The fifth “My First Job: Entrepreneurship” competition has finished. Winners of the competition, which was held in two categories including “New Enterprises” and “New Ideas” in cooperation with the Çalık Holding, Yıldız Technopark and Yıldız TTO, were announced at the ceremony on November 12.
Winners of “My First Job: Entrepreneurship” competition, organized in cooperation with the Yıldız Technical University, Çalık Holding, Yıldız Technopark and Yıldız Technology Transfer Office (TTO) with the aim of supporting business ideas that are innovative and socially beneficial with high commercialization potential, were announced. Mehmet Emin Kaçar won the “New Ideas” category with his project on Water Based Luminescent Road Marking Paint while Emine Yılmaz won the “New Entrepreneurship” category with her project on Production of Hemp Milk and Production of Fermented Products from Hemp Milk.
Finalists of the competition, which aims to enable the visionary young entrepreneurs to enter to the international markets by adopting an entrepreneurship culture throughout the country, explained their projects with the presentations before the jury members.
New Enterprises and New Ideas were awarded
Winners of the My First Job: Entrepreneurship competition 2019 received different awards in two individual categories. Mehmet Emin Kaçar ranked first in the “New Ideas” category with his project on Water Based Luminescent Road Marking Paint, while Hazar Doğanlar ranked second with his project on Remote Intervention Apparatus with Explosives, and Muhammet Suna with his project on Renewable Energy and Ayşe Şeyda Gürsoy with her project on Triskelion ranked third. Participants ranking in top three received a cash prize, as well as will get an office for six months at the Yıldız Preincubation Center free of charge.
In the “New Enterprises” category, Emine Yılmaz ranked first with her project on Production of Hemp Milk and Production of Fermented Products from Hemp Milk, while Selen Şanal ranked second with her project on Biodiesel Production from Waste Water and Microalgae, and Hakan Aktan and Erdem Çakırca ranked third with their project on Honey Pull. Participants ranking top three in this category received a cash prize, as well as will be able to benefit from personal, open and virtual office at the Yıldız Incubation Center.
“We are supporting the entrepreneurship ecosystem”
In his speech related to the award ceremony held for the fifth time and becoming sustainable, Yıldız Technical University Rector Prof. Dr. Bahri Şahin pointed out the importance of university-private sector cooperation, and stated that all the stakeholders of the society must continue to endeavor for maximizing our national targets. Şahin said, “The higher the number of entrepreneurs in a country, the higher the level of development in the country. There are even countries that transfer entrepreneurs from outside for development. Successful great works come from the entrepreneurial stories. University and private sector representatives should do their part correctly. Education is not something that only universities should deal with; the private sector should reach out to the students on time. We support the entrepreneurship ecosystem of our country with Sosyopark where we conduct researches on social issues, Satpark where we carry out artistic works, and our technopark.”
Çalık Holding Banking Group President Galip Tözge said, “The interest and participation in our My First Job: Entrepreneurship increase every year. The entrepreneurial excitement of our youth is really pleasing and encouraging. We, as our Group, believe that entrepreneurship plays a very important role in accelerating the transformation of Turkey in becoming a country that produces, creates value, and competes. We are determined to fulfill our responsibility to create and grow this ecosystem.”