Empowering Innovation: Turkish Energy Start-Ups at the SET Tech Festival 2025 in Berlin
On 26th March, 2025, six Turkish energy start-ups participated in the Start Up Energy Transition (SET) Tech Festival in Berlin, an internationally renowned platform that brings together leading innovators, investors, and stakeholders driving the future of energy. The delegation was supported by the Turkish-German Energy Partnership, aiming to foster bilateral cooperation in innovation and entrepreneurship within the clean energy space.
Following a competitive application process, the selected start-ups represented cutting-edge solutions across diverse sectors of the energy transition:
- ALGBIO: Capturing CO₂ for use in biofuels, bioplastics, and biomaterials
- HELIOSTEAM: Focused on concentrated solar thermal energy
- NANOTerial: Recycling rare earth magnets
- Algopoly: Forecasting energy production using advanced algorithms
- SCP - Smart City & Partners (Eye On Blue): Leveraging space tech, IoT, and AI for environmental monitoring
- Ion Membran Teknolojileri A.Ş.: Specialising in ion-exchange membranes and separators
The Turkish participants presented their innovations to an international audience, forged new business contacts, and exchanged with peers, public institutions, and corporate actors from the broader energy ecosystem.
One of the key highlights was a pitch and dialogue session with Dr. Dorothea Schütz, Head of the Directorate for the Middle East and North Africa region at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE). The start-ups engaged in a constructive exchange on access to the German market, funding opportunities, and trilateral cooperation formats.
The next day, participants joined a tailor-made workshop hosted by Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) titled "Powering Growth: Expanding Energy Start-ups in Germany & Europe." The interactive session provided practical guidance on:
- Navigating regulatory and certification processes
- Developing go-to-market strategies for Germany and the EU
- Understanding infrastructure and funding instruments for international companies
The delegation wrapped up their trip with a visit to the EUREF Campus—Berlin’s centre for energy innovation and sustainability—where they learned more about the ecosystem’s corporate and research activities.
Key takeaways for the start-ups:
- The value of deep networking with investors, incubators, and corporate partners
- Germany as a strategic market for green and clean tech
- First-hand insights into market entry points and support mechanisms
- The potential of ecosystem collaboration to scale up impact-driven innovation
