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Izmir, Türkiye (May 27, 2025) – Access2Tech Europe | İzmir feat. IndustX Innovation Call Demo Day brought together industry leaders and entrepreneurs to shape the future of innovation and strategic collaboration, showcasing Türkiye’s leading industrial and technology startups.

Organized by Fark Labs and EIT Manufacturing South East, the event aimed to accelerate the transformation of the industrial landscape in Türkiye and Europe, while strengthening İzmir’s position within the global innovation ecosystem.

Keynote: Navigating the New Global Order

Gökhan Taymaz, Managing Director of Quatro International, delivered a compelling keynote, offering insights into the rapidly shifting global landscape and the critical role of innovation in navigating geopolitical and industrial transformations. Taymaz highlighted the profound shift from a globally integrated world to a fragmented one, urging businesses to rethink their strategies: “The era of global integration is over. We are now entering a fragmented world where trust is replaced by fortress mentalities, and predictability gives way to uncertainty. Businesses must move beyond efficiency and resilience, embracing a new reality shaped by geopolitical forces and asymmetric know-how.”

EIT Manufacturing Fire Chat

During the fireside chat, Dr. Niki Kousi, Managing Director of EIT Manufacturing South East, emphasized Türkiye’s pivotal role in Europe’s industrial transformation:
“Türkiye is not just adapting to the future of manufacturing — it is actively shaping it. With its strong industrial base and collaborative spirit, Türkiye is poised to co-create sustainable, digital, and future-ready solutions,” said Dr. Kousi. She highlighted key areas for collaboration, including sustainable manufacturing, digital transformation, and workforce upskilling, and called for deeper regional synergies across the Balkans to drive a stronger European industrial landscape.

Ömer Hantal, EIT Community Officer at EIT Community Hub Türkiye, added:
“Through initiatives like Access2Tech, we are bridging Türkiye’s innovation ecosystem with pan-European opportunities, scaling local strengths to create global impact,” he stated, underscoring the importance of building cross-regional collaborations and nurturing deep-tech startups for sustainable industrial advancement.

Panel 1: Industrial Transformation Through Strategic Collaborations in a Changing Geopolitical Landscape

The first panel, moderated by Dr. Vivian Sophou, Senior Manager at EIT Manufacturing South East, explored industrial strategies in a complex geopolitical landscape.

Moderator: Dr. Vivian Sophou, Senior Manager Business Development & Innovation, EIT Manufacturing South East

• Okan Otuz, Management Innovation & EU Programs Manager, Mercedes-Benz Türk, emphasized that sustainability must be engineered through collaboration: “Machines and humans must work together in harmony, and industries must align to meet the challenges of the new global order.”
• Dr. Burak Yelken, Manufacturing R&D Leader, Ford Otosan, shared insights on the evolving landscape of automotive innovation: “In a rapidly changing industry, adaptability is the new survival skill. Co-development and shared production lines are no longer optional — they are the future.”
• Konstantinos Chatzifotis, EU Affairs Manager, Motor Oil Group, commented on balancing ambition with realism in energy transition: “Energy transition must be bold yet balanced. Sustainability cannot be rushed without ensuring security and affordability.”
• Konstantinos Dimoulas, Industrial Automation & Safety Project Manager, Teaching Factory Competence Center, highlighted the importance of bridging academia and industry: “Our mission is to transform research into real-world industrial solutions, accelerating the pace of innovation where it’s needed most.”
• Evrim Özgül, Head of Global R&D Incentives and University Relations, Arçelik/Beko, stated that: “For us, aligning with global climate goals is no longer a choice — it’s a mandate. Technology drives efficiency, but cultural change ensures long-term impact.”

Keynote: Impossible Materials

Prof. Özge Akbulut, Chief Science Officer at Fark Labs and Professor at Sabancı University, delivered an inspiring keynote titled “Impossible Materials,” challenging traditional paradigms in materials science and manufacturing. She introduced the concept of Design for Frugality, advocating for high-performance materials and manufacturing techniques that prioritize cost-efficiency and accessibility without compromising innovation.

“The future of manufacturing lies in designing for frugality — enabling high-performance production using existing setups, eliminating the need for deep domain knowledge, and delivering ready-to-use, scalable solutions. If we can eliminate shrinkage in ceramics and metals, we will unlock technologies currently inaccessible to humanity,” 

Drawing from her extensive research collaborations with Imperial College London and the University of Manchester, Prof. Akbulut showcased groundbreaking advances in advanced ceramics and surface structuring of metals. She emphasized the urgent need for AI-driven material discovery, advocating for generative AI models to reduce experimental load and accelerate innovation, particularly in mechanical material properties — an area underserved compared to electrical and optical materials.

