April 18, 2014
How-To of Innovation,Technology and Entrepreneurship, by Randa Akeel
The World Bank Middle East and North Africa Region Finance and Private Sector Development Unit is pleased to invite you to the
“Catalyzing Innovation: From Concepts to Commitments”
Date: May 26 – 28, 2014
Place: Istanbul, Turkey — Hilton Bosphorus
Dear Sir/Madame,
It is my pleasure to invite you to the World Bank “How-to” of Technology Acquisition, Innovation and Entrepreneurship” Conference which will take place on May 26-28, 2014 at the Hilton Bosphorous in Istanbul, Turkey. This initiative is a practitioners exchange and learning series for the Middle-East and North Africa (MENA) region seeking to advance policy implementation by distilling operational lessons on the “how” of public support to technology acquisition, entrepreneurship and innovation-driven growth. It comprises a series of cross-regional Innovation Forums, Study Tours and Knowledge Notes for Bank client counterparts and experts/practitioners in the field to collaboratively work policy and program solutions for specific challenges leveraging knowledge from the latest research and working in thematic based groups.
This year’s conference will be co-hosted by the Middle East and North Africa Finance and Private Sector Unit, the Turkey Country Unit, and the Innovation Technology and Entrepreneurship Unit of the World Bank under the theme Catalyzing Innovation: From Concepts to Commitments. The two-day conference will be followed by site visits of key Technology parks and centers of science and research in the Istanbul area organized by the Technology Development Foundation of Turkey (TTGV) http://www.ttgv.org.tr/en.
Attached is the latest draft agenda for your reference.
(See attached file: How to Innovation – Turkey MNA – DRAFT Agenda APRIL 18.docx)
For conference registration and logistics please contact: Marjorie Espiritu email: [email protected] tel. (202) 458-7755.
We look forward to seeing you in Istantul.
With best regards, Randa
RANDA AKEEL
Senior Economist, Middle East and North Africa, Finance and Private Sector Group
Email: [email protected]; tel: (202)473-4152; fax:(202)522-2151; Skype: randa_akeel
“Catalyzing Innovation: From Concepts to Commitments”
May 26-28, 2014
Hilton Bosphorus | Istanbul |Turkey
Sunday May 25, 2014/ 7:00 p.m. : Meet and Greet Dinner
Venue: Sadirvan Terrace, Hilton Bosphorus
Day 1 (Monday May 26) – The Innovation Ecosystem
8:00am Welcome refreshments
9:00am Opening/welcome
Simon Bell (Sector Manager, Finance and Private Sector/Middle East and North Africa/The World Bank)
Keynote Speech – Policy priorities for Turkey in ensuring effective science technology and innovation investments and results
Dr. Cevahir Uzkurt (Directorate General, Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology/Republic of Turkey)
10:00am What are the drivers of private sector innovation?
Roland Daher (Head of Business Development/Wamda)
Aysegül Ildeniz (Intel, BIAC Technology Committee Vice Chair)
Justin Hill (Senior Private Sector Development Specialist/Finance and Private Sector/World Bank)
Moderator: Jose Guilherme Reis (Sector Leader/Finance and Private Sector/Europe and Central Asia/World Bank)
11:00am Coffee Break
11:15am Can the public sector play a catalytic role in innovation?
Dr. Omar Razzaz, Chairman of the King Abdullah Fund for Development (KAFD)
Ion Azua (Basque region)*
Geoff Leask (Head of Young Entrepreneurship Scotland)
Selin Sayek (Department Chair/Department of Economics/Bilkent University/Turkey)
Moderator: Esperanza Lasagabaster (Service Line Manager/Finance and Private Sector/World Bank)
12:30pm LUNCH
1:30pm Presentation from various countries on innovation ecosystem programs
H.E. Dr. Khaled Al Shuraydeh (Secretary General/Jordan Higher Council for Science and Technology)*
Mounir Chaouki (Morocco Association of ICT)
Dr. Mete Çakmakci (Secretary General/Technology Development Foundation of Turkey)
Moderator: Randa Akeel (Senior Economist/Finance and Private Sector/Middle East and North Africa/World Bank)
2:30pm Angel Investor Networks
Nelson Gray (Special Projects Director/LINC Scotland – Scottish Angel Network)
Yusuf Hamidaddin (Chief Executive Officer, Oasis500)
Hossam Allam (Cairo Angels)
Moderator: Oltac Unsal (InfoDEV)
3:30p Coffee Break
3:45p Roundtable Working Groups
Groups will break out by issue area and determine 3-4 priority areas to promote or address in the innovation ecosystem
4:45p Roundtable presentations and wrap up ending at 5:30pm
Moderator: Ömer Karasapan (Knowledge Coordinator/Middle East and North Africa/World Bank)
6:30 pm DINNER
Day 2 (Tuesday May 27) –Technology Transfer Mechanisms and M&E and Impact Evaluations
8:00a Welcome refreshments
9:00am The impact of techno parks
Bob Hodgson (Managing Director of Zernike U.K.)
