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Entertech İstanbul Teknokent – After the strong outcomes of last year’s Entertech Netherlands Expanding Programme focused on food and agricultural technologies, we have now set our sights on London. On June 9th, we will head to London with 12 of our companies operating in areas such as artificial intelligence, fintech, and edtech!
At Entertech, we are a team committed not only to supporting technology and entrepreneurship in Turkey but also to bringing this strength to Europe. As a result of this commitment, the online phase of the London Market Expansion Programme, which started on May 6th, has been one of the most intense yet enjoyable periods we have experienced with our entrepreneurs.
In the first week, we took time to get to know each other and the people we will walk alongside on this journey. It’s an exciting but equally challenging process. Understandably, our companies were thinking about the uncertainties that come with entering a new market. However, they are not alone on this journey; we are ready to provide them with all the support we can. Motivated by this, everyone quickly reached the same energy level: Ready!
With support from Academia Park London, we have received and continue to receive training across a broad spectrum—from social media strategies and target audience analysis to the cultural dynamics of the UK business world and effective presentation techniques. Each new session brings us a step closer to being on the ground.
The Programme Introduction and Cohort Meet-and-Greet took place under the guidance of Dr. Yıldız Tuğba Kara. In this first meeting, the overall structure of the program, its objectives, and the opportunities it offers to participants were presented in detail. Information was shared about training modules, mentorship processes, investor meetings, and the demo day. In the second part of the session, participating companies had the opportunity to get to know each other; each startup introduced itself, its field of activity, and its expectations from the program. This interactive introduction fostered a warm communication environment among the entrepreneurs and laid the groundwork for potential collaborations in the future.
In the Social Media Marketing Strategy & Content Creation session led by Olesia Klevnaia (Digital Sekta Academy), our entrepreneurs gained both strategic and practical knowledge about social media marketing. The training covered key topics such as developing an effective social media marketing strategy, identifying target audiences, conducting competitor analysis, and creating content. In addition, practical information on design principles, content creation tools, and applying them in practice was shared with our entrepreneurs. This session was an important training to help our companies increase their digital visibility and establish a strategic presence on social media 🙂
Each market has different dynamics influenced by its culture. In the session Cultural Understanding: Do’s and Don’ts in the British Business Environment, conducted by Alban Remy (L&P Head of Enterprise Tech & Business), this was examined in detail. The training focused on cultural awareness and customer targeting processes for entrepreneurs looking to expand into the UK market. Our entrepreneurs gained in-depth insights into what should be done and what should be avoided in the British business environment.
In the Crafting Your New Economy Pitch: Creating an Effective Blurb session led by Ata Argüder, the focus was on communication techniques necessary for entrepreneurs to deliver effective and persuasive presentations tailored to the UK market. Our entrepreneurs received both theoretical knowledge and practical experience on creating a pitch aligned with the new economy, writing an engaging blurb, and reviewing and improving their target lists. In the final part of the session, role-playing exercises simulated initial meetings with potential clients. This allowed entrepreneurs to gain practical experience in scenarios close to real-life situations, helping them practice expressing themselves more effectively.
In the following weeks of the program, our companies continued to participate in comprehensive training sessions that deepened their business development and market entry strategies. In the “Analysing Responses and Adjusting Strategies” session led by Dr. Richard Lowe, our entrepreneurs gained insights into analyzing customer feedback, handling objections, managing follow-ups, and networking. This was followed by “Office Hours” sessions, where entrepreneurs received one-on-one mentorship support.
In the “Progress Check” session conducted by Adrian Studd, the feedback received by the companies so far was evaluated, and practical guidance was shared on preparing for different types of meetings and managing expectations. Afterwards, in the “Pitch Practice Sessions with Peer Feedback” led by John McKeown, our companies delivered their own presentations and received feedback; they practiced responding to challenging questions and preparing impactful presentation materials. Finally, Adrian provided personalized guidance by addressing the specific questions of our companies.
Currently, we are conducting the Sales Psychology: Understanding Client Needs and Pain Points training. I am also sharing a snapshot below 🙂 In this session, led by Adrian Studd, we approach sales processes from a psychological perspective and focus on customer acquisition strategies specific to the UK market 🙂 Our companies are gaining comprehensive knowledge on accurately analyzing client needs and identifying points where challenges occur.
Throughout the training sessions, each of our mentors, experts in their respective fields, not only shared knowledge but also provided their real market experiences and personal recommendations. Seeing how theory translates into practice during these conversations was truly inspiring. The online program process was not just about transferring knowledge—it was also an emotional preparation. We are very grateful to all of them; these trainings have been incredibly valuable both for us and for our companies. Through our international acceleration programs, our entrepreneurs are not only entering new markets—they are also gaining the courage to express themselves, their ideas, and their dreams.
Only a few days remain until June. We have nearly completed our preparations for the busy schedule starting with London Tech Week. Except for our suitcases 🙂 During our time in London, investor meetings, trainings, networking, participation in the Reset Connect event, and demo days await us. I will continue sharing updates from the process while we are there.
Today, less than a week before heading to London, we are proud of the entrepreneurs who have taken this journey with us. They are now ready not only to be key players in Turkey but also in Europe.