In the final, where 13 projects competed, Duygu Yılmaz won the first place in the individual category with her project titled ‘’Production of Sustainable Textile Products and Vegetable Leather with Biopolymer Made from Olive Seed Waste, Protecting Nature’’ and in the corporate category, Polyteks R&D Center took the lead with the ‘’Biodegradable Washable Antiviral Mask’’ project. Cansu Yanık and Ceren Danış won the award given for the first time this year that was given for women entrepreneurs with their projects named Wearebasics.
Success of Women Entrepreneurs
Techxtil Start-Up Challenge, Turkey's largest textile entrepreneurship program was pointed out by UTİB Chairman Engin Pinar Taşdelen, " We have 174 project applications despite pandemic this year. Besides, our number of applications, which was 104 last year, has experienced a steep rise with an increase of 66 percent. For the first time this year, we put out a special award to encourage women entrepreneurs. With the effect of this, 64 of the 174 projects that submitted came only from our women entrepreneurs. While having the joy of this, it was another thing that made us very happy that a woman entrepreneur could rise to first stage.’’
Pınar Taşdelen Engin, President of UTİB, emphasized that the impact of the pandemic we are experiencing in this year's applications was severe and said, “While 11 candidates present projects aiming to find a solution to a problem or situation related to the pandemic, 10 in smart textiles, 18 in virtual reality, 20 in technical textiles, 5 in energy efficiency and 1 submission in economy areas we recorded. A significant number of projects were presented in areas such as sustainability and artificial intelligence. On the other hand, while nearly 2,400 projects have reached us in 11 years, it is apparent that around 5 per cent of them achieving commercialization level that proves our proper business conduct.’’
Şankaya: "We think that this work will set an example for other sectors."
Uludağ Apparel and Apparel Exporters' Association Vice President Şenol Şankaya said, “As Uludağ Ready-to-Wear and Apparel Exporters Association, especially as for Uludağ Textile Exporters Association UTİB; a hub that can take entrepreneurship to a next level with the cooperation we have made with our industrialists, universities, technoparks and technocities, as well as with important institutions of our city such as Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BTSO), Bursa Eskişehir Bilecik Development Agency (BEBKA), and Bursa Technology Coordination and R&D Center (BUTEKOM). We aim to create. This event, where we contribute to the development of their ideas by giving mentoring support to all our entrepreneurs participating in the Techxtile Start Up Challenge, is a long-term and living process. We think that the results of this study will be an example for other sectors.”
TİM President İsmail Gülle:
Mentioning that Techxtile Start-Up Challenge is the synergy created altogether, TİM President İsmail Gülle said, “There are many institutions under this program, especially our ministries. There is solidarity. It is very meaningful to come together for a purpose for the coordination of all subjects. As people who believed in the cause, believed in the future of this country and spent all our time to give something to the people of this country, I hope that the projects of these entrepreneur brothers find value, merge with capital, and be instrumental in businesses that will benefit our country. ”
Bursalı Tekstil Wins the Textile Innovation League
After the brief protocol finalists, nine leading companies in the sector were awarded by the jury at the 7th Turkey Textile Innovation League. Bursalı Tekstil San. ve Tic. Inc. became the champions of the 7th Turkey Textile Innovation League. Amongst the thirteen projects reaching final at Techxtil Start-Up Challenge, Duygu Yılmaz ranked first in the individual category with her project "Olive Core Waste-Derived From Prina, Nature Protecting Biopolymer Sustainable Textile Products and Vegetable Leather Production."
This time, R&D Centers competed in the Techxtile Start-Up Challenge Corporate category. As a result of the Evaluation Board, Polyteks R&D Center was placed at first stage with the "Biodegradable Washable Antiviral Mask" project, where the second was the project named "Odor Absorbing Air Purifying Technical Textile Fabrics in Home Textiles" by Berteks Tekstil R&D Center and Yeşim Tekstil R & D was ranked the third with its project named "Ysmguard."
Cansu Yanık and Ceren Danış were the recipients of the "Woman Entrepreneur Award"
Cansu Yanık and Ceren Danış received a special award for women entrepreneurs for the first time this year in the Techxtile Start-Up Challenge program in order to encourage more women entrepreneurs to participate in the sector, with their project named “Wearebasics”.
