Business Bridge to Houston

A delegation of Turkish Business Women attended “Ankara – Houston Entrepreneur Women Forum” in Houston on October 23-30, 2016 which was organized by ANGIKAD (Entrepreneur Business Women and Support Association) and Houston Trade Attaché. Hikmet Barutcu, Coordinator of TAGES and a member of ANGIKAD, was one of 13 attendees to create business opportunities between Turkey and USA especially on smart cities and women employment.

Last October Houston City hosted a delegation of Turkish business women. It was the first business trip organized by women from Turkey to Houston. During the visit, 13 entrepreneur women realized 61 face2face meetings with the American companies in Turkish Consulate General in Houston. On the 25th of October, the Turkish entrepreneur women visited Sylvester Turner, the Mayor of Houston and a special ceremony was organized. The Mayor of Houston announced that the 25th of October would be ANGIKAD Day from now on. During the meeting, Turkish entrepreneur women introduced themselves and presented their businesses and Marsha Murray, the Director of Business Opportunities Office, Houston Municipality, informed about the business opportunities in Houston for women.

Please click on here to watch the speech of the Mayor of Houston.

Hikmet Barutcu, Coordinator of TAGES and a member of ANGIKAD, attended the f2f meetings and met the American companies to look for business opportunities especially on smart cities and women employment. She presented TAGES and its smart city related projects and discussed the possible collaborations. She also attended lobbying activities between Houston and Turkey.

Besides the f2f meetings with the companies, the delegation also realized separate meetings with Houston Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Greater Houston Partnership, American Turkish Association of Houston and Turkish Consulate General in Houston. During the meetings, the cooperation agreements have been reached in principle. As a result of the fruitful forum, the delegation learned about the business potential in Houston and how to catch business opportunities and to start collaborations.