ITU ARI Teknokent on Media
February 2024
Applications have opened for the new cycle of ITU Seed, the acceleration program supporting international startups at ITU Çekirdek, the incubation center of ITU ARI Teknokent. Since its establishment in 2022, ITU Seed has received applications from 393 startups from 76 different countries, with 46 startups securing a total of $26 million in investments.
ITU Çekirdek, which has been providing millions of dollars in added value to the Turkish economy by supporting an average of 500 startups annually, has been supporting not only local startups but also international ones through the ITU Seed International Startup Acceleration Program for several years. In addition to the opportunities and services it provides to startups, ITU Seed also guides them in expanding globally from Istanbul. So far, 393 startups from 76 different countries have applied to ITU Seed, and 46 startups accepted into the program have received a total investment of $26 million.
ITU Seed offers significant opportunities for international technology startups in the region
Prof. Dr. Attila Dikbaş, the General Manager of ITU ARI Teknokent, stated that significant strides are being made towards becoming a global hub through the "ITU Seed" program. He said, "The ITU Seed program expands our impact both locally and globally, creating significant added value to the global entrepreneurship ecosystem. In this way, we support successful technology startups applying from outside of Turkey, with foreign founding partners, both in our local ecosystem and in their global expansion from Istanbul, thus accelerating their commercialization processes. We support startups with facilities such as offices, mentorship, prototyping laboratories, access to global and local investment, and proximity to European and Middle Eastern markets, facilitating their growth in the region and connecting them with partners worldwide. Moreover, we consider this program crucial for our technology export goals. We will further develop our European circulation program, initiated primarily in countries such as the UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands, under the ITU Seed program to contribute to the globalization of our R&D companies and startups on the path to becoming a global hub."
They are on the ITU Seed stage at Big Bang events...
Prof. Dr. Dikbaş emphasized that startups supported within the framework of the ITU Seed program have the opportunity to appear on the Big Bang stage after successfully completing their process and even securing investments afterward to establish themselves in our region. He expressed great excitement for a global Big Bang stage in the near future.
''So far, three startups supported within the ITU Seed program appeared on the 2022 Big Bang stage, and five appeared on the ITU Seed stage at the 2023 Big Bang event. We will continue our support for startups applying from abroad and will increase their numbers every year,'' said Prof. Dr. Dikbaş, concluding his statement by saying, ''We will make ITU Çekirdek a focal point for international attraction''.
Applications for ITE Seed can be made at ituseed.com.
