Turkish citizens or foreign nationals who have completed the age of 18, including students, graduates, researchers, academics, public or private institution employees, aspiring entrepreneurs, innovation teams, start-up owners or founders, and owners or founders of private companies, can participate in the “TechXtile Challenge” either individually or as a team.
No, this is not an R&D Projects competition. Individuals or teams with innovative ideas will compete with their projects in one of two categories: the idea stage or the product/service stage. Anyone with the potential to provide value and a contribution to the textile sector can apply. We recommend checking the "what we are looking for solutions for" section on our website for the focus areas.
The TechXtile Challenge accepts applications in two main categories: the idea stage entrepreneur category (Level-Up) and the developed product/service entrepreneur category (Scale-Up). Therefore, contestants who have already established their company, moved past the idea stage, and developed a product or service with commercialization and scaling potential can apply through the Scale-Up tab. Additionally, contestants who are still at the idea stage can also participate in our event and upload their projects through the Level-Up tab.
No, anyone who has completed the age of 18 can participate in the competition either individually or as a team.
All contestants who apply are eligible to receive "General Entrepreneurship Training." Candidates who pass the pre-selection and subsequently the finalist candidates are eligible to receive different training and mentorship opportunities offered throughout the process.
Our goal is to provide contestants with the training they may need, offer mentorship opportunities, improve their networks, and thus support their development. For our program, the successful commercialization of our contestants' projects (with different business models) in a way that adds value to our economy is an important outcome.
The main objective of the institutions and organizations that developed, implemented, and supported this competition is to support the contestants and to pave the way for major players in the sector, such as textile companies, to collaborate and create synergy with contestants who will bring innovation to the sector. The organizing institutions and organizations will have no financial expectations or claims from any resulting companies, sales, profits, commercialization, or intellectual property rights. The goal is to contribute to Türkiye's entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem while encouraging the development of innovative applications in the sector.
Applications will be evaluated based on core criteria such as technical feasibility, marketability, scalability from an investor perspective, technological and/or innovative depth, and team harmony and balance. All evaluation criteria are detailed in the TechXtile Challenge Specification, which participants are required to fill out.
One of the most common concerns for contestants who develop technology and engage in innovation is the theft of their "original idea or technological development." In practice, this is often not the case, as ideas are generally already being considered and worked on by many people. To help contestants feel at ease about this issue, as the institutions and organizations that manage and implement the program, we want to assure you that the necessary sensitivity will be shown regarding intellectual property rights. However, we still recommend that you express information or developments that are critical to you to the desired extent.
It is not mandatory, but entrepreneurial practice shows that entrepreneurship and innovation require a team spirit that brings together various disciplines. In this respect, the existence of a balanced team will yield positive results for you as a contestant. The application stage has been planned with separate options for individual and team applications. If the project was created by a team, please select "Team Application" during the application process.
A total of 3 people, one person from each of the top 3 projects selected in the Scale-Up category, may apply for the International Education Scholarship under Article 5 and Article 6 of the Circular on Support for International Education and Living Expenses within the scope of Presidential Decree No. 5973 on Export Supports. This is provided that the person is the lead project owner or one of the co-owners (if any) and meets the condition of graduating with a bachelor’s degree from university departments related to industrial design/fashion design (in the case of group participation, 1 person declared in the Consent Form - Annex-3 who meets the eligibility criteria).