The G3 Forum Entrepreneurship Summit took place on 18 November 2025 at the Kocaeli International Congress Center with strong participation. Organized under the coordination of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), Habitat Association and GEN Türkiye, the summit received contributions from the Kocaeli Governorship, Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality and Ziraat Bank. The event was hosted by the Kocaeli Chamber of Industry (KCI), Kocaeli Chamber of Commerce, Gebze Chamber of Commerce and Körfez Chamber of Commerce.

Held this year under the theme “The Economics of Production in the Age of Intelligence,” the summit brought together leading figures from the entrepreneurship ecosystem and served as an important platform for dialogue and collaboration.

OPENING SPEECHES AND KEY MESSAGES

GEN Türkiye Chairman Nevzat Aydın, TOBB Young Entrepreneurs Board Chairman Turgut Konukoğlu, KCI Chairman of the Board Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, TOBB Chairman of the Board M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Mayor of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tahir Büyükakın and Kocaeli Governor İlhami Aktaş delivered the opening speeches. Speakers shared key assessments on digital transformation, the future of production and Türkiye’s entrepreneurship potential.

PANELS AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

During the panel titled “How Are Leadership and Competencies Transforming?”, GEN Türkiye Chairman Nevzat Aydın and Commencis Co-Founder, CEO and investor Fırat İşbecer discussed the evolving concept of leadership and the skills required in the new era.

The panel “How Is Artificial Intelligence Transforming Business Models?” featured Tiktak Founder and CEO Ersan Öztürk, Hepsiburada CEO Nilhan Onal Gökçetekin, IBM Türkiye General Manager Işıl Kılınç Gürtuna and Good Earth Vision Founder and GEN Türkiye Board Member Tal Garih. Panelists examined the impact of artificial intelligence on the business world from multiple perspectives.

In the session titled “Artificial Intelligence Can Now Think. What About Us?”, technology writer and trend analyst M. Serdar Kuzuloğlu shared striking examples that illustrated the changing relationship between artificial intelligence and human intelligence.

The panel “Where Are Investments Flowing?” brought together Boğaziçi Ventures Managing Partner Kenan Çolpan, Finberg Board Member İhsan Elgin and FigoPara Co-Founder and CEO Koray Bahar. The speakers discussed emerging investment trends and the future direction of the entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Across these sessions, participants explored current developments related to artificial intelligence, sustainability, the digital economy, investment trends and the future of production.

OPEN HOUSE MEETINGS CONNECT ENTREPRENEURS AND INVESTORS

As part of the G3 Forum, the Open House Meetings provided entrepreneurs with the opportunity to meet one-on-one with investors, mentors and industry representatives. Entrepreneurs selected through an application process presented their projects, asked direct questions and received valuable feedback that helped them further develop their initiatives. Through this format, the G3 Forum acted as an effective bridge between key ecosystem stakeholders.

STARTUP HUDDLE HIGHLIGHTS EARLY-STAGE INITIATIVES

The Startup Huddle sessions aimed to increase the visibility of early-stage ventures and expand access to evaluation and investment opportunities. During these sessions, Acdccharge, Forsico, Evrasera and Myaircharger presented their ideas, received constructive feedback and gained opportunities to advance their startups.

Held under the leadership of the Presidency of Defence Industries and with the participation of numerous companies, the “Kocaeli Provincial Defence Industry Meeting” and Match4Industry B2B Meetings took place simultaneously at the new service building of the Kocaeli Chamber of Industry (KCI). The event welcomed Deputy President of the Presidency of Defence Industries Prof. Dr. İhsan Kaya and attracted strong interest from both domestic and international companies over two days.

Following the opening ceremony, the Kocaeli Provincial Defence Industry Meeting continued with high attendance throughout the afternoon and on the second day. Organized for the fourteenth time within the framework of the Enterprise Europe Network, the Match4Industry event also hosted participants for two days and continued to serve as a bridge for establishing commercial and technological partnerships between companies. A total of 181 Turkish and foreign companies took part in Match4Industry, where numerous bilateral business meetings were held.

OVER 4,500 BUSINESS MEETINGS

Hosted by KCI Chairman of the Board Ayhan Zeytinoğlu and Assembly Chairman Hasan Tahsin Tuğrul, the event welcomed Deputy President of the Presidency of Defence Industries Prof. Dr. İhsan Kaya. Kocaeli Governor İlhami Aktaş, members of the provincial protocol and representatives of defence industry foundation companies also showed strong interest. The program opened with a speech by Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu.

