Companies located in the YTÜ Yıldız Technopark TGB zone gathered at the "Baraka Era Neighborhood" meeting, organized to strengthen university-industry collaboration. Hosted by YTÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Eyüp Debik, the event focused on strategic steps to prioritize value-added production and gain a competitive edge in global markets.

The latest "Baraka Era Neighborhood" gathering—aimed at bringing together companies that have been operating within YTÜ Yıldız Technopark since its early years in dynamic and interactive groups—was held. The program, hosted by our YTÜ Rector and Chairman of the Yıldız Technopark Board of Directors, Prof. Dr. Eyüp Debik, was attended by representatives from the rector’s office, the technopark management, and company representatives. During the event, it was highlighted that the technology park—which began in 2008 on a landfill site with just a few shacks—has evolved into a comprehensive ecosystem comprising nearly 15,000 R&D professionals and experts, exporting to 120 countries, and growing from teams of 2–3 people to staff of 600.

The meeting addressed topics such as the marketing challenges companies face in the international arena, artificial intelligence integration, Venture Capital Investment Fund (VCIF) support, and Turkey’s first domestic sustainability certification program. It was emphasized that the path to increasing export value per kilogram lies in strong academia-industry integration.

"The project you undertake should be a remedy for our country"

YTÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Eyüp Debik highlighted the historic role that technology parks play in Turkey’s technological advancements and economic prosperity, emphasizing the indispensable role of academic knowledge in the commercialization process.

 "A company can develop its product to a certain point, but the only way to resolve a bottleneck and ensure sustainable innovation is through collaboration with academia," said Prof. Dr. Debik. He noted that to enhance the quality of Turkey’s exports, the focus should be on internal potential rather than external dynamics, and he underscored the importance of creating lasting value over a growth model reliant solely on state support with the following words:

"Even if incentives in technology parks were to be removed one day, this should not shift our focus; as long as we integrate universities and industry to generate mutual benefits, we can produce high-quality products."

 "The key to overcoming bottlenecks lies in collaboration with academia"

In his speech, Rector Prof. Dr. Debik highlighted the fundamental philosophy behind technology production, underscoring the necessity that the projects developed must provide social and national benefits.

Noting that Turkey needs to work more collaboratively not so much due to technological inadequacy but rather in transforming existing technology into products and added value, Debik cited the South Korean model as an example.

Noting that the value per kilogram remains low in traditional exports, but that this margin increases exponentially in technology and R&D-focused products, Debik stated that the disconnect between academia and industry operating within the same ecosystem can lead to inefficiency. Debik argued that a visionary approach to production, transcending commercial concerns, must be adopted.

Calls from sector representatives for an "Academic Atlas" and a global network

Company representatives who spoke during the event’s interactive session shared their on-the-ground observations and proposed solutions: