Turkey's technology parks (TeknoKent), which play an important role in the transition to the value-added approach, have become a new player in the global economy as 4,510 companies working in 66 technological fields with more than 46,314 employees have posted sales of up to TL 50 billion ($14.26 billion).
Around 23,007 projects have already been completed in these technopolises while work on another 8,915 projects, continue, generating sales of approximately TL 47.7 billion ($13.8 billion) and reaching $2.6 billion in exports.
According to Turkey's Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology's Performance Index, the country's technology parks are predominantly located in Istanbul and Ankara.
Companies born and commercialized under the TeknoKent Acceleration Programs of Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) which have made numerous breakthroughs in the field, are getting a chance to train at the Teknokent's T-Jump Acceleration Center in Silicon Valley in San Francisco, California in the U.S., meeting with foreign investors there.
This experience allows entrepreneurs to begin working with foreign companies and operate internationally with technology developed under the auspices of ODTÜ's TeknoKent Acceleration program.
ODTÜ Teknokent hosts some 330 companies that operate across various sectors ranging from defense to telecommunications. General Manager of ODTÜ Teknokent Mustafa Kızıltaş noted that the program has allowed many young entrepreneurs to fulfill and commercialize their business ideas.
Another example of such initiative is Istanbul Technical University's (ITU) ARI Teknokent Program which aims to pass on to the second-generation technology regions and has nearly achieved a new manifesto in this context. Its main target is to inoculate engineering, marketing and training which are considered the three main elements of success to entrepreneurs during the incubation stage.