Her talk invited industrial leaders to rethink their approaches to material development, highlighting the transformative potential of high-throughput experimentation and predictive AI in shaping the future of manufacturing.

Panel 2: The Cost of Inaction – Measuring Missed Opportunities in a Fast-Moving World

Moderator: Selcen Uyguntüzel, Chief Growth & Opportunity Officer, Fark Labs

• Ahu Serter, Founder & CEO, Fark Labs, emphasized the need for a future-focused mindset within organizations:
  “To stay competitive, companies must create their own opportunity offices, agile structures that anticipate change and drive innovation beyond internal constraints.”
• Murat Salar, General Manager & Board Member, Azimut Portföy, underlined the financial risk of inertia:
  “In today’s high-inflation environment, standing still is not an option, active investment strategies are essential to preserve and grow value.”

The panel also introduced the upcoming Future Industries Fund, a collaboration between Fark Labs and Azimut Portföy, set to invest in next-generation technologies spanning energy, sustainable manufacturing, life sciences, and agricultural tech.
Ahu Serter highlighted: “Our goal is to find and grow companies that, in five years with 50 people, will reach the scale our parents’ companies built in 50 years with thousands.”
Murat Salar concluded with a call to action: “Dream big, take risks, work hard, this is the formula for building the industries of the future.”

Panel 3: Decoding the Growth Mindset

The third panel of the day explored how legacy companies in Türkiye and the Aegean region are fostering a growth mindset across generations. Moderated by Cevher Özyavuz, Executive Board Member of Cevher Group, the discussion featured prominent leaders navigating the intersection of tradition and transformation:

• Şelale Zaim, Board Member at İnci Holding, emphasized the importance of leadership that connects with people:
  “Sustainability in leadership is about more than expertise; it’s about being a role model and genuinely impacting people’s lives.”
• Fatih Uysal, Chairman of the Board at Norm Holding, highlighted the evolving dynamics between generations:
  “Working with the next generation brings immense joy — their global perspective and analytical approach challenge us to innovate beyond traditional ways.”
• Haluk Özyavuz, Chairman of the Board at Cevher Group, reflected on the evolving culture of leadership:
  “Today’s leaders must welcome open dialogue across generations. Encouraging diverse viewpoints is key to building resilient organizations.”

On preserving entrepreneurial spirit while scaling, Haluk Özyavuz remarked:
“Innovation and expansion must go hand in hand. Continuous change and strategic diversification are the foundations of sustainable growth.”

Fatih Uysal underlined the need for new leadership models to support innovation:
“Young generations challenge us to think differently, balancing tradition with fresh ideas is essential to stay competitive in today’s volatile environment.”

Şelale Zaim spoke on adapting to changing conditions and future-proofing legacy businesses:
“If entrepreneurship dies, the company dies. Creating platforms for experimentation and encouraging calculated risk-taking is how we secure the future.”

The session concluded with a clear message: thriving in uncertain times demands courage, innovation, and a deep commitment to collaboration across generations.

MaestroHub Use Case Presentation 

In a compelling use case presentation, Yasir Tunçer, CEO of MaestroHub, introduced a transformative approach to industrial data integration.
“Factories today need their own operating system — a smart, unified platform that turns fragmented data into actionable insights without replacing existing systems. At MaestroHub, we empower manufacturers to unlock productivity and sustainability by making the unseen visible,” Tunçer explained.

Highlighting real-world deployments, Tunçer shared examples where MaestroHub enabled manufacturers to reduce integration efforts by 80% and achieve significant energy savings, helping them transform operational complexity into streamlined efficiency.

Ampherr AG Use Case Presentation 

Selman Tosunoğlu, CEO and Founder of Ampherr AG, highlighted the company’s global footprint and rapid growth in the battery pack sector.
“We deliver certified, multi-chemistry battery solutions compatible with a wide range of vehicles — trucks, buses, marine vessels — accelerating the global shift to electrification with real, scalable products,” said Tosunoğlu.

With operations spanning Germany, Türkiye, and the U.S., Ampherr has delivered battery packs to 17 countries and is scaling rapidly, supported by a growing portfolio of certified products and strong customer demand across diverse sectors. The company is scaling aggressively with a $1.6 billion RFQ backlog and plans to expand production into the U.S. market, positioning itself as a key player in sustainable energy storage solutions

Startup Pitches: Driving Innovation Across Industries

The first group of startups showcased transformative solutions across manufacturing, logistics, and AI-driven production technologies:

• Kenan Dönmez, Co-Founder of YAPAR3D, introduced a smart, desktop-sized injection system: “We are enabling on-demand, high-quality plastic production, six times cheaper and 26 times faster than traditional methods.”

