest from high school and university students studying in Mersin, provided a detailed examination of the processes by which an idea is transformed into a product and commercial value.

Attendees included our Dean of Research, Prof. Dr. Caner Özdemir; our University’s TTO Academic Unit Head, Prof. Dr. Rükan Genç Altürk; TTO Coordinator Abdi Kurt; Associate Director of our University’s Young Entrepreneur Application and Research Center, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alper Günöz; and Project Development Society Advisor Dr. Eylül Ece Demir, Ramazan Duman, Event Manager of the Mersin Innovation Meetings; Şule Üner, Coordinator of the European Union Information Center at the Mersin Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Osman Kiper, 2015–2023 Term Chair of the TOBB Mersin Provincial Young Entrepreneurs Council; members of our university’s Project Development Society; students; and entrepreneurs.

“Technology Transfer Offices Serve as Catalysts”

Delivering the opening remarks, our Dean of Research, Prof. Dr. Caner Özdemir, highlighted the strategic role of the TTO within the ecosystem, noting that technology transfer offices serve as catalysts and build a strong bridge between patents, licensing, and industry. Prof. Dr. Özdemir expressed his hope that this event, organized in collaboration between our University’s TTO and MTSO, would be productive for all participants.

An 11-Year Success Story in the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

Osman Kiper, Chair of the TOBB Mersin Provincial Young Entrepreneurs Council for the 2015–2023 term, shared concrete data on the progress made over the past 11 years in his presentation titled “Mersin’s Potential for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.” Dr. Kiper noted that over the past 11 years, they have engaged with more than 10,000 aspiring entrepreneurs, provided over 1,000 hours of training, and organized more than 100 networking events. Noting that they pioneered the TOBB G3 High School Event in Turkey, Kiper emphasized that the projects they carried out were selected by the European Union in 2023 as “Turkey’s Best Entrepreneurship Project.”

Dr. Kiper noted that the fact that projects nurtured and supported through this process have achieved first-place finishes in Turkey and international rankings proves the validity of the vision presented, adding, “We have now taken this success story much further. Through our ‘Demoday 2026 Entrepreneur-Investor Matchmaking Event,’ which brings innovative ideas together with the right resources, we have connected our entrepreneurs with leading players in the investment world,” he said.

“We Must Create an Entrepreneurship Vision Through Joint Coordination”

Discussing what can be done for Mersin in the future, Dr. Kiper noted that their main vision is for Mersin to become the Eastern Mediterranean’s hub for innovative production and value-added entrepreneurship. Emphasizing the need to create an entrepreneurship vision managed through a single network with joint coordination, Dr. Kiper stated that they aim to integrate technology into priority sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and logistics, and for large companies to become the entrepreneurs’ first customers. Dr. Kiper added that success criteria are no longer determined by the number of events but rather by the amount of investment secured, the number of patents obtained, and the economic value added.

From University to Entrepreneurship: Turning Knowledge into Value

Following the presentation, the panel titled “From University to Entrepreneurship: Turning Knowledge into Value” was held, moderated by Prof. Dr. Rükan Genç Altürk, Head of the University’s TTO Academic Unit. Evaluating the commercialization process of academic knowledge and the fundamentals of quality entrepreneurship, Prof. Dr. Genç Altürk emphasized that the final output of the knowledge produced by academics should not be limited solely to scientific publications. While noting that, as an academic, the primary priority and first tangible output of knowledge production is scientific publications, Prof. Dr. Genç Altürk expressed her belief that academic output must be integrated into industry, transformed into social benefit, and generate added value.

A Shared Vision Across All Disciplines: A Product- and Solution-Oriented Approach

Prof. Dr. Genç Altürk, who emphasized the need to adopt an entrepreneurial vision across all disciplines without sectoral boundaries, stressed that in research conducted in all fields—particularly logistics, agriculture, technology, and healthcare—the questions “Can my venture be turned into a tangible product?” and “Does it offer a solution to an existing problem?” should serve as the fundamental starting points.

