İstanbul — One of Turkey’s leading technology parks, İTÜ ARI Teknokent, has invested $653,000 in 30 startups, with a focus on innovation in key sectors such as energy, fintech, artificial intelligence, automotive, life sciences, and health technologies.
Speaking on BloombergHT’s Gündem Teknoloji program, İTÜ ARI Teknokent General Manager Prof. Dr. Attila Dikbaş shared insights into the park’s investment strategy and support infrastructure for entrepreneurs.
“We’ve invested $653,000 across 30 startups as part of our angel investor efforts. We provide full support throughout their evaluation processes. Each year, we offer approximately 2 to 3 million TL in financial assistance for device and equipment needs,” said Prof. Dr. Dikbaş.
He also highlighted the importance of İTÜ Çekirdek, the incubation center under İTÜ ARI Teknokent, in scaling ventures and expanding internationally:
“Our priority is to help startups grow and go global. Each year, we receive between 4,000 and 5,000 applications, and this year, we selected 500 startups to support.”
Strategic Focus on AI, Energy, and Health Technologies
Prof. Dr. Dikbaş emphasized that the technopark strategically supports startups operating in thematic areas with specialized teams and programs:
“We’re focusing on startups developing products and services using AI technologies, particularly in sectors like energy, fintech, automotive, life sciences, and health tech. We’re about to launch a significant project with a company developing AI-based building safety technologies for the residential construction sector.”
He added that public and private sector partnerships are key drivers of growth in their ecosystem.
“25% of Software Companies in Turkey Are Based in Technoparks”
Highlighting the vital role of technoparks in Turkey’s software industry, Prof. Dr. Dikbaş stated:
“Today, 25% of software companies in Turkey operate within technoparks. The software sector generates an economy of nearly 40 billion TL. Across the country, 106 technoparks are currently active. Benefits such as remote working, customs duty exemptions, and VAT exemptions add significant value to the sector. Additionally, 10% of all IT companies in Turkey are located within İTÜ ARI Teknokent.”
With continued investments and thematic focus areas, İTÜ ARI Teknokent positions itself as a critical hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and technological advancement in Turkey.
Source: Bloomberght/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök