The world’s largest occasion for startups and traders, the Expand North Star 2023 this 12 months reached unprecedented dimensions. Hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, it introduced collectively 1,800 ventures from across the globe, searching for to foster innovation and encourage and set the stage for expanded collaborations.
Simultaneously, over a thousand traders overseeing a trillion {dollars} from 70 international locations converged on the new Dubai Port for GITEX GLOBAL, the world’s premier expertise occasion, partaking with entrepreneurs.
Supported by the Trade Ministry, some 62 Turkish startups participated, some in GITEX GLOBAL and others within the Expand North Star entrepreneurs’ meetup.
At GITEX GLOBAL, established and mature startups took the stage, presenting their improvements to potential shoppers and traders.
Meanwhile, within the marina internet hosting the Expand North Star occasion, startups seized the chance to make displays and interact in discussions with traders. Notably, Sonos Software from Türkiye made it to the ultimate in a world competitors.
Tech giants
In a testomony to the GITEX GLOBAL’s significance, expertise giants like Dell Technologies, Google, Huawei, HP, IBM and Microsoft led the exploration of the newest developments, dangers, challenges and alternatives reshaping varied industries.
Salesforce, Broadcom, Beyon and Deloitte joined as first-time members, including momentum to the occasion’s declare of being the world’s largest tech gathering.
And Turkish tech ventures, partnering with business leaders, additional amplified their presence on the worldwide stage, showcasing their capabilities.
Corporate reminiscence software program
One standout Turkish startup, Sono Software, which focuses on company reminiscence software program, made waves with its experience in company governance.
CEO Kırçiçeği Korkmaz highlighted their built-in options, spanning danger administration, course of administration and inner audits throughout sectors and public establishments.
“We produce solutions for risk management, process management and internal audit issues. The most important part of this software is that it works fully integrated. We work with many industry leaders in Türkiye,” stated Korkmaz.
“Our software is used in many sectors, including energy and construction and by public institutions. We are a company that has received international awards. Our team consists entirely of computer engineers specializing in artificial intelligence and Internet of Things technologies and effectively integrating these technologies. Additionally, we are experts in cloud computing, allowing all our services to be accessible via the cloud,” she famous.
“As we enter the globalization stage, we need investors to support us. We participated in the event in Dubai to meet potential investors and customers for Series A funding.”
Customer expertise
Cloud4feed, one other Turkish startup, highlighted the rising significance of buyer expertise. Utilizing synthetic intelligence expertise, Cloud4feed collects suggestions from varied touchpoints, enhancing buyer loyalty.
CEO Cef Tovil emphasised the necessity for companies to understand the importance of huge knowledge and acquire actionable insights. Cloud4feed operates in 19 international locations and has secured important investments, together with $300,000 in a funding spherical joined by Türk Telekom’s enterprise capital arm, TT Ventures.
“We see that customer experience has become the fundamental battleground for competition. One-third of consumers can abandon a brand after just one bad experience. However, we observe that businesses are only aware of 4% of dissatisfied customers. Despite this, companies attempt to measure and find customer experience through traditional methods like mystery shopping. We recognize the need to interpret big data and gain insights. This is where Cloud4feed comes in,” stated Tovil.
“We measure real experiences at customer touchpoints in real-time, obtain insights using artificial intelligence technology and take action based on the feedback received. In this way, we aim to increase customer loyalty,” he famous.
“Currently, we work with over 60 corporate firms in 19 different countries. At the end of last year, we closed a funding round of $300,000 that was also joined by Türk Telekom TT Ventures. We are currently preparing for a new investment, aiming to continue growing in Europe and North America.”
Smart options for meals waste
Additionally, Cognitiwe, led by CEO Atilla Algan, addressed the urgent subject of meals waste. Their AI-powered system optimizes the administration of perishable items in retail, maritime and culinary sectors, resulting in substantial value financial savings.
