Students, startups, academic spin-offs, researchers and entrepreneurial teams are invited to participate in a three-day Hybrid Matchmaking Event organised alongside the 5th CloudEARTHi Conference in Ankara.
The event is organised by the Scale2Connect project to facilitate cooperation between emerging innovation ecosystems and established innovation hubs. It will connect innovators with investors, companies, universities, industry experts and innovation-support organisations, promoting cross-regional knowledge exchange and the development of new partnerships across Europe and Latin America.
The project event is supported by the Ankara Chamber of Industry, while the Hybrid Matchmaking Event is designed and organised by Scale2Connect.
Submit your innovative idea
Interested teams are invited to submit a short abstract presenting:
- the problem or challenge they address;
- their proposed solution or innovation;
- the current development stage of their idea;
- its expected market, environmental or societal value;
- the expertise, investment or partnerships they are seeking; and
- their preferred mode of participation: onsite or online.
The abstract should provide a clear, non-confidential overview of the idea. Applicants must not disclose confidential, commercially sensitive, patentable or other vital information about their business idea. The submitted information may be used to evaluate applications and promote selected ideas through the event programme and digital poster exhibition.
Selected applicants will be invited to present their ideas through posters, either physically in Ankara or through the event’s digital platform. Posters will remain accessible throughout the three conference days.
How will the event work?
6 October — Poster showcase and initial evaluation
The evaluation committee will review the posters and meet the participating teams. Onsite teams will present their posters directly, while remote teams will join scheduled online presentation and discussion sessions.
The committee will assess the ideas and select a group of finalists to proceed to the pitching stage.
7 October — Finalist pitches
Selected teams will pitch their ideas before the jury, either on the conference stage or online. Each pitch will be followed by questions and feedback from the jury.
8 October — Announcement of the winners
The winners and selected finalists will be announced during the final day of the conference.
Meet investors and potential partners
Alongside the poster showcase and pitch competition, the event will provide a dedicated hybrid matchmaking space where participants can:
- meet investors, companies and innovation-support organisations;
- connect with students, startups and entrepreneurial teams from other regions;
- identify research, technology and business partners;
- receive feedback from industry experts and innovation actors;
- explore mentoring, acceleration and investment opportunities; and
- discuss potential joint projects and future collaborations.
Both scheduled meetings and informal networking opportunities will be available. Online participants will be able to join dedicated digital meeting rooms and interact with partners attending the conference in Ankara.
Who can participate?
The event welcomes:
- university students and student teams;
- aspiring entrepreneurs;
- early-stage startups;
- academic and research-based spin-offs;
- researchers developing innovative solutions; and
- interdisciplinary teams seeking collaboration, investment or market opportunities.
Scale2Connect particularly encourages applications from students, startups and entrepreneurial teams based in its three participating countries: Portugal, Spain and the Dominican Republic.
The event is committed to inclusion, diversity and equal participation. Women-led startups and teams involving people from groups underrepresented in deep-tech innovation and entrepreneurship are particularly encouraged to apply.
Participation is available both onsite in Ankara and online.
Apply to participate
Abstract submission deadline: 1st of October, 2026
Application form: https://conference.cloudearthi.com/submission/ (Choose from topic drop-down list: abstract for project or innovation action)
Contact: OctaInsight@gmail.com & yas.sahinn@gmail.com
Submit your idea, present your solution and connect with the people and organisations that can help you take the next step.
Funding and responsibility disclaimer
This project event is supported by Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey and the matchmaking event is supported by the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101214553. The views and opinions expressed on this webpage and during the event are solely those of the respective authors and speakers. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding authority, supporting organisations or event organisers, none of which can be held responsible for them.
Intellectual property notice
Participants retain ownership of their ideas and intellectual property. Submission or presentation at the event does not transfer any ownership rights to the organisers or supporting organisations. Participants are responsible for protecting their intellectual property and must not disclose confidential, commercially sensitive, patentable or other information requiring protection.