Novusens
Novusens is an Ankara-based independent think tank founded in 2009 that delivers consulting, training, and strategic research on innovation policy, smart city transformation, open data, and digital economy for Turkish government ministries, municipalities, and select enterprises.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersAnkara
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Novusens does
Novusens (legal entity: NOVUSENS İnovasyon ve Girişimcilik Enstitüsü) is an Ankara-based independent think tank founded in 2009 by Berrin Benli, operating two specialized institutes: the Büyük Veri Enstitüsü (Big Data Institute, est. 2013) and the Akıllı Şehirler Enstitüsü (Smart Cities Institute, est. 2014). It delivers professional consulting, training, and strategic research services in innovation policy, smart city transformation, open data, and the digital economy for Turkish government ministries, development agencies, municipalities, and select private-sector clients. Service offerings are organized around five pillars: consulting services (corporate digital transformation advisory), education services (digital transformation and smart city training for government officials), strategic research (global mega-trend analysis), thought leadership and technology policy advisory, and event/conference organization. Major delivered projects include the 2016 Turkey Smart Cities Readiness Assessment Report (sponsored by Mastercard and Intel Turkey), the Aklım Fikrim Çanakkale smart city transformation initiative (won SIGN of the CITY Awards 2019), and the UK-Turkey Smart Mobility and Open Data projects funded by the UK Prosperity Fund.
The business model is project-based professional services revenue, with no disclosed pricing or publicly available rate cards; engagements appear to be quote-based and tailored to institutional clients. Go-to-market is event-driven: the organization reaches customers primarily through conferences (Smart City Expo World Congress Barcelona, Turkey Smart Cities Congress with 15,000 attendees in 2020, MARUF, G100 at SCEWC25), training programs for municipalities and development agencies, and widely referenced research publications. There is no proprietary software product, no patents, no AI/ML productized offering, and no app or platform; the company's commercial offering is intellectual capital and convening power rather than technology. With 11–50 employees, an Ankara headquarters, and founder-led governance, Novusens operates as a niche, founder-centric policy advisory firm rather than a scalable technology business, and its competitive position rests on its ecosystem of strategic partners (Microsoft Turkey, TBV, TTGV, KAIST, USTDA, Italian Trade Agency, Enterprise Singapore, plus leading Turkish universities) and a decade-plus track record of published research and award recognition in the Turkish smart city domain.
Novusens firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Novusens
- Legal name
- NOVUSENS İnovasyon ve Girişimcilik Enstitüsü
- Website
- https://novusens.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Novusens is an Ankara-based independent think tank founded in 2009 that delivers consulting, training, and strategic research on innovation policy, smart city transformation, open data, and digital economy for Turkish government ministries, municipalities, and select enterprises.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Novusens industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Management Consulting — Smart City and Digital Transformation Advisory
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Other Computer Related Services (541519)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital & Technology Transformation Consulting (BPAHACAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Technical Enablement & Adoption Services (Change Management, Adoption, Champions) (BPAEANAC)
Keywords
Where Novusens is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ankara
Offices1 record
Markets served
Novusens business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Consulting Services: Corporate digital transformation consulting services provided to government agencies, municipalities, and private sector organizations.
- Training Services: Digital transformation and smart city training programs delivered to development agencies, municipalities, and government bodies.
- Strategic Research: Strategic research on global mega trends conducted for institutional clients and international organizations.
- Event Organization: Conference, event, and seminar organization services for institutional and corporate clients.
- Mentorship Services: Business world mentorship services provided through thought leadership programs.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Novusens product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Novusens operates as an independent think tank that delivers professional consulting, training, strategic research, thought leadership, and event organization services focused on smart city transformation, digital economy, big data, and innovation policy. Its service portfolio is delivered through two specialized institutes — the Smart Cities Institute and the Big Data Institute — and is targeted at Turkish government ministries, municipalities, development agencies, large enterprises, and academic institutions.