“When fresh goods stay on shelves for a long time, sales losses increase and, more importantly, food is wasted. We eliminate two significant errors in the retail sector. Using artificial intelligence and cameras, we enable retailers to better manage fresh food products on shelves through AI technology. We have started working with major food chains in Türkiye, Dubai and South America,” stated Algan.
He says their resolution isn’t restricted to supermarkets.
“It also manages kitchens and food storage on ocean-going ships. One of our clients provides catering services for 2,000 ships. They do not know how much of each product is left on the ship or what to load when they reach port. Consequently, they maintain a food stock worth $12 million in real time. By using our solution, they manage these cold storage facilities more efficiently, receiving real-time reports about products while the ship is at sea and saving $12 million,” Algan famous.
Additionally, he stated that they had performed important pilot initiatives with cafe chains and bakeries.
“In short, we continue to develop solutions to manage food losses. Accessing investment worldwide has become challenging. We are meeting with investors from all over the world. Flex6tabs, an investment platform, offers an acceleration program in seven countries. With their support, we continue to grow.”
Constantly on the transfer
At the occasion, Ali Karabey, co-founder of 212 VC, an early-stage enterprise capital fund, highlighted the necessity for steady investor assist for early-stage Turkish startups.
Karabey emphasised the significance of world outreach and the Middle East’s distinctive entrepreneurial panorama, underscoring the fund’s dedication to nurturing expertise and fostering worldwide alternatives for rising Turkish ventures.
“We established our first fund in 2012 and the second fund in 2018. This year, we are establishing our third major fund. Our goal is to support early-stage ventures from this region to enter international markets, especially those emerging from Türkiye,” he famous.
Karabey stated in Dubai, they sought traders for his or her new fund.
“We have brought our entrepreneurs here. Particularly during the global slowdown, it is essential for us to be everywhere, constantly on the move, just like our entrepreneurs, to boost the capabilities of the fund and increase its size,” he added.
Karabey says the Middle East area is fascinating, with a wealth of proficient people.
“We focus on Türkiye, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. However, capital is still scarce. That’s why we seek investment for ourselves while explaining that ventures emerging from this region can make a global impact,” he famous.
“Of course, the world is going through a slowdown, but talented individuals continue to pursue global opportunities bravely. We will continue to support them.”
Driving manufacturing via digital innovation
Mert Software is making vital strides within the manufacturing sector with its built-in {hardware} and software program options.
According to Ilhan Özdemir, board chair, the corporate is devoted to growing software program tailor-made for the manufacturing business, specializing in resolving sector-specific challenges. Their options span throughout 13 key sectors, together with drinks, automotive, house home equipment, cables and plastic injections.
“We develop software for the manufacturing sector, focusing on solving the industry’s problems. We create integrated solutions for electronics and software. We address the needs of 13 different major sectors, including beverages, the automotive industry, home appliances, cables and plastic injections. In the manufacturing sector, paperwork is still prevalent. We want to eliminate these papers with the concept of Industry 4.0. We are making efforts to digitize the area,” Özdemir stated.
He urged that companies can acquire numerous added worth and enhance manufacturing effectivity, cut back prices and stand out from their opponents.
“There is a story where ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems couldn’t solve the problems in manufacturing fields. Our systems are operational in Coca-Cola’s nearly 300 filling facilities worldwide. Our systems are used in the facilities of Stellantis, one of the world’s largest automotive dealers. Our systems are also used in major German automotive companies,” Özdemir famous.
Established in 1997, Mert Software earned official recognition as a analysis and improvement (R&D) middle in 2016 and in 2021, it entered the expertise improvement zone.
Now boasting a workforce of greater than 115 professionals, the corporate includes software program builders, challenge consultants and consultants from varied disciplines.
Özdemir stated it marked its debut participation at GITEX as a part of the nationwide participation facilitated by the Service Exporters Association (HİB) underneath the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) umbrella.
“We are hopeful about this region and that we can find our place, especially in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and North African countries.”
Gateway to world enlargement
To elevate Türkiye’s tech prowess on the worldwide stage, Yıldız Teknopark, a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship, has inaugurated the StarCamp initiative.
The enterprise, geared toward fostering world connections and business progress, was formally launched in the course of the GITEX Global occasion, the place distinguished traders and tech lovers from the area converged.
Orhan Tanışman, the overall supervisor of Yıldız Teknopark, shared insights about StarCamp and indicated its function in amplifying Türkiye’s technological footprint worldwide.
“Yıldız Teknopark hosts more than 700 companies and our goal was to extend this influence beyond Türkiye’s borders. In collaboration with our partners, we decided to venture abroad. With five stakeholders, we established an entrepreneurship acceleration program in Silicon Valley. The success of this venture prompted us to expand to other locations. The center in Dubai, previously established by TIM, aimed at boosting Turkish IT exports. We decided to continue under the StarCamp brand. This has been opened as Türkiye’s first technology marketing office,” stated Tanışman.
“We are now in Dubai using the StarCamp brand. We are also working to establish a presence in London, Amsterdam and Berlin to promote the Turkish IT sector. Additionally, we aim to replicate the Silicon Valley structure in Chicago and Detroit in the United States. Moreover, we operate an incubator company in Uzbekistan. We are using StarCamp as a global brand,” he famous.
Behind these efforts, Tanışman stated they’re harnessing the intensive energy of Yıldız Technopark and bringing collectively every expertise firm underneath the StarCamp umbrella.
“Entrepreneurs aim to access financing. It’s not just about finding customers; the benefit lies in connecting products with the market. As Yıldız Tekno Venture Trust, we have involved Halkbank, Türk Telekom and Kalyon Group. Choosing Dubai, London and Amsterdam was not a coincidence. We aim to facilitate the meeting of Turkish IT companies with the market and financing,” he famous.
He burdened efforts at GITEX to facilitate conferences with financing circles and funds.
“We are actively involved in investment ourselves. If you’re not investing in your own companies, it’s not entirely right to expect funds to invest. We also work hard to help entrepreneurs expand their network of relationships,” added Tanışman.
Revolutionizing Dubai’s connectivity
IPera has been pioneering the combination of clever WiFi options in key public areas throughout Dubai.
Umut Kavurmacı, the co-founder, shared the corporate’s journey from being a distinguished participant in cellphone site visitors reporting and evaluation programs between 2004 and 2014 to its present place as a trailblazer within the clever expertise enviornment.
“We initially focused on selling phone traffic reporting and analysis systems to various companies in Türkiye and neighboring countries. Many leading groups and banks in Türkiye, including those in the top 500, became our clients. In 2014, we expanded our horizons and opened our office in Dubai Internet City to explore new markets,” Kavurmacı famous.
“We began by selling the product we had developed over a decade. Soon, we identified a gap in the market in WiFi and the Internet of Things (IoT). Shopping malls, theme parks and airports providing WiFi services generated vast amounts of data. We started processing this data to create value for organizations,” he stated.
IPera makes use of subtle software program and {hardware} from famend companions like Cisco to course of the info.
Kavurmacı emphasised the significance of customers’ consent and the way their actions, with their permission, might be leveraged to supply personalised suggestions and promotions.
“During the WiFi connection process, we obtain users’ consent. We can pinpoint their location within a range of 3 to 5 meters. For example, when someone is near a restaurant, we can send them notifications and messages with relevant information. We also send WhatsApp messages. Moreover, using heat maps created from this data, similar to those used in football matches, we provide organizations with valuable insights,” he defined.
This allows companies to supply promotions in much less crowded areas to draw buyer curiosity, in response to Kavurmacı.
“Being locally rooted is crucial. It took us a year to secure our first reference. Many young engineers are working in technopark in Istanbul. We have also garnered the attention of the Ministry of Tourism, and we are collaborating on a smart city project. We have started using artificial intelligence technology to process real-time data and generate analytics. Our product operates on the cloud,” he added.
Source: www.dailysabah.com