Nicolas Rouhana (BERYTECH/Lebanon)
Mustafa Kızıltaş (General Manager/Middle East Technical University Technopolis/Turkey)*
Moderator: TUBITAK (moderator name to be announced)
10:30am Coffee Break
10:45am Technology Transfer Mechanisms
Iñaki San Sebastian (TECNALIA, Basque region)*
Ömer Hızıroğlu (Technology Transfer Director and General Counsel/Inovent/Turkey)*
Moderator: Paloma Casero (Sector Manager, Finance and Private Sector/Europe and Central Asia/The World Bank)*
12:00pm LUNCH
1:00pm Impact Evaluation – Innovation programs
Abdullah Gök (Manchester Institute of Innovation Research/Manchester Business School/The University of Manchester)
Yasemin Aslan (Head of Unit for Policy (Head of Unit for Policy/TUBITAK/Turkey)*
Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology/Republic of Turkey
Moderator: Zeina El Khoury (Head of Enterprise Team/Ministry of Economy and Trade/Lebanon)
3:00pm Public Expenditure Review on STI Toolkit
Speaker: Paulo Correa (Lead Economist/Finance and Private Sector/World Bank)
4:00pm Coffee Break
4:15pm Policymakers Panel – Commitments for the Coming Year
What will each participant commit to for the coming year (to report at next year’s How-To conference)
H.E. Dr. Khaled Al Shuraydeh (Secretary General/Jordan Higher Council for Science and Technology)*
H.E. Mohammad Al-Zuhair (Executive Chairman/Kuwait National Fund for SME Development)*
H.E. Alain Bifani (Director General/Ministry of Finance and Trade/Lebanon)*
Panel Moderator and Closing Remarks: Martin Raiser (Country Director/Turkey/Europe and Central Asia/World Bank)
5:45pm COCKTAIL HAPPY HOUR
Day 3 (Wednesday May 28) – Site Visit
Sabancı Univ. SUNUM Research Center
The Sabancı University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), is developed with approximately 25 Million Euros provided by the State Planning Organization and Sabancı Foundation and became operational in July 2011.
In addition to high impact multidisciplanary research and development, the Center is also engaged in industry liason and public outreach activities to promote and to educate the public about the extent and the impact of nanotechnologies. One of the main goal of the Center is to bring attention to safe development and use of nanotechnologies. The location of the Center in Tuzla, İstanbul, in a heavily populated and industrial zone allows direct and effective interactions with other industrial, public and academic institutions. Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey (and one the largest cities in the region) with a population of 17 million and economical activity reaching about one–third of the nation. The Center is engaged in industrial outreach by becoming the only academic founding member and a major contributor to National Nanotechnology Initiative, a voluntary organization aimed at promoting the use of nanotechnologies in industrial sectors in Turkey and establishing implementation strategies from industrial aspects. The ongoing seminars, workshops and brainstorming meetings are already underway in key industrial areas of construction and textiles with related industry associations.
GOSP Teknopark
In early 2000, Gebze Organized Industry Zone (GOSB) and Tefen Industrial Parks, in a joint venture, decided to found GOSB Teknopark, in an effort to contribute Turkey’s industry so that she is ready for international competition with an export oriented commercial structure. In 2001, the Technology Development Zones Legislation was approved by the Turkish Parliament. By means of this law, foundation of science and research parks in Turkey, led by universities, was encouraged, and various arrangement, primarily fiscal exemptions, were provided. The most prominent feature of the technopark was that this cooperation, which became official in 2002, was in an organized industry zone. Over 119 companies and 1864 R&D Personnel within GOSB Teknopark, of which construction was completed in 2005, is among the fastest developing technoparks of Turkey. The companies within the technopark carry out their operations in 6 buildings. Covering a total of 120.000 m2, GOSB Teknopark has 12.756 m2 covered area, available for rent. Of this, 3.806 m2 has been allocated to software companies, and 8.950 m2 was allocated to research and development companies.
Teknoparkİstanbul (which is still a development project) with interesting programs (such as a life sciences incubation program) This would not be a site visit but we could perhaps meet the management for a presentation
The concept of establishing Teknopark Istanbul rests upon decisions taken by the Defense Industry Executive Committee on October 8th, 1987 on the founding of an airport on the Asian side of Istanbul. Upon this decision on the 20th of April 1988 the Council of Ministers allocated 13 million m2 of land to ITEP (Advanced Technology Support Programme) for national use. 250 hectares (2,5 million m2) of this grant has been allocated for the use of Teknopark Istanbul.
Teknopark Istanbul is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, in Pendik Kurtköy next to the Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Project concepts include but are not limited to: industrial support, research and development, science and technology, and education/training. The project’s main objective will be to facilitate the achievement of future national technology requirements through the utilization of natural resources by the creation of a technically and scientifically advanced infrastructure. This is aimed at providing an environment that will foster innovation and provide entrepreneurs, both local and international, with the facilities they require.
The establishment process of Teknopark İstanbul project, one of ITEP’s most critical projects, began with the signing of the Letter of Intent on the 12th of February 2009 by the three initial members of the Founding Committee; the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM), the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) and the Istanbul Commerce University (İTİCÜ). HEAŞ (Airport Management and Aeronautical Industries Inc.) and Defence Technologies Engineerings and Trade Inc (STM) joined these signatories to become founding members.
The Teknopark Istanbul project, through the coordination of the SSM, completed this first step on the 24th of April 2009 with their application to the Industry and Trade Ministry. Teknopark Istanbul gained the states of a Technology Development Zone on the 3rd of October 2009; a decision published in the Official Gazette (No.27365) as 2009/15439 .
Arçelik Research Center
Having displayed the first corporate examples of university-industry cooperation in Turkey successfully, Arçelik has contributed to the completion of more than 200 theses so far with the cooperation of respected professors at the universities. Thus, scientific approaches and wide knowledge in the university have created value for our R&D projects and companies as well as universities itself. Our company has undersigned long-term projects with college students as from internship period. More than 100 engineers, who completed their theses at Arçelik under the supervision of professors, have been recruited in different units of the company.