The steering committee meeting of the Technical Assistance Project “A Smart Network for Technology Transfer and Commercialisation with the Funnel Model (SMARTNET)”, carried out with the co-financing of the European Union and the Ministry of Industry and Technology, led by Yıldız Technical University (YTU) and with Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKU), Istanbul Technical University (ITU) and Gebze Technical University (GTU) as partners, was held with Hasan Kalyoncu University as host.
The meeting aimed to accelerate technology transfer and commercialisation, support innovative entrepreneurs and encourage the bringing of innovative products to market, and addressed strategic discussions and cooperation opportunities. It was attended by YTU Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Yılmaz, HKU Rector Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli, ITU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Ali Deniz and Gebze Technical University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Hasari Çelebi, as well as programme managers of the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Industry and Technology and officials of YTU Yıldız Technopark, Gaziantep OSB Technopark, 1773 ITU Technopark and the HKU Technology Transfer Office.
THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE SMARTNET PROJECT WERE LAID IN GAZIANTEP
Speaking at the meeting, HKU Rector Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli said they were pleased to be a stakeholder in the project, which aims to play a pioneering role in Türkiye’s digital and technological transformation, and to host the steering meeting. Dereli said: “The foundations of the SMARTNET project were laid years ago at our university in Gaziantep. With the same enthusiasm, as HKU we are working with all our strength for the success of this project, which we believe will make a great contribution to the entrepreneurship ecosystem of our country and Europe. SMARTNET will offer important opportunities to entrepreneurs. With the network to be developed within the scope of the project, entrepreneurs will be matched with qualified funding.”
23 UNIVERSITIES FROM TÜRKİYE WILL BE PART OF THE NETWORK
YTU Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Yılmaz, who opened the steering meeting at which project activities were evaluated, pointed out that good results had been achieved since the start of the project and underlined that the project is an important network which, by bringing start-up companies together through the funnel model, will create significant opportunities for them to expand into Europe and the world. Yılmaz announced the good news that, as a result of the discussions held, 23 universities from Türkiye are already set to be part of the network.
ITU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Ali Deniz, for his part, said that ITU was excited to take an active part in the SMARTNET project, a highly strategic and innovative network project.