Product overview
NOVUSENS is a research and policy institute (think tank) rather than a commercial software company. Its offerings consist of two specialized institutes—the Akıllı Şehirler Enstitüsü (Smart Cities Institute, est. 2014) focusing on urban digital transformation, and the Büyük Veri Enstitüsü (Big Data Institute, est. 2013) focused on data analytics and open data. Complementing these are consulting services (digital transformation advisory), education services, strategic research, thought leadership, and event organization. The institute also produces specialized research reports including the Türkiye Akıllı Şehirler Hazırlık Değerlendirme Raporu, Dijital Ekonomi Dönüşüm Raporu, and Türkiye Akıllı Şehir Pazarına Bakış. Major projects include the Aklım Fikrim Çanakkale smart city initiative, UK-Turkey Smart Mobility Project, UK-Turkey Open Data Project, and Lüleburgaz bicycle infrastructure project. Services include corporate consulting, training programs, strategic research, thought leadership, and event/conference organization.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Akıllı Şehirler Enstitüsü (Smart Cities Institute): A research unit focused on smart city transformation, developing innovative solutions for sustainable urban development through integration of government, private sector, universities, and NGOs.
- Büyük Veri Enstitüsü (Big Data Institute)
Products and services
- Danışmanlık Hizmetleri (Consulting Services)
Quantifiable outcome
- Turkey Smart Cities Readiness Assessment Report 2016 was presented at Barcelona Smart City Expo World Congress and Istanbul Bilişim Zirvesi, with over 60 press representatives attending launch.
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Novusens
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Novusens technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Novusens partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Kale GrubucoreKale Group is the primary host and partner for the 'Aklım Fikrim Çanakkale' smart city transformation initiative. Novusens serves as the executor of this flagship smart city project for Çanakkale.
- Türkiye Bilişim Vakfı (TBV)coreTurkey Informatics Foundation is a key strategic partner supporting Novusens smart city initiatives including the Aklım Fikrim Çanakkale project and Turkey Smart Cities reports.
- Microsoft TurkeymajorMicrosoft Turkey has been a main sponsor for Novusens events including the Big Data Innovation Event (2013) and Smart City Institute launch (2014).
- TÜBİTAKmajorTÜBİTAK is a key partner for innovation training programs and technology policy collaboration. Novusens has conducted multiple training sessions for TÜBİTAK BİDEB programs.
- TTGV (Türkiye Teknoloji Geliştirme Vakfı)coreTurkey Technology Development Foundation is a major strategic partner. Collaborated on Digital Economy Transformation Report and multiple technology innovation events.
- Sabancı ÜniversitesimajorSabancı University Engineering and Natural Sciences Faculty is a strategic partner. Collaborated on Data Analytics and Big Data Insights conference (2014).
- İTÜ (İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi)majorIstanbul Technical University is a key academic partner providing expertise for smart city research including the Turkey Smart Cities Readiness Assessment Report.
- Bilkent ÜniversitesimajorBilkent University is a strategic partner in the Novusens academic network for innovation and smart city research.
- Mastercard TurkeymajorMastercard Turkey was a sponsor of the Turkey Smart Cities Readiness Assessment Report 2016 project.
- Intel TurkeymajorIntel Turkey was a sponsor of the Turkey Smart Cities Readiness Assessment Report 2016 project.
- UK Transport Systems CatapultmajorUK Transport Systems Catapult partnered with Novusens on the UK-Turkey Smart Mobility Project supported by the UK Prosperity Fund.
- USTDA (U.S. Trade and Development Agency)majorU.S. Trade and Development Agency partnered with Novusens for Smart Cities Round Table event connecting American and Turkish stakeholders.
- KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology)majorKAIST Global Commercialization Center signed a smart cities cooperation agreement with Novusens Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute in 2020.
- Enterprise SingaporemajorCollaboration on Smart Cities, Sustainability and Energy Efficiency. Turkey offers significant opportunities in sustainability and energy efficiency with 11 billion USD planned investment over 5-year national plan.
- Italian Trade Agency (ITA)majorITA and Novusens co-organized the Italy-Turkey Business Forum focused on Smart Cities Entrepreneurship at ICSG Istanbul 2016.
- FIRA BarcelonaminorListed as a business partner in Novusens ecosystem network.
- Türkiye Belediyeler Birliği (TBB)majorTurkish Union of Municipalities partnered with Novusens for Smart Cities Congress and Smart City training programs.
