Organized by TÜBİTAK in cooperation with ARGEMİP and A.SPIRE under the "Technical Assistance for Türkiye in Horizon Europe" project, the Processes4Planet (P4Planet) Partnership Information and Networking Day took place on September 8, 2026, at Teknopark Istanbul. The event brought together more than 100 stakeholders from the Turkish Research Area—ranging from large industrial enterprises and SMEs to sector organizations, universities, research and technology institutions, and public bodies—with representatives from leading European organizations in the P4Planet ecosystem.
Operating as a co-programmed public-private partnership between the European Commission and A.SPIRE under Horizon Europe’s Digital, Industry, and Space Cluster, P4Planet aims to boost the global competitiveness of European industry while driving the transformation of process industries—including cement, ceramics, chemicals, non-ferrous metals, minerals, pulp and paper, refining, steel, and water—toward circularity and climate neutrality by 2050. The event enabled organizations in Türkiye to strengthen their ties with the P4Planet ecosystem, gain insights into upcoming calls, explore new project opportunities, and establish strategic networks.
Planned under the coordination of TÜBİTAK Digital, Industry, and Space Cluster National Contact Points Dr. Hale Ay and Elif Sena Yıkılmaz, with the support of ARGEMİP Secretary General Zeki Tuna, the program opened with speeches by Okan Özkan, Chairman of the Board of Directors at ARGEMİP, and Çağrı Yıldırım, TÜBİTAK EU Framework Programmes Director. Following the openings, Dr. Hale Ay presented an overview of the Horizon Europe Program, European Partnerships, and TÜBİTAK support mechanisms. Àngels Orduña Cao, Executive Director of A.SPIRE, outlined P4Planet’s operational framework, the 2050 Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), the role of A.SPIRE, and details regarding the P4Planet 2027 calls. Dr. Hale Ay and Elif Sena Yıkılmaz guided participants throughout the program, fostering project development and international cooperation.
The agenda extended beyond the current call period to address P4Planet's long-term transformation vision. Framed around A.SPIRE’s 2040 Innovation4Competitiveness Vision, the upcoming research and innovation partnership approach led by process industries for 2028–2034 was shared with attendees. The strategy highlights three core goals: global industrial competitiveness, strategic autonomy for European value chains, and innovation-driven sustainability. Furthermore, five key technological innovation areas were detailed—energy and CO2, reduction of emissions and substances of concern, bio-based raw materials, circularity and material efficiency, and innovation in materials, products, and processes—with digitalization and AI serving as horizontal enablers across all domains.
Following the strategic framework, representatives from organizations participating in P4Planet-funded projects took the stage. Discussions focused on success stories, key factors driving achievement, identifying suitable project ideas and calls, selecting the right partners, preparing competitive proposals, success criteria from an evaluator's perspective, and lessons learned from past applications. Practical advice was also shared to help domestic organizations engage more actively in the P4Planet ecosystem and form strong consortia for future calls. During the "Success Stories from the EU" session, Dr. Iban Vicario Gómez (TECNALIA Research & Innovation), Dr. Richard Heyn (SINTEF), and Andrés Yáñez Amador (CIRCE Centro Tecnológico) shared their experience and perspectives. In the "Success Stories from Türkiye" session, Can Demir (Tüpraş), M. Edip Akay (Teknopar), and Mete Emre Ergüçlü (Baştaş) presented their insights and recommendations.
In addition to knowledge and experience sharing, the afternoon session also opened space for new project concepts and matchmaking. Pitching sessions allowed participants to present ideas targeting the P4Planet 2027 calls, followed by B2B meetings between Turkish institutions and experienced European actors. Alongside over 30 scheduled bilateral meetings, numerous informal contacts took place throughout the day, transforming the event into a dynamic networking hub. These meetings allowed organizations to discover complementary capabilities, evaluate project ideas jointly, and lay the groundwork for future consortia.
From long-term vision and 2027 call details to project case studies, pitching, and targeted matchmaking, the Processes4Planet Information and Networking Day provided a comprehensive platform that reinforced the Turkish Research Area's integration with the European process industry ecosystem.