The 2022 initiatives of the iGA Hub Initiatives Program, launched by iGA and ITU ARI Teknokent, who teamed up to support startups in the field of Civil Aviation and Airport Management, made their appearances on the final stage of the Big Bang Startup Challenge. Out of 200 applications, 76 initiatives were reviewed, and 18 were supported. While 10 of these initiatives earned the right to take their place on the final stage at the Big Bang Startup Challenge, six were awarded TRY 800,000 in total by iGA.
The entrepreneurship program, launched in the first quarter of 2022 by ITU ARI Teknokent and Istanbul Airport to keep up with the Civil Aviation and Airport Management technologies of the future from today, received over 200 initiative project applications. The applications made were evaluated by the ITU Seed evaluation board and iGA managers within the scope of the team, market, market size, and potential for commercialization. In the first evaluation stage, 76 start-up projects appeared before the jury and made their presentations to the evaluation committee. 18 of the 76 start-ups were entitled to support through training, mentoring and meetings with investors.
The awards have been presented
Within the scope of the iGA Hub Entrepreneurship Program, 18 initiatives were provided support including a fully-equipped work environment, ITU Seed entrepreneurship training programs, mentorship from iGA managers, a business network of iGA - İTÜ ARI Teknokent, investor meetings as well as perks and prototyping labs. Six finalists who made it to the final stage of the Big Bang Startup Challenge earned the right to receive a share of the iGA award of a total of TRY 800,000 and additional benefits, including training, mentorship, and rent-free office use.
Eyes of Solar, one of the ten startups to make it to the final stage of the Big Bang Startup Challenge, the biggest event of the startup world, received an award of TRY 100,000 from Enerjisa, in addition to the support it received from iGA Istanbul Airport. Walkers project, which was among the "Top 20" initiatives, won the 75,000 TL award given by Anadolu Efes. Similarly, the initiative From Your Eyes, which became one of the "Top 20" initiatives, received an award of 300,000 TL in total, from AXA Sigorta and Petrol Ofisi apart from the iGA award.
In addition to these awards, it was entitled to receive a grant of 3,175,000 TL for 10 initiatives through ITU Seed grants.
The supported initiative is currently being used at iGA
The Clico initiative, supported with an award of TRY 110,000 in the final of the Big Bang Startup Challenge last year, started to be used in the processes of iGA Istanbul Airport this year. The Clico is an end-to-end online reputation management software which collects customer feedback on the products and services of brands and transforms them into meaningful insights through natural language processing methods. Initiatives backed in the final round of the Big Bang Startup Challenge 2022 are targeted to be commercialized in 2023 at iGA.
Invitation to technology-oriented startups...
Melih Mengü, Advisor to the CEO of iGA Istanbul Airport, who presented the iGA award of TRY 800,000 to the entrepreneurs who made it to the final stage of the Big Bang Startup Challenge, pointed out that, within the scope of the program, they were going to support the efforts toward increasing technology-focused startups in the field of Civil Aviation and Airport Management. "This year, we started using 'The Clico' initiative in our processes, which we supported in the final stage of the Big Bang Startup Challenge. Within the iGA Hub Entrepreneurship Program, we will continue to support iGA processes by integrating technology and innovation-focused initiatives. I wish all our entrepreneurs who made it to the final stage a successful commercialization process. I thank them in advance for the contribution they will make to our industry," said Mengü. He invited all local and foreign entrepreneurs to iGA HUB, adding that they wished to develop the processes at iGA Istanbul Airport together and share them with other airports worldwide.
