Held on December 11-12 at the Istanbul Expo Center, Take Off Istanbul Entrepreneurship Summit successfully brought together key players of the entrepreneurship ecosystem. After two days of intense and inspiring activities, the summit concluded with a spectacular closing ceremony. This year, the summit became the meeting point for tech enthusiasts and innovative projects, welcoming foreign investors from 25 countries and tech startups from 23 countries. The event offered visitors the opportunity to experience various products at the booths of entrepreneurs, stakeholders, and sponsors, listen to inspiring speakers, and network with prominent figures in the industry.
Entrepreneurship Collaborations Shaping the Future Meet at Take Off!
The highlight of the summit was the conferences and panels, which shed light on various aspects of the tech world, starting with the opening speech by Minister of Industry and Technology, Mehmet Fatih Kacır. Topics shaping the future, such as artificial intelligence, sustainability, digital transformation, and advanced technologies, were thoroughly discussed. This year, speakers included global leaders such as Tejpaul Bhatia, CRO of Axiom Space, Kojo Boakye, VP of Public Policy for Meta Africa, Middle East, and Turkey, Jeff Jo, General Manager of Samsung Turkey, and Dilek Gürsoy, Founder and CEO of GANI. These experts shared their insights on emerging tech trends and their impacts on human life.
Additionally, over 200 startups from dozens of countries met with local and global industry leaders, while the event hosted Venture Capital (VC) and Limited Partner (LP) investors managing over $1.5 billion in funds. These interactions created investment opportunities and collaboration prospects for startups.
A Summit Culminating in an Award Ceremony!
The summit ended with an award ceremony following a speech by Selçuk Bayraktar, Chairman of the Board of BAYKAR and Trustee of the T3 Foundation. Bayraktar emphasized the importance of national technology initiatives, stating, "Investments in technology not only shape our present but also build our future." He also highlighted the inspiring examples presented during the Take Off Istanbul Entrepreneurship Summit.
During the award ceremony, the big prizes of $250,000 were awarded to the startups Novus, Büyütech, Nanomik, and Novocycle. These companies received their awards from Elvan Kuzucu Hıdır, Chairman of the T3 Foundation, and İrem Bayraktar Aksakal, Director of Take Off Entrepreneurship Summit. Additionally, the startups Quark Optical, Uppy, Helios, and 3P Metrics, which were selected for special recognition by the participating companies, received $10,000 investments. Novus and Bottobo Robotics were also awarded $150,000 each. In total, over $1 million in investment support was provided to the participating startups, making Take Off Istanbul 2024 a remarkable success.
Istanbul Became the Heart of the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem!
With its captivating atmosphere and strong participation, Take Off Istanbul 2024 was not only a tech summit but also an inspiring source of innovation. Entrepreneurs had the chance to directly engage with investors, creating significant collaboration opportunities and forming alliances for projects that will shape the future.
