Name of the Project: ANKA - Strengthening Economic Opportunities for Syrians under Temporary Protection and Turkish Citizens in Selected Localities

Funding Source of Project: World Bank Group - FRIT Program (Facility for Refugees in Turkey)

Total Project cost: 339.993,10 USD

Project duration: 18 months

Project Coordinator:  ATO ÝDEA

Project Partners:

• Altýndag Municipality

• ASAM

• JOON

• ATO

• Istasyon TEDU

ANKA aims to create economic independence for Syrian women under temporary protection and Turkish women through the establishment of a female-led social entity (cooperative) by using an innovative model called "Skill Based Production" in the field of handicraft manufacturing. The handicraft manufacturing is chosen for the particular opportunity it presents in the Turkish economy. The Project is ensuring the long-term sustainability of the social entity by providing training, consultancy services and in-kind support to the Project participants.

Aim of the Project is to facilitate the adaptation of Syrian women under temporary protection and Turkish women to business life in Turkey, to increase their entrepreneurial and vocational capacity and to stimulate the establishment and sustainability of the joint ventures through training, consultancy services and in-kind support.

The target group of the Project is the Syrian women under temporary protection and Turkish woman with high entrepreneurial capacity or who presently hold ownership or partnership of an enterprise. During the implementation period, 20 women, preferably already holding the ownership or partnership of a handicraft enterprise or who have received training in handicrafts and are certified from a public or private organization, will be included in the Project. The Syrian beneficiaries will be selected among the women living in the Altýndað region of Ankara, where a dense population of Syrians is located, due to the accessibility reasons. The participation of home dependent women will be predominantly encouraged.

Contact Information:

PROJECT FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EXPORT CAPACITY OF ANKARA'S MEDICAL SECTOR

Within the scope of Turkish Ministry of Trade's "2010-8 Numbered Legislation About The Support for Improving International Competitiveness", the URGE Project named "Project for the Improvement of Export Capacity of Ankara's Medical Sector" was established in 2014 with a cluster consisting of 14 medical producer companies based in Ankara.

Cluster culture being the basis for the URGE Project, activities of the cluster such as the needs analysis, consulting, trainings, promoting, employment, international buyer delegations and until 2017 participation in international exhibitions were financially supported by the Ministry of Trade.

During the course of the Project, a needs analysis for the cluster's export and competitiveness capacity was carried out, and based on the results of the analysis, a number of trainings were obtained. Among the training subjects were Advanced International Trade, ISO 13485 Medical Devices Management System Basic Training, New Medical Devices Regulation (MDR), Validity of Special Processes in Medical Devices (clean room and support processes, sterilization, packaging and other processes), ISO 14971 Risk Management Applications in Medical Devices, Electrical Safety in Medical Devices and Clinical Assessment in Medical Devices. Also, corporate identity for the cluster was carried out and "Ankazea" brand for the cluster was formed. Ankazea then participated in leading international medical exhibitions in various locations in the world.

One of the main advantages of the Project is the fact that the yield of each activity for each company is measurable by numbers. Thus, as a result of the international marketing activities within the Project, the cluster's exports were increased by 86% on average, while revenues were increased by 24% and the number of people employed increased by 5% on average. Also, some companies within the cluster finalized their R&D process during the Project. 

Another important gain from the Project is the fact that companies within the cluster have learned to act as one strong body in the international market, supporting and enhancing each other instead of competing with one another, thus having an easier time entering new markets and exporting to new buyers.

Within the duration of the Project, it was possible to observe where exactly Ankara's medical sector stands in the international market; and it was experienced by the companies themselves that Ankara can produce in compliance with world standards, enjoys competitive quality and prices, and is able to export to countries with the highest standards by acquiring the necessary certifications.

During these activities carried out within the Project, Ankara Chamber of Commerce was also represented in the international platform, promoting both the Chamber and Ankara.

Project Title:  Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE)

Project is funded by: European Commission, COSME Program

ATO's Role in the Project: Partner/ Intermediary

Project Budget: 4.200.000,00 Euro

Project Duration: 60 Months

Project Start and End Dates (9 / 2. Phase): 01.02.2019 - 30.01.2022

Consortium Coordinator: Centro Studi Cultura Sviluppo Associazione-Vocational Education Center (Italy)

Project's current state: Project's going to be completed in January 2022.

Consortium Partners:

• Ankara Chamber of Commerce (Turkey)

• ABUplus International GmbH/Consultancy firm (Germany)

• Santander Municipality (Spain) 

• UAB CIVITTA Ýncubation Center (Lithuania)

• Phoenix Association of Vocational Education Center (Romania)

• European Minds Ýnnovation Center (Sweden)

• Asset Technology Center (Greece)

• Czechia National Chamber of Commerce (Czechia)

• DEKA-Plus/Consultancy firm (Southern Cyprus)

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs helps provide aspiring European entrepreneurs with the skills necessary to start and/or successfully run a small business in Europe. New entrepreneurs gather and exchange knowledge and business ideas with an experienced entrepreneur, with whom they stay and stay and collaborate for a period of 1 to 6 months. The stay is partly financed by the European Commission.

