Building Innovation and Harmony: Semih and Furkan's Entrepreneurship Journey

Semih and Furkan, graduates of Gaziantep University's Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, are two young entrepreneurs who recently started their own business. Their passion for technology led them to enter competitions during their studies.  

“We participated in Teknofest festivals during our university years. We were working on ground station and flight software in rocket competitions,” says Semih. 

After graduating in 2023, the young entrepreneurs continued to work on artificial intelligence solutions but lacked the technical equipment to test their project ideas. 

“We were working on artificial intelligence and visual processing. We decided that we needed to develop an optimization system to increase the efficiency of granite and natural stone cutting factories," explains Furkan. We developed a project called Smart Dimension. However, we needed equipment and technical support to test this project.” 

To take their ideas further, Semih and Furkan sought assistance at the Resilience Innovation Facility* (RIF), established in 2021 by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in partnership with Gaziantep University. The Facility offers open and equitable access to modern digital tools, equipment, and technology, providing an avenue for young people to create, learn, and innovate while fostering cohesion between students and visitors of various backgrounds. 

Benefiting from the technical equipment and mentorship support at the Facility for around a year, Semih and Furkan successfully tested their project and eventually won awards. 

“We opened a stand and made a presentation to investors during a workshop at the RIF. We were awarded the ‘Young Entrepreneurs of the Future’ prize by Marmara University, and our Smart Dimension project received support from TÜBITAK [Türkiye's Scientific and Technological Research Institution]. Through this, we were able to expand our work,” recalls Furkan. 

Aside from expanding their enterprise, the two set up their own academy to improve the technological skills of children of different ages and nationalities. 

“We established our own academy called Fusion Academy. We provide training in robotic coding, software technologies, 3D design, artificial intelligence and drone technologies,” Semih provides an overview. “We currently have nearly 100 students in our 8 classes, consisting of Syrian and Turkish children between the ages of 7-17. We also have a separate class where we provide training in Arabic.” 

“Semih and Furkan are great examples of how the RIF empowers changemakers to design solutions that benefit society. They regularly visited the facility to conduct their research and use the equipment,” mentions Bora Şahin, RIF technical support expert. “They're just two of the many students whom we offered mentoring assistance.” 

“Together, we worked on ways to make their projects more effective, and eventually they set up their own company.” 

Today, Semih and Furkan have three permanent employees and freelance trainers. They also intend to hire a Syrian individual they met at an IOM-organized hackathon. 

Now wanting to give back, they also occasionally serve as trainers as part of the technical training series offered by IOM and the Gaziantep Chamber of Industry Vocational Training Centre (GSOMEM) at the RIF, aimed at supporting students' career development. 

Semih and Furkan are excellent illustrations of how young people from different backgrounds can innovate and collaborate through technology and a shared dream of building a better world. 

*The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is in the process of handing over the management of two Resilience Innovation Facilities in Gaziantep to their respective host institutions — Gaziantep University and Şahinbey Municipality — fostering local ownership and sustainability.