Dr. Sinan Yılmaz is an experienced research, innovation, and technology transfer expert with over twenty years of experience in academia and industry. He holds a PhD degree in Chemistry from Ege University, where he completed his undergraduate and graduate studies.

Between 2000 and 2008, he worked as a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at Izmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH). Afterwards, he worked as R&D Centre Unit Manager at İnci GS Yuasa Battery Company for 10 years.

In 2018, he joined the Research Directorate at IZTECH and later became the Atmosfer Technology Transfer Office Director in Teknopark Izmir. He currently serves as the General Manager of Teknopark Izmir and leads strategic initiatives to develop entrepreneurship, university-industry cooperation, and regional innovation capacity. He continues contributing as a researcher, consultant, and project leader in various national and international supported programmes.

Burak Köle received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Eastern Mediterranean University in 2005 and 2007 respectively. He is pursueing his PhD study in Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering in İzmir Institute of Technology.

Mr. Köle has more than 11 years of experience in technoparks and science parks and technology transfer office activities. He worked in and contributed to numeroues national and international projects. In 2012, he was a member of the core team in Teknopark İzmir responsible for design, implementation and execution of Turkiye’s first develepment agency guided project called “Innovation and Incubation Center”. The project finished successfully by building an innovation center and incubation center as well as design of pre-incubation and incubation processes were carried out throughout the project. Then, he was a member of the core team responsible for design and implementation of one of Turkiye’s first technology transfer office called Atmosfer TTO. He worked as national grant programs coordinator in Atmosfer TTO between 2014 and 2015. In this position in Atmosfer TTO, he mentored and coached numerous R&D companies to apply, implement and execute national funded projects. He working as entrepreneurship unit coordinator in Atmosfer TTO operating under Teknopark İzmir since 2015. In this position, he is responsible for Techno-entrepreneur Academy, Pre-incubation Center and TUBİTAK BİGG Program. He is specialised in designed and implementing programs for idea stage entrepreneurs. Furthermore, he is mentoring, coaching and guiding idea stage entrepreneurs and their teams in wide range of fields like business model, team formation, grant applications and so on.

She graduated from Anadolu University, Department of Economics in 2006. She got her master’s degree in Industrial Design from the same university in 2011 with her thesis titled “Design Process Management in the Relationship between Designer and SME in Turkey”.

She has a total of 12 years of work experience in different areas of the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. During this time, she gained knowledge and experience in project cycle, design management, intellectual property, commercialization and entrepreneurship.

She started her professional career by giving consultancy services on intellectual property rights at Anadolu University Turkish Patent Institute Information and Documentation Unit during her graduate studies. After completing her master’s degree, she worked as the Head of the Center at Eskişehir Industrial Design Center, which provides industrial product design and training services to the industry, under the Eskişehir Chamber of Industry Organized Industrial Zone Directorate. Then, she started working as Entrepreneurship Coordinator at Anadolu University ARINKOM Technology Transfer Office and stepped into the field of technology transfer. During her tenure at ARINKOM TTO, she had the opportunity to participate in many training and certificate programs in the fields of commercialization, intellectual property and entrepreneurship. At ARINKOM TTO, she carried out in-university policy and strategy studies to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem. In addition, she carried out entrepreneurship programs by creating the pre-incubation and incubation service framework provided within the TTO. After her duty here, she started to work at Izmir Technology Development Zone – Teknopark İzmir as Entrepreneurship Coordinator. In this context, she carries out incubation services provided in the region. She is still working here.

Miray has B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering and M.Sc. Science and Technology Policy Studies department from Middle East Technical University. She started her career at Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) in SME department in 2004. Among her main responsibilities were assisting to the MEDA financed ABIGEM (TR Business Centres) project and following up the national level meetings and organizations related to the SME sector and entrepreneurship.

In 2006, she worked as Scientific Programs Expert in The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) in the Department of Science and Technology Policy. She participated FP6 funded BIS-RTD project as work package leader. She actively took part in drafting “Science and Technology Human Resources Strategy and Action Plan (2011-2016)” and coordinated national technology platforms initiative. She was national representative at OECD-Research Institutes and Human Resources (RIHR) and EU-Steering Group of Human Resources and Mobility (SGHRM).

Since 2014, she has been working as IPR coordinator at Izmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH), Atmosfer Technology Transfer Office. Among her main responsibilities are managing invention disclosure evaluation process; management and commercialization of IP portfolio; patent searching for invention disclosures, project proposals, business plans and organizing training/workshop/seminars related with IP and commercialization.

Irem Nur Demir graduated from Ege University with a degree in International Relations in 2020. During her undergraduate years, she actively engaged in NGOs, social projects, and student clubs, building expertise in civic engagement and project coordination. Following her graduation, she worked as a project manager for various associations' social responsibility initiatives and later founded and led a youth association focused on Erasmus+ activities.

In 2020, she began her professional career as a Project Development Specialist at an SME consultancy firm. In this role, she was involved in national funding programs such as KOSGEB and TÜBİTAK as a project and grant officer, and contributed to international programs including HORIZON, ERASMUS, and EUREKA Networks as a business development officer. These experiences enabled her to strengthen her core competencies in project management, marketing, brand management, business development, and communication.

Since 2023, Irem has been pursuing a graduate degree in Business Administration with a focus on Entrepreneurship at Dokuz Eylül University. She currently continues her career at Teknopark İzmir, where she supports the implementation of technology and R&D-focused incubation programs, contributing to the regional innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

David is an entrepreneur, consultant, and innovator with 35+ years professional experience in a variety of environments from Cambridge-based IT start-ups to Silicon Valley-based innovation consultancy to EU-funded project management.