“We consider the defence industry a strategic sector for Türkiye’s industrialization process and economic development,” Zeytinoğlu said. “With its high-technology-based production structure, this sector stands out as one of the areas with the highest innovation capacity and added value. As a chamber, we therefore carry out various programs, partnerships and projects to support our member companies in becoming suppliers to the defence industry. Through our activities, we have facilitated more than 4,580 business meetings and over 95 company visits to date.”

‘GOLDEN AGE OF LOCALIZATION AWARD’

Zeytinoğlu noted that KCI launched Defence Industry Consultancy Services in 2017 to coordinate the production of domestically developed weapons, devices and systems required by the Turkish Armed Forces. “Building on this experience, we established the Kocaeli Defence Industry Company in 2019 under the leadership and partnership of our chamber, together with 64 of our member companies, to manufacture equipment planned for localization,” he said.

As KSS, the company completed the production and military-standard qualification of the “Meteorological Observation and Global Positioning System,” which ASELSAN requested to be localized, and delivered it to the defence industry for use in 2022. Zeytinoğlu stated that this achievement earned the company ASELSAN’s Golden Age of Localization Award.

A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY FOR SUPPLIERS

Zeytinoğlu emphasized that the event brought together key institutions and companies, including the Presidency of Defence Industries, the Ministry of National Defence Inventory Control Center and Military Factories General Directorate, ASELSAN, HAVELSAN, ROKETSAN, TUSAŞ, STM, BMC, Machinery and Chemical Industry Corporation, TEI, TÜBİTAK SAGE, FNSS, Aspilsan and ASFAT.

“For companies aiming to become suppliers to the defence industry, this event offers a major opportunity,” he said. “Through bilateral business meetings, participants can explore cooperation possibilities for the local supply of defence products currently imported from abroad. Meetings will continue today after the opening and throughout tomorrow. I hope this event brings value to our companies, our region and our country.”

Following Zeytinoğlu, Deputy Mayor of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Hasan Soba took the floor and highlighted the importance of the progress achieved in the industrial sector in recent years.

KAYA SHARES SECTOR INSIGHTS

Deputy President of the Presidency of Defence Industries Prof. Dr. İhsan Kaya provided information on the activities of the Presidency and recent developments and innovations in the defence industry. Emphasizing the significance of the level Türkiye has reached in this field, Kaya stated that all stakeholders must act together to ensure sustainable success.

Kocaeli Governor İlhami Aktaş also stressed that aligning all defence industry stakeholders in the city around a common goal would position Kocaeli as one of Türkiye’s strategic production centers. He expressed his belief that Kocaeli’s contribution to Türkiye’s defence initiatives would grow significantly in the future.

INTENSIVE B2B MEETINGS ON THE SECOND DAY

On the first day, meetings continued with prime contractor foundation companies participating in the event. On the second day, prime contractors met with supplier companies that are members of KCI and held intensive bilateral business meetings. These meetings, hosted at KCI’s new service building, continued into the evening due to strong interest. A total of 583 meetings took place within the scope of the Kocaeli Provincial Defence Industry Meeting.

MATCH4INDUSTRY BRINGS COMPANIES TOGETHER

Held simultaneously with the Kocaeli Provincial Defence Industry Meeting, the Match4Industry B2B Meetings welcomed participants over two days. Organized for the fourteenth time within the Enterprise Europe Network, Match4Industry continued its role as a bridge for establishing commercial and technological partnerships while supporting companies in accessing international markets.

Turkish and foreign companies came together in Kocaeli to explore business opportunities, build new connections and follow the latest developments in industry. The event hosted 181 companies operating in sectors such as automotive supply, machinery, metal, automation, plastics, chemicals, construction materials, information and communication technologies, industrial services and consultancy.

2,500 PARTICIPANTS AND 8,000 B2B MEETINGS

Since 2012, the event has brought together 2,500 company representatives and facilitated more than 8,000 bilateral business meetings. This year, 574 B2B meetings were held with the participation of 116 Turkish and 52 foreign company representatives.

Participating countries included the United States, China, Germany, the United Kingdom, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Albania, Ukraine, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Bulgaria, Czechia, Lithuania, Hungary and Romania.

The Kocaeli Chamber of Industry (KCI) held the 7th Joint Meeting of the Professional Committees of its 9th term in Thessaloniki. As part of the program, the Thessaloniki Chamber of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises was also visited, and cooperation opportunities between the two countries were discussed.

