TÜSİAD discussed innovation in the Istanbul Design Biennale

TÜSİAD held a conference titled "From Creative Ideas to Innovative Enterprises" as part of the IKSV Istanbul Design Biennale at the Istanbul Modern Art Museum Conference Hall, on November 12th 2012.

The meeting dealt with the methods of promoting innovation and high value added innovative entrepreneurship and included success stories of innovative companies.

The meeting was opened with a welcome speech by Mr. Bülent Eczacıbaşı, Honorary President of TÜSİAD and President of the Board of IKSV, and opening addresses by Ms. Ümit Boyner, President of the Board of Directors of TÜSİAD, and by Ms. Ayşegül İldeniz, President of the Technology and Innovation Working Group of TÜSİAD

Ms. Ümit Boyner stated that she believes that our society has to change its approach to the diversity of ideas and that only in a society rich with individuals having new ideas and a capacity and willingness for entrepreneurship, successful innovative enterprises may flourish, new products and services may emerge and find opportunities of growth. Ms. Boyner expressed that the precondition of creating such an environment is evidently an educational system bringing up creative, innovative, and analytical individuals. Remarking that innovation and technological development are the basic building blocks of an economic structure creating entrepreneurial opportunities, focusing on high value added production and promoting venture investment; Ms. Ümit Boyner stressed that the road to the competitive advantages in the international markets and prosperity is paved with the superior technology, R&D and innovation. In order to promote a suitable environment for the technological development and innovation Ms. Boyner indicated that we have to multiply our efforts to make the commercialization process of inventions more efficient, to increase the pre-competition cooperation, and to improve academia-industry relations by more efficient use of technology transfer offices and R&D incentive schemes. Ms. Boyner said: “This is how we can differentiate our product mix and save it from remaining ordinary in the international markets.” Ms. Boyner expressed also that the conference aims at presenting essentially the success stories of micro and small scale innovative companies.

Ms. Ayşegül İldeniz reminded that the main factor increasing our country’s current account deficit is the dependency of our industry to the intermediate good import and she stressed the importance of the innovation and technology based investment in order to break this dependency and improve our export performance. Ms. İldeniz indicated that the relationship between the innovation and the technology is not accidental, and as the effective use of technology paves the way of innovations by increasing innovative skills and capacity, technological investment is an imperative for our country. Noting favorable developments in the fields of R&D and innovation in our country during the recent years, Ms. İldeniz said: “However, when we take a look at the international rankings, we notice that there is still quite a lot to be done.” Ms. İldeniz concluded by stating that in spite of all the shortcomings, brilliant examples of innovation are multiplying in our country.

In the conference Mr. Jeff Hoffman, Founding Partner of ColorJar and Founding Member of Priceline.com, delivered a keynote speech, and many other local and foreign speakers discussed various aspects of the subject.

The session on the success stories of micro and small scale innovative companies was moderated by Ms. Ayşegül İldeniz, President of the Technology and Innovation Working Group of TÜSİAD. In this session, Mr. Kutsal Anıl, President of the Board of PAVO Tasarım Üretim Elektronik Ticaret, Mr. Ergun Kenan Güvenç, General Manager of GDY Pixel Reklam Yazılım Ltd., Mr. Fatih İşbecer, Founder and General Manager of Pozitron Yazılım A.Ş., Ms. Gülsen Çeliker, Vice President of the Board of Innovcoat Nanoteknolojik Boya ve Yüzey Ürünleri Sanayi Ticaret ve Ar-Ge A.Ş., and Ms. Tülin Akın, Founder and General Manager of Tarımsal Pazarlama Eğitim Yayıncılık Danışmanlık San. Tic. Ltd., made a speech.

The conference also included the presentation of a short film demonstrating the importance of creating a difference by thinking differently.


Presentation of Mr. Jeff Hoffman, Founding Partner of ColorJar and Founding Member of Priceline.com