- Marmara Belediyeler BirliğimajorMarmara Union of Municipalities collaborated with Novusens on Smart Cities Applications Training (February 2020) and MARUF urban forum.
- Kalkınma Ajansları (Development Agencies)majorTurkey's regional development agencies have partnered with Novusens for innovation training programs and smart city initiatives across multiple regions.
- G100 Smart and Sustainable Cities WingcoreNovusens Smart City Institute serves as coordinator for G100 Smart and Sustainable Cities Wing, participating in Barcelona Smart City Expo World Congress and COP28 events.
- TEPAV (Türkiye Ekonomi Politikaları Araştırma Vakfı)majorTurkey Economic Policy Research Foundation partnered with Novusens for G20-T20 Think20 initiatives, including Open Data Policy Note presentation.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Novusens competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Centre for Cities: UK-based think tank producing urban policy research and city-level analysis for municipal and national government audiences; analogous business model and customer base to Novusens.
- LSE Cities: London School of Economics research centre producing research and executive education on urban governance, sustainability, and digital transformation of cities.
- Türkiye Bilişim Vakfı (TBV): Turkish Informatics Foundation focused on digital transformation and ICT policy; collaborates with Novusens on the Smart Cities Institute and Turkey Smart Cities reports, operating a parallel think tank model.
- Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program: US urban policy research program publishing city-level analysis and policy recommendations for government and civic audiences; closest international analogue in scope and influence.
- TEPAV (Türkiye Ekonomi Politikaları Araştırma Vakfı): Turkey-based economic policy research foundation that co-publishes T20/G20 policy notes with Novusens and operates in the same think tank/research model targeting Turkish policy-makers and international audiences.
- Smart Cities Council: Global non-profit coalition that produces smart city readiness assessments and advisory content for municipal governments; overlaps directly with Novusens' readiness assessment and roadmap advisory work.
Broad incumbents
- Frost & Sullivan: Global research and advisory firm producing market outlook reports and advisory across technology verticals including smart cities; comparable to Novusens' KOTRA market outlook and TÜBİTAK-adjacent research deliverables.
- McKinsey & Company (Cities Special Initiative): Global management consultancy with dedicated cities practice publishing urban transformation research and serving large municipal clients; a credible competitor for marquee Turkish smart city projects.
- Deloitte (Government & Public Services – Smart Cities): Global consulting firm with established smart cities practice serving ministries and municipalities on digital transformation strategy; competes with Novusens for larger Turkish and regional advisory mandates.
Regional players
- European Urban Knowledge Network: European network focused on urban policy knowledge exchange across EU member states; comparable scope to Novusens' EU city twinning (Çanakkale-Tarragona) and Smart City Applications Training work, primarily serving European municipal audiences.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Novusens social profiles
Digital presenceNovusens financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Novusens leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Novusens funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Novusens M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Novusens
What does Novusens do?
Novusens operates as an independent think tank that delivers professional consulting, training, strategic research, thought leadership, and event organization services focused on smart city transformation, digital economy, big data, and innovation policy. Its service portfolio is delivered through two specialized institutes — the Smart Cities Institute and the Big Data Institute — and is targeted at Turkish government ministries, municipalities, development agencies, large enterprises, and academic institutions.
Is Novusens a public or private company?
Novusens is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Novusens founded?
Novusens was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Novusens based?
Novusens is headquartered in Ankara.
How does Novusens make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are training Services, strategic Research, event Organization and mentorship Services.
Who are Novusens's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Centre for Cities, LSE Cities, Türkiye Bilişim Vakfı (TBV), Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, TEPAV (Türkiye Ekonomi Politikaları Araştırma Vakfı) and Smart Cities Council. Broad incumbents are Frost & Sullivan, McKinsey & Company (Cities Special Initiative) and Deloitte (Government & Public Services – Smart Cities). European Urban Knowledge Network is listed as a regional player.
Does Novusens have an API?
No public API is recorded for Novusens.
What industry is Novusens in?
Novusens's product category is Management Consulting — Smart City and Digital Transformation Advisory. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHACAH, Digital & Technology Transformation Consulting, with a secondary code of BPAEANAC, Technical Enablement & Adoption Services (Change Management, Adoption, Champions). Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 7370.