innoCentric is one of the expert companies in Turkey specialised on private sector development, regional development, innovation and competitiveness development. innoCentric assists her clients by consulting on organisation management, design and restructuring of services and processes and providing expertise and technical support services to short and long term projects of different donors, on the said themes. innoCentric is a limited company located in Ankara, Turkey.

Holding a long track record, innoCentric has taken important roles in several regional development projects especially on cluster and sector based competitiveness development projects. innoCentric core expert team consist of the European Patent Academy’s Innovation Support training Program certified innovation management experts, who have long years experiences on implementing innovation and competitiveness strategy development projects on SMEs.

innoCentric has experiences with many institutions in design and development of competitiveness, sector identification and prioritisation, innovation, R&D and entrepreneurship, private sector and cluster development, internationalisation of SMEs strategy development. innoCentric experts have taken important roles in projects implemented in Turkey, that developed infrastructure for cluster organisations through innovation internationalisation and competitiveness development. Besides, innoCentric implemented many cluster development, business development and cooperation projects.

Key features of innoCentric are:

• Long and practical experience in SME and competitiveness development in various sectors at national, regional and cross-regional level;
• Hands-on experience in the design and implementation of SME support services and innovation management tools for SME & entrepreneurs’ broad network existing of government authorities, national & regional innovation system stakeholders, NGOs, regional development agencies and the private sector both in Turkey and other European countries.
• Experience in design oriented industries and competitiveness development and internationalisation of those sectors

Projects innoCentric was involved in/contributed to include:

• “Technical Assistance for the Natural Stone Manufacturing and Marketing Support Centre in Bayburt” (from 2016-2018) As consortium partner, innoCentric contributes to operationalization of the Natural Stone Manufacturing and Marketing Support Centre in Bayburt. Project has supported the Operationalization of the Common Use Infrastructure by implementing preparatory research and analysis, business diagnostics and competitiveness analysis, development of the business plan and service delivery manuals, and operationalization of the Natural Stone Manufacturing and Marketing Support Centre. Besides, innoCentric contributes to business development services that includes manufacturing support services, specialized business development services, and competitiveness programmes.
• "Technical Assistance for Sivas Enterprise Development Centre (İŞGEM)" (2016-2018) As consortium partner, innoCentric contributes to the strengthening the infrastructure with the common use facility is established under the project to support SMEs at their ground phases and to provide a more competitive business environment, İŞGEM's staff and potential tenants' institutional capacities are improved, and thus sustainability of the facility is ensured. Sivas İŞGEM Projects aims to ensure that the common use facility supports entrepreneurs with developed infrastructure and high-quality service. Also, it intends to enhance regional competitiveness by contributing to the socio-economic development of Sivas. 
• “Technical Assistance for Empowering SMEs for Networking and Interregional Cooperation” (from 2011- 2014) innoCentric experts has contributed in Cross cutting strategy development, establishment of national benchmarking system (NBS) for clusters, development of cluster management tools (knowledge management system), development of cluster management toolkits, communication strategy–inter-regional networking, international activities, monitoring & evaluation for the Ministry of Economy. innoCentric experts have prepared cross cutting strategy for Turkish clusters, prepared Turkeys’ first cluster map, developed online benchmarking system for clusters, prepared several toolkits for cluster managers, delivered trainings to clustering and regional development professionals on innovation, IPR management, monitoring and evaluation, cluster management issues, contributed to organisation of Cluster Conference in Ankara, Turkey. 3 experts of innoCentric has taken part nearly all of the work packages of the SME Networking Project, contributed to pilot projects developed by Cluster Info-Spots, contributed to clusters development activities in the pilot regions.
• “Europe Enterprise Network (EEN)” (from 2009 to 2013) innoCentric facilitated business review, innovation scan, technology need analysis SME business diagnostics for business development through technology transfer of SMEs and business cooperation for SMEs (including licensing, joint venture, joint R&D etc), evaluated innovation skills of the companies by field visits to the SMEs, reported on the regional innovation capacities, innovation roadmaps and innovation needs of SMEs for Mersin Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MTSO), Kahramanmaraş Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KMTSO), Kahramanmaraş KOSGEB Branch, OSTİM KOSGEB İGEM, Kayseri Chamber of Commerce.
• “Commercialization Strategy for Regional Products of Beypazarı” (2012) innoCentric assessed competitiveness and market potential of Beypazarı regional products produced by SMEs, implemented SWOT and value chain analysis of products, developed marketing strategy for individual SMEs, facilitated strategy development workshop for SMES, developed commercialization strategy and activity plan for regional products for Beypazarı Municipality.
• “Competitiveness Analysis and Clustering Strategy for Wooden Products TR 82 Region” (2014) innoCentric team has compiled local, national and international data and reports about wooden products industry, reported on regional competition skills and competitiveness conditions, reported on clustering potential and regional strategies for clustering initiatives, prepared policy recommendations for supporting wooden products sector for North Anatolia Development Agency (KUZKA).
• “Development of Export Capacity of Kayseri Furniture (KAYMOS), Turkey Solar Energy GUNDER, TET White Goods (TURKHAS), West Mediterranean Natural Stone, Ankara Medical, Adana Machinery, Adana Furniture, Batman Clothing,  Yalova Ornamental Plants Industries/Clusters” innoCentric implemented need analysis for cluster and sectors by consulting SMEs in the clusters, analysing the cluster & sectors, assessing potential markets export markets, and facilitating SME workshops on export market potential and exporting & entry strategies. Developed report on SME export potential and strategy for each sector/cluster to submit as part of MoE UR-GE application.
• “SMEs are Creating Synergy by Training” (from 2010 to 2011) innoCentric conducted coaching to SMEs in Tarsus, from various industries, defining their R&D projects and preparation of innovation project plans, Performing trainings on innovation management, intellectual property, patent databases and business planning for Tarsus Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
• “Competitiveness Analysis and Strategy Development for Furniture and Forestry Products Sectors in TR81 Region” innoCentric compiled local, national and international data and reports about the selected industries, facilitated expert meetings with industry representatives and governmental officers, local leaders, representatives from academia, facilitated SME consultations, reported on regional competition skills including current export markets and international competitiveness conditions, reported on clustering potential and regional strategies for clustering initiatives, analysed investment environment in Region, developed model to benchmark relative competition levels of the sector, strategy developed activity plan to increase regional competitiveness for West Black Sea Development Agency (BAKKA)

