The General Secretariat of the Istanbul Mineral and Metals Exporters’ Association (IMMIB) recently hosted its national webinar under the SEE BRIDGE project entitled “Roadmap for Green and Digital Transformation for SMEs and Intermediary Organizations”. The event, which was held online and featured key industry speakers and in-depth presentations on funding opportunities and digital solutions, was specifically tailored for Turkish SMEs in the energy-intensive industries.
Opening speeches were delivered by Fatma Soyer Etiler, Head of EU Projects Department at IMMIB, and Murat Şükrü Soykan, Head of EU and External Relations Department at KOSGEB who emphasized the importance of supporting SMEs in their transition towards sustainability and digitalization, especially through EU projects and grants.
Fatma Ünal, project expert at IMMIB’s EU Projects Department, provided an overview of the SEE BRIDGE project, detailing past activities and outlining future plans, including financial support for SMEs.
A joint presentation by Fatma Soyer Etiler and Banu Altın, Head of IMMIB’s EU Projects Department, on EU Funding Programs provided a step-by-step guide on how to apply for EU grants and an introduction to the “EU Funding & Tenders” portal.
Prof. Dr. Bestami Özkaya, Vice Rector for Research and Planning at Yıldız Technical University (YTÜ), presented “Digital Solutions in Sustainability” and introduced the SUSTRACK interface, a digital tool for sustainability processes.
The webinar attracted 94 participants, of which 56.2% were SMEs, exceeding the KPI target of 50. Notably, 73.7% of the participants had never been involved in EU projects before. The event concluded with a Q&A session, during which seven SME questions were answered.
Due to the high level of interest, the SEE BRIDGE project will host an advisory session on funding opportunities on June 11. This webinar is a crucial step in guiding Turkish SMEs through digital and green transformation, leveraging EU funding and sustainable practices.