KCI organized the meeting with strong participation under the leading of Chair of the Board Ayhan Zeytinoğlu and Assembly Chair Hasan Tahsin Tuğrul. The meeting brought together Consul General of the Republic of Türkiye in Thessaloniki Serkan Gedik, Trade Attaché Gülcan İren, Business Advisor at the International Relations Department of the Federation of Greek Industries Monika Nagy, Advisor to the President of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Private Sector Liaison Officer to the World Bank Group Theodoros Axilithiotis, General Commercial Registry Auditor of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry Theodoros Triantaffillidis, President of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Makarios Papadopoulos and Board Member of the Greek Confederation of Small Businesses and Trades Panagiotis Gkofas. The participants shared information about their institutions and the economic structure of the Thessaloniki region. Chair of the Board of the Turkish Lloyd Foundation Prof. Dr. Oral Erdoğan also attended the meeting and delivered a presentation.

EMPHASIS ON THE ROLE OF PROFESSIONAL COMMITTEES

During the meeting, committee members discussed the challenges faced by Kocaeli’s industrial sector. They raised issues related to the KKDIK (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) regulation competition with China in the machinery industry, limited land availability for solar power investments in the Marmara region, renewable energy, visa-related difficulties affecting industrialists, problems caused by a non-competitive exchange rate, customs tariffs, qualified employment and rising labor costs. Chair Ayhan Zeytinoğlu stated that KCI would carry out further work on these topics.

The meeting opened with a speech by Assembly Chair Hasan Tahsin Tuğrul, who underlined the importance of professional committees. Tuğrul noted that the concrete proposals developed through committee work are reviewed by the board of directors and turned into action.

WE ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE TO JOINT MEETINGS

Speaking after Tuğrul, Chair Zeytinoğlu said:
“As you know, we hold joint meetings of the Professional Committees twice a year. The feedback we receive here helps us shape our strategies and work programs. We also listen carefully to your problems and suggestions, convey them to the relevant authorities and work to create public awareness. For this reason, we attach great importance to these meetings. At a time when global competition is intensifying, we face protectionist measures worldwide, additional customs tariffs, competition from China and growing geopolitical risks. At the same time, we continue to struggle with domestic challenges such as fixed exchange rate policies, financing costs and labor costs.”

PROTECTIONIST MEASURES

Zeytinoğlu stated that the United States has violated World Trade Organization rules by imposing additional customs duties and noted that Türkiye’s exports to the US fell by 10 percent in October. He emphasized that exporters may face additional costs due to possible new tariffs and said that the government should provide various forms of support to prevent Türkiye from losing its position in this market. Zeytinoğlu also pointed out that a 30 percent additional customs duty could come into effect against China, which remains Türkiye’s largest import partner.

CUSTOMS UNION AND LOGISTICS

Zeytinoğlu stressed the need to remove quotas and similar barriers in road transportation and to make railway connections more effective. He stated that the European Union could finance these improvements. He also highlighted the importance of updating the Customs Union and attracting foreign investment to Türkiye, as seen in the 2004–2005 period. In addition, he addressed the fight against inflation, the need for a competitive exchange rate and easier access to finance.

Drawing attention to difficulties in finding qualified intermediate staff, Zeytinoğlu emphasized the need to increase employment. He added that rising labor costs represent a serious challenge that weakens Türkiye’s competitiveness in global markets.

TRADE VOLUME SHOULD CONTINUE TO GROW

Consul General Serkan Gedik also addressed the meeting and stated that relations between Türkiye and Greece have followed a positive course in recent years. He expressed his hope that trade volume between the two countries would continue to grow. Gedik noted the presence of many Turkish investments in the region and said, “We hope that your visits and contacts will lead to new cooperation opportunities. Together with our trade attachés, we stand ready to support the members of the Kocaeli Chamber of Industry.”

Trade Attaché Gülcan İren provided information on investment opportunities in the region and shared details about export support mechanisms.

INDUSTRIALISTS SHARE THEIR CHALLENGES

Following the speeches, committee members shared their views on the challenges faced by industrialists. Guest speaker Prof. Dr. Oral Erdoğan, Chair of the Board of the Turkish Lloyd Foundation, delivered a presentation titled “Short- and Long-Term Preference Transfers in the Economy.” He shared his assessments on inflation, the relationship between growth and interest rates in Türkiye and recent financial developments, and answered questions from committee members.

As part of the program, KCI members also visited the Thessaloniki Chamber of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. At the meeting hosted by Chamber President Marios Papadopoulos, Deputy Minister of Higher Education and former Rector of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Prof. Nikolaus Papaioannou, and Board Member of the Greek Confederation of Small Businesses and Trades Panagiotis Gkofas, participants discussed areas of mutual cooperation. Turkish and Greek companies also held bilateral business meetings during the visit.