The Chat & Taste with KORA event, organized as part of the Excel4Pro Meetups series, took place on October 16, 2026, at Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Türkiye. Focused on sustainable food systems, entrepreneurship, and alternative proteins, the event brought together students and academics interested in plant-based food innovation and the future of sustainable nutrition.
The event began with an introduction to the Excel4Pro project, highlighting its main objectives and focus areas, particularly the development of innovative alternative protein solutions and their contribution to more sustainable food systems.
Exploring Entrepreneurship and Plant-Based Food Innovation
The event featured an inspiring conversation moderated by İlknur Şahin, Project Manager at Foodback, with Özlem Yurdakul, Co-Founder of KORA.
During the session, Yurdakul shared her entrepreneurial journey, the vision behind KORA, and her experiences in developing innovative plant-based, protein-enriched food products. The discussion highlighted the opportunities and challenges of building a food startup, from product development to bringing innovative and sustainable food solutions to consumers.
Tasting Innovative Plant-Based Products
Following the conversation, participants had the opportunity to discover and taste KORA’s innovative products, including protein- and fibre-rich savoury snacks, spreads, protein halva, and protein-enriched roche chocolates.
The tasting session offered participants a first-hand experience of alternative protein applications in everyday food products, encouraging discussions around nutrition, taste, consumer preferences, and sustainable food innovation.
Connecting Academia, Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Food Innovation
The event provided an opportunity for students and academics to engage directly with an entrepreneur working in the alternative protein sector and gain practical insights into the journey of developing innovative food products.
Through the combination of entrepreneurial insights and an interactive tasting experience, Chat & Taste with KORA highlighted the potential of plant-based innovation to contribute to more sustainable food systems.
As part of the Excel4Pro Meetups series, the event also supported knowledge exchange between academia and the entrepreneurship ecosystem, inspiring participants to explore new opportunities in sustainable food innovation.