• Miguel Navalón, CEO of Navlandis, tackled the logistics sector’s inefficiencies: “Our foldable shipping containers reduce CO₂ emissions by 20% and operational costs by over 50%, reshaping sustainable transport.”

• Anıl Adar, Co-Founder of Mechanica AI, presented an AI-powered production planning platform: “With Magneto, manufacturers can boost operational efficiency by up to 27% through dynamic, AI-driven scheduling.”

• Atanas Stavrev, CEO of Lentis Technologies, unveiled autonomous robotic quality inspectors: “We are replacing manual inspection with plug-and-play AI-driven robots, delivering 99% accuracy without custom jigs or fixtures.”

• Erhan Turan, CTO of Simularge, showcased digital twin technology for industrial efficiency: “Our digital twins help factories save millions by optimizing energy and material use, achieving 20% gains in equipment efficiency.”

The second round of startup pitches showcased innovative technologies transforming industries from manufacturing to logistics and sustainability:

• Okan Dursun, Co-Founder & CEO of Carbon Gate, addressed corporate decarbonization challenges: “We empower SMEs to navigate carbon regulation with audit-ready, scalable carbon accounting, building a bridge to Europe’s green economy.”

• Burak Bağcı, Program Manager at Fizix AI, presented a smart machine health monitoring system: “By combining advanced IoT sensors with AI, we deliver real-time machine diagnostics, reducing downtime and optimizing energy use across industries.”

• Karya Ellibeş, Co-Founder of Qavis, introduced quantum-accelerated logistics optimization: “Quantum computing allows us to solve logistics’ most complex problems, cutting costs, reducing empty runs, and delivering operational precision.”

• Arslan Zahid, R&D Engineer at Inovako, unveiled AI-powered quality control systems: “With Deepmaster, we bring no-code, AI-driven quality inspection to the factory floor, democratizing access to industrial-grade AI solutions.”

• Gizem Uysal, Founder of Helios, presented next-generation carbon capture technology: “Our customizable metal-organic frameworks offer an energy-efficient path to industrial decarbonization, turning captured CO₂ into opportunity.”

The third startup pitch session showcased transformative industrial technologies, from AI-powered platforms to breakthrough hardware innovations.

• Oltan Dere, Co-Founder of Skymode, introduced an AI-secure platform for enterprises: “With Skymode, we provide enterprises with an all-in-one AI platform, combining secure, domain-specific LLMs and intelligent agents to enable seamless, enterprise-grade AI adoption.”

• Peter Lowe, International Business Development Director at theyeQ, presented an AI-driven visual inspection solution: “Our patented AI inspection system ensures real-time fault detection, delivering consistent quality and efficiency across industrial production lines.”

• Mustafa Sokullu, Co-Founder & Technology Director of NuManufacturing, showcased a next-generation smart manufacturing platform: “By integrating sensor fusion and digital twins, we transform industrial data into predictive intelligence, driving operational excellence and sustainability.”

• Dr. Altan Yıldırım, CEO of Lumos Laser, unveiled groundbreaking laser technology for precision manufacturing: “Our gigahertz-speed Coolburst lasers redefine ultrafast manufacturing, achieving 15x faster processing and unlocking new possibilities in high-tech industries.”

Award Ceremony: Honoring Excellence and Shaping the Future

The grand finale of the Access2Tech Europe | IndustX Innovation Call Demo Day concluded with an inspiring Award Ceremony, celebrating the most innovative startups driving the future of industry and sustainability.

After a day of outstanding pitches, the jury selected the top startups across multiple categories:

Top Awards

• First Place & CES Award — Fizix AI
• Second Place — Carbon Gate
• Third Place — Simularge

Paid PoC Awards:

• Arkas Holding — Navlandis
• Cevher Group — theyeQ
• Farplas Automotive — Inovako
• Norm Holding — Inovako

EIT Manufacturing Awards

• Access2Tech Award — Helios
• Access2Market Award — Lumos Laser
• AI Award — Inovako

The awards recognize startups that demonstrated exceptional technological innovation, scalability, and industrial impact — underscoring the critical role of corporate-startup collaboration in driving the next wave of industrial transformation.

We extend our sincere congratulations to all the winners and express our heartfelt thanks to our partners, the jury, and all participants who contributed to the success of this exceptional event.