Interview: Gamze Karanfil Kaçmaz & GMZ Enerji

The interview with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gamze Karanfil Kaçmaz, founder of GMZ Enerji from Turkiye. 

GMZ Enerji is developing High Performance Nanofiber membranes for Hydrogen Fuel Cell/Electrolyzer Systems. 

You can listen to the episode of the EmpoWomen Podcast featuring Dr. Gamze Karanfil Kaçmaz on Spotify:

Or read the interview.

Pitching GMZ Enerji

In recent years, the challenges of climate change, energy crises, and limited resources have signaled a new era, particularly in energy conversion technologies.

Green hydrogen is a key component for decarbonization and energy supply security. In this new era, the critical components of green hydrogen systems are the electrolyzer and fuel cell. Green hydrogen is produced using water and renewable energy in electrolyzers, and in fuel cells, this hydrogen generates electrical energy and water.

At the core of these systems are membranes, which are crucial in determining the efficiency, lifespan, and cost of the entire system. Traditional membranes, commonly used in electrolyzer and fuel cell systems, are produced by casting techniques and have negative environmental impacts due to their fluorinated content.

With our developed nanofiber membranes, we combine the advantages of nanotechnology and fiber structure. We have created more efficient, durable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly nanofiber membranes using our novel production method and raw materials. Our aim is to empower green hydrogen with advanced nanofiber membranes for a greener future.

Story of GMZ Enerji

I am a chemical engineer, and I was introduced to hydrogen energy about 15 years ago when I was an undergraduate student. At that time, hydrogen energy was not a well-known concept in Turkiye, and finding information about it in Turkish was challenging.

However, the global applications of hydrogen excited me greatly, and I believed that one day hydrogen would become the main element in energy conversion technologies. This belief led me to pursue a career as an academic, as there were no companies in the private sector where I could work with hydrogen. To further improve myself, I switched to mechanical engineering for my doctoral studies. Over the years, I focused on optimization methods and developing new materials to enhance the efficiency and durability of fuel cell components while reducing costs.

In 2021, we established GMZ Enerji after winning a grant from an entrepreneurship support program to transform my laboratory research into high-value-added products.

The name of the company is derived from the consonants of my name, reflecting a personal dream I had for many years: to raise awareness about the importance of hydrogen energy in Turkiye and to create resources in Turkish. Before applying for the grant, I wanted to establish a platform to explain hydrogen, which led to us securing the GMZ Enerji domain name. After receiving the grant, we needed to establish the company within three days as I was the owner of the product idea. We decided to keep the name GMZ Enerji, which I believe carries a high energy and has brought us luck. Since the founding of GMZ Enerji, hydrogen energy has gained significant importance in both Turkiye and the world.

Factors such as the pandemic, visible impacts of climate change, wars, and the Paris Agreement have made hydrogen increasingly relevant. For the first time, strategies and roadmaps have been published, marking a significant shift. In this evolving energy landscape, where hydrogen is gaining acceptance, GMZ Enerji’s mission is to lead the development of green energy technologies by producing innovative and high-performance nanofiber ion exchange membranes. We aim to offer solutions for a sustainable future and become a globally recognized and preferred leader in green hydrogen energy technologies.

GMZ Enerji Team

The startup journey can be challenging, and during those times, having a team of experts who are highly motivated and trustworthy is crucial. Our team consists of a core group who believed in me from the beginning, along with talented employees who joined us later. Since we develop engineering solutions, our team is primarily composed of engineers.

We have expertise in chemical, mechanical, electrical, electronics, and computer engineering, with a combined experience of over 95 years. The importance of having co-founders who are also technical advisors becomes evident when problems arise; it allows us to take swift action and develop effective solutions.

Now, we are looking to expand our team with marketing and sales experts.

GMZ Enerji Working Culture

Reliability and transparency are the core values that guide our work at GMZ Enerji. These principles shape our relationships with our team, partners, and customers. I believe it’s essential to share every development with our team, making them part of the process and keeping their motivation high. We’ve also established a transparent relationship with our partners and customers, openly sharing any challenges that arise.