“Technology Parks Should Not Be Confined to Four Walls”

Our Dean of Research, Prof. Dr. Caner Özdemir, shared his academic expertise—including radar software he developed for the defense industry and his consulting experience—with participants during his presentation on University-Industry Collaboration and Technology Transfer. Noting that he has pursued both academia and industry simultaneously throughout his entrepreneurial journey, Prof. Dr. Özdemir advised young entrepreneurs to focus not on an idea, but on the problem they aim to solve.

Stating that strengthening collaboration requires starting with small steps, benefiting from quality mentoring processes, and building strong networks, Prof. Dr. Özdemir reminded the audience that technology transfer offices serve as competent mentors for entrepreneurs in this regard. Drawing attention to the shortcomings in academia-industry integration in Turkey, Prof. Dr. Özdemir emphasized that technology parks must transcend their current physical boundaries and highlighted the importance of spreading the ecosystem vision throughout all of Turkey.

Innovation Culture and Technology Development

As part of the program, Ege University Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Serdal Temel also delivered a presentation titled “Innovation, Innovation Culture, and Technology Development Processes.” Noting that focusing on existing problems in entrepreneurship and possessing domain expertise are of vital importance, Prof. Dr. Temel stated that the most fundamental principle of entrepreneurship is solving an existing problem. Stating that one must excel in one’s area of expertise—otherwise, one cannot be a successful entrepreneur—Prof. Dr. Temel said, “An entrepreneur is not someone who knows everything; rather, they are someone who knows exactly whom to ask, what to ask, and how to ask it.”

From Idea to Growth: Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Panel

As part of the “Entrepreneurship Ecosystem” panel moderated by our University’s TTO Coordinator Abdi Kurt, a presentation titled “From Turcorn to Unicorn: The Growth Journey of Startups” was delivered. Kurt began his presentation by noting that the path to innovation “starts with a technological idea that won’t let you rest,” adding that the first stage on this journey involves the process of validating the idea and other standard steps.

Kurt shared with participants an analysis of the world’s top five entrepreneurship ecosystems (San Francisco-Silicon Valley, New York, London, Los Angeles, Paris) and, in light of this information, an evaluation of Turkey’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems, along with lessons to be learned and areas from which to draw inspiration. Additionally, topics such as the assessment of Mersin in this context, an analysis of the current situation, and the potential contributions and leadership role of our University in a dynamic innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem were discussed.

European Union Innovation Opportunities and the Investment Ecosystem

Erencan Bal, Representative of the TÜBİTAK-European Innovation Council and the National Contact Point for European Innovation Ecosystems, delivered a presentation titled “European Union Innovation Opportunities.” In his presentation, Bal provided young entrepreneurs with information on topics such as European Union funding opportunities in Turkey, TEYDEB calls for proposals, and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). In the presentation titled “Venture Capital Ecosystem” delivered by APY TEKMER General Manager Harun Karakoç, it was emphasized that the goal of investment firms is to accelerate the growth of startups by buying them time.

Entrepreneurs Share Their Stories: The Path from Idea to Business

In the panel discussion titled “Coffee Talk – Entrepreneurs Share Their Stories: The Path from Idea to Business,” held during the final segment of the event, Burak Yaşasın, founder of Chitolastic; Canan Tiryaki, founder of VeggFoods; and Umut Oğur, founder of Reneryo, shared their experiences with young entrepreneurs.

Canan Tiryaki advised entrepreneurs to move forward step by step with their dreams, noting that when you stumble on your entrepreneurial journey, you must get back up and keep moving forward. Highlighting the importance of the entrepreneurial spirit, Umut Oğur emphasized that while ideas are valuable, effectively communicating them is a process that is learned over time. Burak Yaşasın, who noted that he began his entrepreneurial journey during his undergraduate studies, remarked that over time, the idea finds the entrepreneur.

The “Mersin Innovation Meetings” event concluded with the presentation of certificates of appreciation.

Press and Public Relations Department