Türkiye's Automobile Initiative Group (TOGG) on Thursday said it is launching a mobility acceleration program with Plug and Play, the world’s largest innovation platform.

According to a statement, within the scope of the cooperation international start-ups will be supported in many areas, from mentoring to financial consultancy.

"Collaborating with Plug and Play, an innovation platform with 400 corporate partners in the heart of the Silicon Valley as well as in 4 continents, 20 countries, and 39 offices, TOGG will guide start-ups with its international Mobility Acceleration Program," it said.

Global entrepreneurs will be supported in all areas of need such as mentoring, financial consultancy, and project support.

TOGG CEO Gurcan Karakas, who attended the Startup Autobahn EXPO 2022 in Stuttgart, Germany, said start-ups are an important part of new technology solutions in the mobility ecosystem. "Companies relied heavily on their own R&D units 5-10 years ago, but with start-ups, technological innovation has reached an unprecedented speed," he said.

"The Mobility Acceleration Program is an important step we have taken to support start-ups, a very important element of the ecosystem."

Karakas said in June the company participated in Vivatech, Europe’s largest technology, and start-up event. "We will continue to be involved in all kinds of efforts that will improve the mobility ecosystem," he added.

Plug and Play Turkey Director Lale Gozubuyuk said the innovation platform "will be happy and proud" to share with TOGG experience, which encompasses not only global automotive companies but many other sectors, mainly mobility, as well as the opportunities it has developed."

TOGG is the consortium developing the country’s first fully electric car./aa