ITU ARI Teknokent on Media
ARI Teknokent Strengthens European Entrepreneurship Network in Marseille
As ARI Teknokent, we were pleased to participate in the 36th Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) Network Meeting held in Marseille, within the scope of our SEEDbridge Project.
With the participation of our General Manager Prof. Dr. Attila Dikbaş and our Head of International Projects Office Başak Tetiköz, we had the opportunity to meet with key stakeholders of the European entrepreneurship ecosystem and further strengthen our international collaborations. The event brought together intermediary organisations, entrepreneurship support institutions, chambers of commerce, innovation agencies, and technology parks from across Europe, providing a valuable platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and partnership development.
Through the SEEDbridge project, we aim to connect new entrepreneurs with experienced host entrepreneurs across Europe, support knowledge transfer, and contribute to the development of a strong international entrepreneurship ecosystem. As İTÜ ARI Teknokent, we are proud to represent Türkiye in this network and actively contribute to the mobility and collaboration opportunities offered under the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Programme.
During the meeting, we evaluated the upcoming activities and next steps of the SEEDbridge project together with our partners from Italy, Greece, Spain, Norway, and Ukraine. We also held productive bilateral meetings with various entrepreneurship centers, clusters, technology parks, and business support organizations from different countries to explore new cooperation opportunities and potential project partnerships.
In addition, we presented the opportunities we offer within the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme, discussed ongoing collaborations, and explored new ways to further strengthen entrepreneurship cooperation between Türkiye and Europe. The meeting was highly productive in terms of developing new partnerships, exchanging best practices, and increasing the visibility of our ecosystem at the European level.
We look forward to continuing to build strong international collaborations and creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs through our European projects and partnerships.
From Research to Market: A Smart Textiles Collaboration Across Türkiye, Czech Republic, and Kazakhstan
The Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs exchange between New Entrepreneur Yerikzhan Akhmetov and Host Entrepreneur Özgül Dalkılıç is a strong example of how international collaboration can transform research-based ideas into market-ready innovation in the field of smart textiles and wearable technologies.
Yerikzhan Akhmetov, an entrepreneur originally from Kazakhstan and currently based in the Czech Republic, joined the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme with the goal of gaining hands-on experience in the deep-tech startup lifecycle. Supported by his alma mater, the University of New York in Prague, he was connected to the programme and began searching for a host entrepreneur working in smart textiles and wearable technologies.
He found the ideal match in Özgül Dalkılıç, Founder and CEO of WearTechClub, a deep-tech wearable technology startup based at ARI Teknokent in Türkiye. Their exchange took place between August 2025 and February 2026 and focused on smart textiles, wearable technologies, applied innovation, and entrepreneurial development.
The collaboration focused on a key industry challenge: maintaining reliable physiological data during high-intensity motion. By combining entrepreneurial experience, structured literature research, and real product development processes, the exchange aimed to bridge scientific research with market-oriented innovation.
From the beginning of the exchange, Yerikzhan and Özgül planned to co-author a technical article to strengthen WearTechClub’s thought leadership in the smart textiles field. Yerikzhan conducted a structured review of more than 15 scientific publications addressing motion-related signal degradation and helped define a strategic positioning for WearTechClub around the concept of “movement-resistant physiological monitoring.” This work also contributed to the development of a concept for an industry whitepaper.
In addition to research activities, Yerikzhan prepared technical documentation for experiments and participated in live device demonstrations and sensor calibration sessions with lecturers and researchers at İTÜ laboratories. These activities allowed him to gain practical experience in real-world data collection and testing processes, which he plans to replicate in future experiments in Almaty.
One of the most important outcomes of the exchange was the creation of an academic and research collaboration bridge between Almaty Technological University and İTÜ laboratories. Through Yerikzhan’s network, his academic advisor Indira Jurinskaya became involved as a co-author and advisor for the joint publication and potential joint research projects.
This collaboration established the foundation for future joint grant applications, research cooperation, and testing activities while creating a long-term international R&D bridge in smart textiles and wearable technologies.
The exchange played a critical role in the development of Yerikzhan’s startup idea, InnoKnit Tech Lab. During the six-month collaboration, the concept evolved from a research-based idea into a validated business model with a clear technology roadmap and market positioning.
The partnership will continue beyond the exchange period. WearTechClub is expected to become the first pilot client of InnoKnit Tech Lab, focusing on how antistatic textile properties affect physiological signal quality. This research will be supported by experiments conducted in Almaty using protocols developed during demonstrations and testing activities at İTÜ.
The exchange resulted in significant professional and business outcomes. Yerikzhan established a strong professional network within the ARI Teknokent ecosystem, including laboratories, mentors, and researchers, and is now applying for residency in the technopark. The exchange demonstrated how scientific research, entrepreneurial thinking, and international cooperation can come together to create innovation with real market potential.
