Innovation refers to the creation of new or significantly improved products, processes, marketing methods, and organization structures that add value to markets, governments and society. Investments in Research and Innovation (R&I) are driving long-term growth, and it is widely accepted that countries that invest in R&I are recovering faster from the current economic crisis.
While ideas need an innovation-friendly environment to grow and become products or services that will benefit citizens and economies, Turkey faces multiple hurdles, like weaknesses in public education and innovation systems, poor availability of finance, costly patenting, outdated regulations and procedures, slow standard and public procurement setting. By improving, conditions and access to finance for Research and Innovation innovative ideas can be turned into products and services that create growth and jobs.
Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU R&I program ever, with nearly €80 billion of funding for 2014-2020 – in addition to the private investment that these funds will attract- and the main funding instrument for achieving the targets of the Innovation Union seen as a means to drive economic growth and create jobs. Horizon 2020 places emphasis on excellent science, industrial leadership, and tackling societal challenges, is open to everyone and will be complemented by further measures to complete and further develop the European Research Area.
The projects present a wide geographical dispersion, involving partners and beneficiaries coming from countries around the globe, including the EU member states, as well as Western Balkan, Mediterranean (MEDA), Eastern Europe, and Central Asia (EECA), and other countries.
In this context, Turkey’s Organisations -Industry and Universities- have the possibility to fully benefit from H2020 by participating either as partners or even as coordinators to the H2020 Projects.
PLANET’s Turkey Research & Innovation activities and services focus on the development of innovative methods, scenarios and models that anticipate and shape the future evolution of knowledge society, evaluation and validation of advanced technological solutions in real business/organizational settings, development of market studies and business plans for the future exploitation and deployment of R&I results, support to EU R&I international cooperation policy development, provision of training and support to users of R&I results and newcomers in the R&I programs.
In addition, Planet Turkey combines the above service offerings with its reputed experience in technical and administrative project management of large-scale R&I projects, by differentiating ourselves as a leading actor in the area.
PLANET’s Turkey Research and Innovation activities target a wide spectrum of sectors. Initially placing emphasis on Information & Communication Technologies (e-Government services & systems, knowledge management, collaborative work and eLearning, methods and systems for e-commerce). The company has gradually expanded its activities in the areas of Energy, Environment, Health, Transport, and Socioeconomic Sciences, supporting the entire range of industries, serving and covering the new aspects of Horizon 2020. Towards this direction, a dedicated team is responsible for the coordination and monitoring of research and innovation activities.
Finally, a key element in the successful implementation of PLANET’s Turkey R&I activities is the collaboration with a diverse network of leading industry innovators, pioneering academic research institutes, and other innovation actors across the world.
