A CASE STUDY
CREATING A BLUE OCEAN START UP IN TURKEY
INTRODUCTION
Ergosis introduced the iris recognition technology and its initial applications to the Turkish
market as the revolutionary concept was just starting to make its first foray into the realm of
biometric identification technologies. Foudnded as a start-up, Ergosis was one of the first ever
to carry the technology outside the borders of United States. The technology being a
breakthrough innovation, it brought many challenges for Ergosis, many of which were typical to
any start-up, yet, some of which were unique to the company and the business plan it pursued.
Although the initial response in the market was very positive and there was a lot of interest from
the prospective buyers, the company started experiencing serious difficulties shortly after its
inception. The case touches on many of the problems faced with start-ups, especially in areas
where there is a blue ocean opportunity. Although the opportunity is very promising and full of
potential, the challenges are also like no other and many solutions need to be custom designed
based on the novel nature of the idea. Ergosis set out with those challenges in mind and tried to
do nobody had ever done before; bring a totally new product, which was on the cutting edge of
technology to a market that wasn’t necessarily a trend setter in that sense.
, WHAT IS BIOMETRICS?
Biometrics are biological measurements — or physical characteristics — that can be used to
identify individuals. While they can have other applications, biometrics have been often used in
security, and you can mostly label biometrics into three groups:
1. Biological biometrics use traits at a genetic and molecular level. These may include
features like DNA or your blood, which might be assessed through a sample of your
body’s fluids.
2. Morphological biometrics involve the structure of your body. More physical traits like
your eye, fingerprint, or the shape of your face can be mapped for use with security
scanners.
3. Behavioral biometrics are based on patterns unique to each person. How you walk,
speak, or even type on a keyboard can be an indication of your identity if these patterns
are tracked.
Biometric identification has a growing role in our everyday security. Physical characteristics are
relatively fixed and individualized — even in the case of twins. Each person’s unique biometric
identity can be used to replace or at least augment password systems for computers, phones,
and restricted access rooms and buildings. Once biometric data is obtained and mapped, it is
then saved to be matched with future attempts at access. Most of the time, this data is
encrypted and stored within the device or in a remote server.
Biometrics scanners are hardware used to capture the biometric for verification of identity.
These scans match against the saved database to approve or deny access to the system.
In other words, biometric security means your body becomes the “key” to unlock your access.
Biometrics are largely used because of two major benefits:
➢ Convenience of use: Biometrics are always with you and cannot be lost or forgotten.
➢ Difficult to steal or impersonate: Biometrics can’t be stolen like a password or key
can.1
CREATING A BLUE OCEAN START UP IN TURKEY
INTRODUCTION
Ergosis introduced the iris recognition technology and its initial applications to the Turkish
market as the revolutionary concept was just starting to make its first foray into the realm of
biometric identification technologies. Foudnded as a start-up, Ergosis was one of the first ever
to carry the technology outside the borders of United States. The technology being a
breakthrough innovation, it brought many challenges for Ergosis, many of which were typical to
any start-up, yet, some of which were unique to the company and the business plan it pursued.
Although the initial response in the market was very positive and there was a lot of interest from
the prospective buyers, the company started experiencing serious difficulties shortly after its
inception. The case touches on many of the problems faced with start-ups, especially in areas
where there is a blue ocean opportunity. Although the opportunity is very promising and full of
potential, the challenges are also like no other and many solutions need to be custom designed
based on the novel nature of the idea. Ergosis set out with those challenges in mind and tried to
do nobody had ever done before; bring a totally new product, which was on the cutting edge of
technology to a market that wasn’t necessarily a trend setter in that sense.
, WHAT IS BIOMETRICS?
Biometrics are biological measurements — or physical characteristics — that can be used to
identify individuals. While they can have other applications, biometrics have been often used in
security, and you can mostly label biometrics into three groups:
1. Biological biometrics use traits at a genetic and molecular level. These may include
features like DNA or your blood, which might be assessed through a sample of your
body’s fluids.
2. Morphological biometrics involve the structure of your body. More physical traits like
your eye, fingerprint, or the shape of your face can be mapped for use with security
scanners.
3. Behavioral biometrics are based on patterns unique to each person. How you walk,
speak, or even type on a keyboard can be an indication of your identity if these patterns
are tracked.
Biometric identification has a growing role in our everyday security. Physical characteristics are
relatively fixed and individualized — even in the case of twins. Each person’s unique biometric
identity can be used to replace or at least augment password systems for computers, phones,
and restricted access rooms and buildings. Once biometric data is obtained and mapped, it is
then saved to be matched with future attempts at access. Most of the time, this data is
encrypted and stored within the device or in a remote server.
Biometrics scanners are hardware used to capture the biometric for verification of identity.
These scans match against the saved database to approve or deny access to the system.
In other words, biometric security means your body becomes the “key” to unlock your access.
Biometrics are largely used because of two major benefits:
➢ Convenience of use: Biometrics are always with you and cannot be lost or forgotten.
➢ Difficult to steal or impersonate: Biometrics can’t be stolen like a password or key
can.1
