Big Bang Startup Challenge is known as Turkey’s largest entrepreneurship event. This platform, created by İTÜ ARI Teknokent to support entrepreneurs, is a competition that highlights the best startups selected by İTÜ Çekirdek every year. The event, which was held for the 12th time this year, took place at Uniq Istanbul on 13-14 December.
1,028,000,000 TL was distributed in this event!
shiftdelete.netAt the event, 50 startups presenting in 8 different industry verticals competed for awards, cash and investment opportunities. The event, for which a total of 1.28 billion TL was supported, broke a new record, befitting the 100th anniversary of the Republic.
Big Bang Startup Challenge serves as a bridge that enables entrepreneurs to meet with the business world and investors. Many interesting technologies were showcased at the event, from the digital key that opens the car door with a mobile phone to the self-sufficient smart lamppost. Successful entrepreneurs had the opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial skills and opportunities by taking advantage of “Incubation” opportunities for 1 year after establishing their companies.
Big Bang Startup Challenge also offers training and mentoring support to entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs have the opportunity to develop their projects in the Pre-Incubation area located in the ARI 3 building in ITU Ayazağa. Among the programs, there is a special period called the Accelerator, where entrepreneurs receive comprehensive training and develop their own projects. In this process, entrepreneurs receive information and feedback from experts on subjects such as business model, marketing, finance, law, patent and presentation techniques.
The powerful institution behind the Big Bang Startup Challenge is ITU ARI Teknokent. ITU ARI Teknokent, as Turkey’s largest technology development zone, encourages university-industry cooperation and supports technology-based initiatives. ITU ARI Teknokent General Manager Prof. Dr. Attila Dikbaş made statements about the event.
He said that he found the participants much more mature, visionary and brave this year compared to last year. Some of the big startups that emerged last year are; Evreka, which develops smart home systems, AsistanBee, which offers a personal assistant with artificial intelligence, Cyber Struggle, which operates in the field of cyber security, Otosense, which develops autonomous vehicle technologies, Biyome, which operates in the field of biotechnology, Tarfin, which offers smart agriculture solutions, Suno.AI, which produces music with artificial intelligence and smart Smart Mimic was the company that offers city solutions.
He stated that the initiatives and innovations developed within the Teknokent are extremely valuable and contribute to Turkey becoming a technology-producing country. He stated that perhaps a unicorn could be born that they do not yet know about and that this would give a great impetus to Turkey’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.