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Medeniyet Technopark Üsküdar Campus was officially opened with a ceremony attended by Mr. Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye. The new center, established on the campus of Istanbul Medeniyet University, has been added to the ecosystem as a significant step toward strengthening entrepreneurship, R&D, technology development, and university-industry collaboration.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye, Mr. Mehmet Fatih Kacır; Istanbul Medeniyet University Rector Prof. Dr. Gülfettin Çelik; Medeniyet Technopark General Manager Ali Ramazan Tak; academics; entrepreneurs; investors; and numerous guests.

During the opening speeches delivered as part of the program, the importance of investments that will enhance Türkiye’s technology production capacity was emphasized, while attention was drawn to the need to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem, cultivate qualified human resources, and develop university-industry collaborations.

In his speech, Minister of Industry and Technology Mr. Mehmet Fatih Kacır noted that Istanbul Medeniyet University has quickly become one of the leading institutions in the scientific community, stating that the university, with its vision of a new-generation university, not only generates knowledge but also transforms it into social and economic value.

Minister Kacır also made the following remarks in his speech:

“We are inaugurating the Üsküdar Campus of Medeniyet Technopark. Istanbul Medeniyet University has quickly become one of the shining stars of our scientific community with its young, dynamic, and innovative structure. Our distinguished institution, which successfully embodies the ‘new-generation university’ vision—not merely producing knowledge but also delivering that knowledge for the benefit of society and industry—is taking our technology development initiative a step further today. The Tuzla Campus of the Technopark, which began operations in 2020 and currently hosts over 120 companies, has quickly evolved into an R&D and entrepreneurship hub where exemplary projects of our National Technology Initiative are brought to life. Today, we are here to inaugurate the Üsküdar Campus of the Technopark, right next to our university. Here, our young entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to fully leverage our university’s academic expertise, research infrastructure, and qualified human resources. The GO Entrepreneurship Office within the campus will provide comprehensive support to startups in the incubation and pre-incubation stages—ranging from mentorship and investor meetings to acceleration programs, prototyping, and testing facilities. I believe that the Medeniyet Technopark Üsküdar Campus will inject new momentum into Istanbul’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, strengthen university-industry collaboration, and make valuable contributions to Türkiye’s technology production capacity. As the Ministry of Industry and Technology, we will steadfastly continue our policies aimed at expanding our country’s qualified workforce, deepening their expertise, and unlocking their potential. I wish the Technopark campus we have launched brings prosperity and success to our university, our city, and our country.”

Prof. Dr. Gülfettin Çelik, Rector of Istanbul Medeniyet University, stated the following in his remarks:
“Universities are institutions expected to shoulder immense responsibilities in the construction of modern states and the modern world. They are particularly important structures that develop specific professions and technologies in specialized fields, integrating these processes with practical application and experience. However, in Türkiye, universities have largely been shaped by an understanding rooted in the industrialization priorities of the 1960s.

Over time, we have now entered a new era where we discuss not only industrialization but also development—and even sustainable development. Consequently, we have an important responsibility to approach universities with a new perspective and prepare young people for the world in different ways.

As Istanbul Medeniyet University, we facilitate the transfer of knowledge at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, preparing our students for the future through our strong academic infrastructure. However, beyond this, we assume a role that transforms existing knowledge to meet the needs of the new era, integrating it into society and transforming it.

In fact, as a result of this new approach, we aspire to be a university that not only nourishes society but is also nourished by it—a university that grows alongside society and walks toward the future together with it. The results we have achieved to date and our journey spanning from past years to the present are among the most significant indicators of this. These are steps that give us hope and offer strong signs of the future.

Istanbul Medeniyet University experienced a period of delay, particularly in terms of physical infrastructure. However, the successes we have achieved in recent years and significant investments like our current Technopark give us great hope for the future.

We may have started a bit behind; however, we are a university that is advancing rapidly and possesses the potential for a major leap forward. This is clearly evident in numerous data points.

On this occasion, I would like to express my gratitude to the Ministry of Industry and Technology, which has supported us throughout the construction process of our Technopark and beyond; to all ministry staff and relevant units, represented by our Minister.

I would also like to express my gratitude to our university’s esteemed faculty members, our students, the Technopark Board of Directors, and especially our Technopark General Manager Ali Ramazan Tak and his dedicated team.

Because a university cannot fully achieve that sense of unity without a Technopark. Today, we have successfully completed a crucial phase in filling in the missing pieces of our structure.

Our Technopark will carry our university to much greater heights through a collaboration model supported by all stakeholders of civil society and, in the future, through the “sociopark” concept. Together we will lead our university to a much stronger future.

I firmly believe that we are a university poised to become one of Türkiye’s leading institutions in the coming years.

At this point, I would also like to extend special thanks to our investor company and its management, who have taken on a significant responsibility. They have made a substantial investment under Türkiye’s current economic conditions. They will not only be part of such a noble endeavor but also a key component of a structure contributing to our country’s future.

Finally, I would like to thank all our investors and entrepreneurs who have chosen to walk this path with us; I hope that the journey they have embarked upon with Medeniyet University will yield fruitful results.

I respectfully greet you all and extend my regards.”

In his speech, Ali Ramazan Tak, General Manager of Medeniyet Technopark, emphasized that the Medeniyet Technopark Üsküdar Campus is not merely a new physical space, and stated the following:

“A Technopark is a vibrant ecosystem where ideas take root, startups gain strength, technology is developed, partnerships are formed, and the future is built.

Comprising two blocks with approximately 17,000 square meters of indoor space, the new campus is designed as a multifaceted technology and entrepreneurship hub for entrepreneurs, featuring open and closed workspaces, meeting rooms, seminar halls, an artificial intelligence laboratory, prototyping workshops, a data center, and social spaces.

In addition, the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory established on the campus aims to nurture young people not merely as users of technology, but as individuals who develop and produce it, while providing entrepreneurs with robust infrastructure to develop their own solutions. Investments in data centers are also intended to contribute to data security and the production of sustainable technology.

Through the TechnoBridge programs run by Medeniyet Technopark, large-scale businesses and startups are brought together, while programs supporting investment processes contribute to the growth journeys of startups. Under the international programs conducted over the past two years, numerous international collaborations and B2B meetings have been organized to support entrepreneurs in expanding into global markets.

The goal of the Medeniyet Technopark Üsküdar Campus is to inject new momentum into Istanbul’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, strengthen university-industry collaborations, and contribute to Türkiye’s technology production capacity.

As Medeniyet Technopark, we remain committed to strengthening the entrepreneurship ecosystem, supporting high-value-added production, and being a strong part of technology-driven transformation in line with the Türkiye Century vision.