Virtual Laboratory from Women Entrepreneurs

Virtual Laboratory from Women Entrepreneurs **Women entrepreneurs' award-winning "virtual laboratory" will guide future scientists** At Gebze Teknik Üniversitesi Teknopark, supported by TÜBİTAK and KOSGEB, a "virtual laboratory" designed with augmented virtual reality technology will help aspiring scientists develop their technical competencies. Entrepreneur Şevval Çimyapan stated: "Through this virtual laboratory, aspiring scientists will be able to develop their technical competencies and receive educational support via mobile application. We started on this journey so they could seize an opportunity to develop themselves professionally." **KOCAELİ (AA) - ŞENGÜL AZBAY** At Gebze Teknik Üniversitesi (GTÜ) Teknopark, a "virtual laboratory" developed by 3 young women entrepreneurs is presenting the research environment to future scientists through augmented reality. Şevval Çimyapan, Rabia Ergin and Ebru Bozkurt, who were university classmates, took action to provide easy access to laboratories. The 3 women entrepreneurs who prepared the virtual laboratory project qualified for support under the innovation programme from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization (KOSGEB). The 3 friends, who founded KozarScience in October 2020 in the Information Valley, later moved their company to GTÜ Teknopark, where they continued their master's education. Supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) and KOSGEB, the women entrepreneurs are offering aspiring scientists the opportunity to conduct experiments in molecular biology and genetics through their "virtual laboratory" developed with augmented and virtual reality technology at Teknopark. In the virtual laboratory, where experiments in basic sciences such as mathematics, physics and chemistry will also be added, it is aimed to create educational content that children can also benefit from. Young entrepreneurs representing Turkey by presenting their projects at the European Institute of Innovation and Technology Manufacturing Summit, held online and attended by approximately 200 women entrepreneurs from 30 countries, were recognized with a honourable mention award. **"We Planted the Seeds of Our Entrepreneurial Journey During University"** Çimyapan, describing how she and her colleagues working together in the same club prepared the virtual laboratory project, explained that they qualified for grant support thanks to the project supported by TÜBİTAK for young entrepreneurs. Çimyapan, noting that they realized the project based on problems they experienced during their undergraduate studies, continued: "As large student groups, we encountered many problems with devices and materials being imported from abroad and at the same time facing difficulties in accessing them. After thinking about how to solve these, we said, 'let's create a virtual laboratory'. Through this virtual laboratory, aspiring scientists will be able to develop their technical competencies and receive educational support via mobile application. We started on this journey so they could seize an opportunity to develop themselves professionally."