He was a Senior Consultant at the European Business and Innovation Centre Network (EBN) where he advised the CEO with strategy and developed EBN’s online platform.

He has founded three companies incubated new businesses, commercialised technology and consulted to both the public and private sectors. He has worked extensively in the Europe, Middle East and India, in addition to experience in North America, Africa and the Far East.

David was TA Team Leader on the EuropeAid SRTD Project, and International Expert in the EJADA project, both in Jordan. He supported research, technology commercialisation, innovation and helped establish a network of innovation centres and technology transfer offices.

Previously, he managed a software team in India for a UK start-up, ran the London BIC, and worked at a major US innovation consultancy – SRI Consulting. He has been at the forefront of many technologies including interactive TV trials, online education services, early graphical user interface design and worked with the first microcomputers.

David has a degree in Software Engineering from the University of Birmingham, UK.

Gokhan is 3-time entrepreneur. He has a background in tech marketing and used to work in INTEL UK and in INTEL Inside Program. He established a marketplace called isbir.org raising 500K from IEEE. He ran pre-incubation, incubation and acceleration programs on a global level for 12 years and helped over 150 startups establish and grow with raising 80M+ USD.

He has graduated from the METU which is among the world’s best 60 universities by Times Higher Education Index. He completed an Executive MBA from Sabanci School of Management and has a Diploma from MIT with focus on Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He also has a mentoring and coaching certificate from the International Coaching Federation.

He loves reading about history & AI & innovation and dealing with social media. He is an addicted football statistician.

With his global contribution to digital technologies, he was given the “Exceptional Talent” Visa by the UK Government Body Tech Nation.

Odysseas is an International consultant, working since 2003 in cross-sectoral, multinational and multilingual environments. He has an engineering, ICT and financial background and extensive experience in Research& Innovation, entrepreneurship, Project Management and Intellectual Property focusing on SMEs & start-ups.

He has set up, supported, mentored and coached new companies entrepreneurs & SMEs in Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, UK, and Turkey.He has worked in executive, Senior Project and Programme Manager positions for Private and Public sector projects in ICT, Education, Environment, Tourism, eGovernment. He has over 20 years of working experience in bids & procurement: consulting, drafting, managing tendering procedures or bidding for National and International Projects (EU R&D Framework Programmes, EuropeAid, Structural Funds).

He has designed and delivered more than 300 training sessions on Innovation Management, IPR, Entrepreneurship, Project Management, financial administration.

Mr Nierubiec holds an M.A. in Political Science (specialisation in European Integration) from Opole University, a diploma in Project Management from Warsaw School of Economics and a diploma in International Business Studies from Dublin Business School. He is a result-oriented Project Director with extensive experience in managing of multi-million EU funded projects in Potential and Candidate EU Countries. He is an outstanding manager, an excellent communicator and effective problem solver, who effectively analyses problems and looks for long-term solutions instead of band-aid fixes.

Mr Nierubiec has in-depth knowledge and experience of EU programmes, Project Cycle Management, PRAG and General Conditions’ rules and procedures.

Özlem holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations at Ankara University Faculty of Political Science. She has 8 years working experience in the management of funded projects in Turkey and Balkan Region. Ms Durna has intense knowledge on procedures and operations of European Commission in particular IPA Programme, specifically in RCOP and CISOP – the framework programme implemented by the Ministry of Industry and Technology (MoIT). She has collaborated with researchers, industry representatives and government officials to enhance Turkey’s participation in international projects and increase the relevant beneficiaries’ efficiency. She is highly experienced in the organisation of Study Visits and Turkey-wide promotional awareness raising activities, training courses, workshops, opening and closing events of Projects and Programmes. Recently she works as Project Coordinator in IDI and she is responsible for the smooth implementation of several EU funded Projects.

Bengi holds an MA degree in Women’s Studies at Ankara University and a BA degree in International Relations from Ege University. She has experience in supporting all web-based and digital communication activities of EU projects and implementation of the information campaigns by ensuring innovative and effective approaches. She has been working for 8 years in the fields of communication, digital tools, web-based portals, social media, social media ads and campaign management. She has extensive knowledge in content creation for social media platforms, targeting various audiences and experience in social media management, strategy and marketing; building and executing social media strategy through competitive research, platform determination, messaging and audience identification and generate, edit, publish and share daily content. She has expertise in preparing effective communication strategies for EU-funded projects.

Elif holds a bachelor’s degree from Pamukkale University Food Engineering department. She has taken roles in EU Projects and the civil society field actively since 2010. She started her civil society activities with the TEMA Foundation and continued with the Global Environment Organisation, of which she was the founder member and president, and carried out more than 30 international youth projects with the association. She started work in IPEC, one of the special youth companies of Turkey, as a professional trainer and director of the training department in 2011 and until 2021. Some of the main topics I have given in the training of the EU projects; are team building, soft skills,diversity&inclusion, social entrepreneurship in the youth field, creating a business canvas, project management, budget planning, reporting of projects,strategy&planning, SWOT analysis, green entrepreneurship, European opportunities, Erasmus plus opportunities. Currently, she works in IDI as Project Assistant, supporting the administrative works and Technical Assistance Team.

Gökçen holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Dokuz Eylül University. Gökçen, who has improved herself in many fields throughout her academic life, took part in many volunteering activities and trainings, as well as learning English and Spanish while improving herself in editorial and organisational skills, content creating and graphic design. At the same time, she started to gain experience in professional life with her domestic and international internships in various non-governmental organizations, state and private sectors, and developed herself in the fields of reporting, communication, social media, digital content production, marketing, administrative management and organization. Gökçen is still actively working as Project Assistant in İzmir NIC Project by supporting administrative affairs, communication and social media management and technical support team.