innoCentric has great experience in internationalisation of low-tech or middle-tech industries, gained through working with individual clusters from different regions of Turkey. innoCentric previously cooperated with design and design management oriented organisations in business matchmaking events and conferences.

Besides, being involved in many clustering and regional development has helped innoCentric to develop a good network with regional and national innovation and regional development stakeholders. innoCentric holds good network with stakeholders on competitiveness development, innovation and internationalisation issues in Europe.

innoCentric experts have international experience in project management and the team regularly updates information by attending regular training and networking events on internationalisation of traditional sectors, competitiveness and innovation management, such as European Cluster Conference, Geographical Indications Symposiums, European Enterprise Network events etc. Keeping the team updated, holding an effective network with intermediaries in Turkey and Europe, effective and flexible project management system are among the strengths of the company.

innoCentric Team

Osman Arda MUTLU, General Manager, Mechanical Engineer

Mr. MUTLU is mechanical engineer and has more than 7-year-experience in clustering and competitiveness projects. He has worked in different EU funded projects such as “Technical Assistance for Empowering SMEs for Networking and Interregional Cooperation”, “Road map Development for National Cluster Support Program for Seed Sector”, “Joint marketing activities of natural stone and marble cluster in Sivas” etc. He has significant professional experience in consulting related to competitiveness projects such as “competitiveness in machinery cluster project”, “competitiveness in medical cluster”, ”Samsun competitiveness project”. His main duties are mainly related to product portfolio analysis, defining target markets, preparation of cluster strategy and action plan, application of Porters’ diamond model.

Arife YILMAZ TOPAL, Industrial Engineer, M. Sc.

Ms Yilmaz has 15 years of professional experience, including experience in SME, regional & private sector development, where she has worked in technical assistance and capacity building projects funded by EU and Turkish national/regional funds. She holds experience in SME strategy, policy and roadmap development for competitiveness, innovation development projects. Ms. Yılmaz has considerable experience in SME consultancy and diagnosis, entrepreneurship and capacity building projects. She has been involved in several projects oriented to SMEs varying from production to service sectors.

Barış Cihan BAŞER, Mechanical Engineer

Mr. Başer has nearly 20 years of general professional experience, 5 years of which is in regional development. Mr. Başer holds great expertise in SME/private sector development and has been involved in sectoral clustering projects in many regions of Turkey. He is mechanical engineer experienced in designing, implementing and evaluating training and coaching programs specialized for SMEs. Having experience in internationally funded capacity building TA projects with a budget of min. € 1 m, Mr. Başer expert in state aids for technology based projects/programmes with extensive trainer experience (more than 150 trainings in 46 provinces in Turkey). His full knowledge of state aids related with R&D, innovation, entrepreneurship, clustering and intellectual property has helped him to contribute to many national/regional or sectoral studies through innovation/competitiveness/internationalisation strategy development in Turkey.