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Program has been in progress since 2006 and Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ACC) got involved in this Program in 01.02.2015 (in the 7^th phase) and on behalf of Turkey ACC still continues to be one of the intermediaries in the 8^th and 9^th phases of the Program each lasts 2 years.

Benefits 
As a new entrepreneur, you will benefit from on-the-job training in a small or medium-sized enterprise in another Participating Country. This will ease the successful start of your business or strengthen your new enterprise. You can also benefit from access to new markets, international cooperation and potential possibilities for collaboration with business partners abroad. 

As a host entrepreneur, you can benefit from fresh ideas from a motivated new entrepreneur on your business. He may have specialized skills or knowledge in an area you do not master, which could also complement yours. Most host entrepreneurs enjoyed the experience so much that they decide to host other new entrepreneurs afterwards. 

It is really a win-win collaboration whereby both of you can also discover new European markets or business partners, different ways of doing business. 

On the longer-term, you will benefit from wide networking opportunities, and, possibly, decide to continue your collaboration, possibly as long-term business partners (e.g. joint ventures, sub-contracting activities, contractor-supplier relationships, etc.). 
"Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs" is financed by the European Commission and operates across the Participating Countries with the help of the local contact points, competent in business support (e.g. Chambers of Commerce, start-up centers, incubators etc.). Their activities are coordinated at European level by the Support Office of the Program. 

For further information:   http://www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu/  

Project Title:  Strengthening Entrepreneurial Sparks (SPARKS)

Project is funded by: Turkish National Agency under Erasmus+ Program Key Action2: Strategic Partnerships for Youth (Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices)

Project Budget: 250.408,064 Euro

Project Start and End Dates: 01.06.2016 - 31.05.2018

Project Duration: 24 Months

Applicant Organization: Ankara Chamber of Commerce (Turkey)

Project's current state: Project's completed.

Project Budget: Ankara Yýldýrým Beyazit University (Turkey)

• European University of Lisbon (Portugal)

• University of Florence (UNIFI) (Italy)

• Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (IED) (Greece)

• National Research Council (IBIMET-CNR) (Italy)

In Turkey, entrepreneurship and particularly strengthening youth entrepreneurship are being considered as an important alternative in response to the ongoing recession and unemployment problems in some of the EU countries especially in the framework of 2020 targets. Therefore, SPARK project, ensured that selected potential young entrepreneurs from each partner country, had the opportunity of experiencing internship with successful entrepreneur's businesses.

This project carried out transnationally in order to bring about the exchange of best practices in entrepreneurship policies. Also potential entrepreneurs were reached out in all partner countries which multiplied the impact of the Project. Moreover, the Project promoted EU's policies on entrepreneurship in order to contribute to the EU's goals on youth employment and sustainable job creation.

PROJECT OUTPUTS:

• Strategic Policy Paper on Young Entrepreneurship in Partner Countries

• Interactive E-Learning Center for Strengthening Entrepreneurial Skills of Young People

• Best Practices Resource Book on Young Entrepreneurship in the EU Member States

Objectives

Micro - SMEs being the largest employers, the transfer of business between generations is a very important phase of their life cycle.

Additionally, in terms of the objectives that will be addressed:

• support participating micro-SMEs in training and further training activities in the acquisition and the use of knowledge, skills and qualifications to facilitate personal development, employability and participation in the European labor market
• support on improvement of quality and innovation in training systems, institutions and practices
• improve the co-operation between institutions and development of innovative ICT - based tools.

Strategies 

In to Generation Project will provide mobile learning adjusted to the needs of micro-SME business owners. After all, 91.8 % of the SME's are micro-SMEs with less than 10 employees. And they necessitate short concise training, to the point and portable. In addition, the Project will focus on this sector and will provide the training material to micro-SME in a way that addresses their needs for a flexible training, anytime, anywhere, and customized to their needs:

• Development of a new curriculum and training material based mainly on case studies and good practices
• A mobile self-assessment tool to guide micro-SME owners and successors in making correct decisions, with also an online version that can be used for group training sessions
• E-book that will be capturing the above as well and will be accessible via mobiles
• Pilot trials in all partner countries

In addition for achieving highest efficiency will be developed:

• A dedicated curriculum and training material that will allow successors of micro-SME businesses to learn (remotely) at their own pace how they can do so successfully (via piloting)
• A mobile and online training platform that will provide the necessary support for an efficient and effective acquisition of skills sets.

The Project offers to micro-SMEs:

• Current situation in the field of family management and business practices.
• A curriculum and training material that follows a case study approach through which, successors can learn via handy examples, concepts and business practices.
• A portable self-assessment service through Android based mobile application which facilitates successful business transfer and exchange of best practices between micro-SMEs. 
• Testing phase and results with 150 micro-SMEs in Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Spain and Turkey

PROJECT OUTPUTS:

For further information:    http://www.into-generation.eu/