On 07 March 2024, the ENHANCER Business Networking Event was organised in coordination with the Directorate General of Development Agencies within the Ministry of Industry and Technology in Kayseri. Co-hosted by the Kayseri Chamber of Commerce, the event succeeded in hosting 174 Turkish and Syrian existing and potential entrepreneurs from Kayseri.
The event commenced with opening remarks from Kayseri Chamber of Commerce Board Member, Mr. Ahmet Emre Sönmez, underscoring past collaborations with EU-funded projects supporting socio-economic integration. Mr. Tamer Kılıç, Head of Western Balkans and Türkiye Region at ICMPD presented the ENHANCER Project's goals, focusing on boosting Türkiye's entrepreneurial ecosystem. After Mr. Kılıç’s speech and presentation, the European Union Delegation to Türkiye's Programme Officer, Mr. Mauro Mascioli, stressed the significance of business networking. The final opening speech at the event was delivered by Mr. İbrahim Ethem Şahin, the General Secretary of the Development Agency in Kayseri, highlighting the importance of the ENHANCER Project and the catalysing role of development agencies.
In the following panel discussion on “Exporting to an Uncertain World”, moderated by Ms. Pınar Yapanoğlu, the Portfolio Manager at ICMPD Türkiye, valuable insights on navigating exports for entrepreneurs within the complexities of today's economic landscape were shared by the panelists Prof. Dr. Erhan Aslanoğlu, Vice Rector at Istanbul Topkapı University, Dr. Bader Arslan, Economist and Author, and Mr. Burak Önder, General Manager of Qlux Ideas. The subsequent segment of the event featured matching and networking sessions, which were designed to facilitate discussions and connections among participants based on their respective business sectors and needs. The sessions witnessed the active involvement of over 100 entrepreneurs engaging in meaningful connections and exploring collaboration opportunities.
Mr. Fatih Haspolat, the Ecosystem Component Lead at ENHANCER Project presented The ENHANCER Digital Platform and its digital services to empower entrepreneurs in showcasing their businesses and seeking solutions for their development goals. The event concluded with a training session on the financial infrastructure of entrepreneurship, conducted by Ms. Pınar Erdoğan.
The project
The ENHANCER (Enhancement of Entrepreneurship Capacities for Sustainable Socio-Economic Integration) project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in coordination with the Directorate General of Development Agencies under the Ministry of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye. Since 2021, the ICMPD Country Office in Türkiye’s ENHANCER Project Team has been organising Business Networking Events to bring entrepreneurs together with major buyers, investors, and funding channels.
Current state of affairs
During the previous B2B matching activities, the ENHANCER Project adeptly brought together 621 entrepreneurs across 10 matching activities. The Kayseri Business World Meeting marked the 11th in the ENHANCER Project's B2B matching series, attracting a notable total of over 115 entrepreneurs. This participation contributed to the overall success of the project, reaching a cumulative total of over 735 participants in the matching events.
Next steps
The Project Team is actively preparing for the forthcoming matching activities, envisioned in the form of two primary events. The first, the Animation Hackathon, aims to gather 100 entrepreneurs within the animation industry. This event will offer mentoring opportunities for participants to enhance their talents and hone their business skills in this sector. The second activity, an inter-sectoral event in Gaziantep, is designed to bring together over 200 entrepreneurs from various business sectors. This event will facilitate networking and the establishment of valuable connections among participants.
For more information regarding the ENHANCER project, please visit enhancerproject.com