When it comes to work, efficiency is our top priority. I believe that efficiency is crucial in every process, from resource allocation to end-use. It’s vital to use our resources, energy, and time wisely. By integrating efficiency into every aspect of our lives, we contribute to creating a more sustainable and comfortable environment for everyone.

Supporting Environment

My greatest teachers have been not just a single person, but the team, the sense of family, and the journey itself. Years ago, I had a dream, and I believed it would come true. I embarked on this journey to realize that dream, but entrepreneurship is not a path you can walk alone. One of the best things that happened to me on this journey is finding teammates who share my vision and support me, especially during times when my motivation wanes.

While dedicating ourselves to developing innovative solutions that can benefit the world, it’s crucial to maintain balance in our personal lives as well. I’m fortunate to have a supportive husband and family who always stand by me. Without them, continuing this journey would be much more difficult.

This journey demands the consideration of many factors simultaneously and the execution of various tasks in parallel. I’ve always enjoyed multitasking, but having a startup means there are even more things to juggle. As a result, I find myself constantly learning new things at every step of the entrepreneurial journey.

The Biggest Challenges

It is really difficult to be an entrepreneur and an academician, as both require very different perspectives.

As an academician, I want to test and verify my products many times before sharing the best results with the literature. However, as a startup founder, I need to test, produce the first product, and then improve it based on feedback. The biggest challenge for me as a founder is accepting that there is no perfect product and that we will always be in constant development.

The pursuit of perfection can sometimes cause me to overlook the good and satisfying results that can already be achieved. Perhaps focusing on continuous improvement and development rather than perfection might be more sustainable and fulfilling.

For GMZ Enerji, our biggest challenge is that there is no hydrogen market in Turkiye yet. We have developed innovative products for green hydrogen energy technologies, but the strategic roadmap regarding hydrogen energy was only published last year, and unfortunately, no official actions have been taken yet. Sometimes, I feel like we are not fully understood in Turkiye, which can cause our motivation to decrease from time to time.

The Entrepreneurial Environment in Turkiye for Women-Led Companies

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to be a woman in our region. Especially if you want to be a pioneer in a field, it is not easy to prove your presence in an ecosystem dominated by men.

For many years, women like me who want to create or produce something have had to fight to exist in this environment. However, in recent years, with the changing perspectives globally, women have started to receive more opportunities in Turkiye. There has been a significant increase in support programs, especially for women entrepreneurs, which is very encouraging.

EmpoWomen Programme

The qualifications I’ve gained from the EmpoWomen programme have far exceeded my expectations. I am part of a wonderful program where I gain new perspectives about myself and my company every week, and I constantly learn new things that I can apply in both my personal life and my business.

I think the most important aspect is being with an amazing group where empowered women empower women. I never feel alone. I want to share a brief anecdote: I had an operation two weeks ago, and my teammates attended the meetings while I was in the hospital. I mentioned that I would join the meeting the day I left the hospital, as I was in my pyjamas that day.

A “pyjama day” was organized, and everyone who could attend the meeting in their pyjamas supported me. This will always be an unforgettable memory for me, and I want to thank all these wonderful women once again.

I am truly proud that we are the only startup executives from Turkiyey, and I am ready to give my best support to make this program more known in Turkiye and to enable other women entrepreneurs to participate.

Being a female entrepreneur is already quite challenging, and it is a great opportunity to be in an ecosystem that understands, supports, and shares similar challenges. I am fortunate to be part of this group, and I hope more of my sisters will have this opportunity.

Next Steps

Our R&D studies on our high-performance nanofiber membranes continue at full speed, and we are now ready to enter the market. By starting mass production, our primary goal is to penetrate the European market, which constitutes 40 percent of the world’s hydrogen market, by establishing our production line in 2025.

Lastly, we aim to create a greener future empowered by our advanced nanofiber technology in the coming years.