The “ETKİM Stars Accelerator Program,” launched in collaboration between the Ministry of National Education and YTÜ Yıldız Technopark, was officially unveiled. Fifteen young entrepreneurs selected to receive support in the field of educational technology were introduced to the public. The entrepreneurs presented their projects in areas such as AI-powered learning solutions, digital content platforms, assessment and evaluation technologies, and remote and hybrid education systems.

The “ETKİM Stars Acceleration Program,” launched through a collaboration between the Ministry of National Education’s General Directorate of Innovation and Educational Technologies (YEĞİTEK), the Educational Technologies Incubation and Innovation Center (ETKİM), and YTÜ Startup House—the incubation center of Yıldız Technopark—has begun. The launch event, held at YTÜ Otağ-ı Hümayun, was attended by YEĞİTEK General Director Mustafa Canlı, YTÜ Yıldız Technopark General Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Garip, YTÜ Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya, as well as industry representatives and the startups accepted into the program. Under the cooperation agreement signed between the Ministry of National Education and YTÜ Yıldız Technopark, the program’s operational processes, training, mentoring, and entrepreneurial development processes are coordinated by YTU Startup House.

Digital skills take center stage in education

Speaking at the launch, Mustafa Canlı, General Director of Innovation and Educational Technologies, noted that the limited academic research on the impact of educational technologies on learning has led to a more cautious approach to education for the foreseeable future. Emphasizing that global crises, digitalization, and changing economic conditions are forcing education to undergo transformation, Mustafa Canlı stated:

“While a diploma alone no longer guarantees employment today, the duration and quality of compulsory education are being re-examined worldwide. The focus in education is shifting from knowledge transfer to skill development. 21st-century competencies such as critical thinking, digital literacy, and lifelong learning are taking center stage. Turkey has established a significant infrastructure through its digitalization process, which began with the FATİH Project; today, nearly all schools have internet access, and hundreds of thousands of classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards. However, the goal is to develop products capable of competing in the global market by supporting domestic education technology startups.”

Noting that education is undergoing a transformation worldwide, Canlı said, “Digital skills will be at the heart of this educational transformation, and the platforms that deliver them best will, in 10 years, take the place of the Fintech and gaming companies we know today. “Our hope is that these innovations will come from you. I would like to congratulate our 15 aspiring entrepreneurs, who have applied to our company—which has over 100 employees—and will begin with the first program right away,” he said.

“We must be the ones shaping technology, not just following it”

YTÜ Vice Rector and Member of the YTÜ Yıldız Technopark Board of Directors, Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya, emphasized the importance of adapting to the technological transformation spanning from physical to digital and on to autonomous systems. Karakaya said, “We must keep pace with this speed. However, while doing so, we must not forget to remain human, viewing education not merely as the transfer of knowledge but also as the building of character and willpower. Innovation is an idea that benefits humanity; entrepreneurship is the process of bringing that idea to life and commercializing it. “Entrepreneurship is not merely about producing technology; it is about benefiting humanity while upholding ethical values. Yıldız Technical University and our Technology Park are creating a strong ecosystem that brings together the public sector, academia, and entrepreneurship. By supporting our youth’s production-oriented approach, we must become a country that shapes technology rather than merely following it.”

“Our goal is global success stories”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Garip, General Manager of YTÜ Yıldız Technopark, emphasized that Yıldız Technopark is a crucial ecosystem working to transform knowledge into commerce, products, and social benefits while steering toward global success stories. He also highlighted that clustering strategies are a priority in management approaches.

Garip said, “Today, Yıldız Technopark hosts 81 active technology firms, and a total of 239 projects are being developed in this sector. In this sector, we have a domestic sales volume of 9 billion TL and an export sales volume of 6 million TL. We are on the brink of significant economic and export-focused developments for our country. However, our true value lies in the added value and social impact created by the technologies we develop. Through the Education Stars Acceleration Program, which we launched in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education, our goal is not merely to support projects but to transform these ideas into global success stories. Our Yıldız Incubation ecosystem will support entrepreneurs from mentorship to investment processes. With our $25 million fund and international network, we aim to foster scalable and sustainable successes. We believe this strong collaboration will bring significant gains to our country in the fields of education and technology.”

About the ETKİM Stars Acceleration Program

The ETKİM Stars Acceleration Program aims to develop startup ideas in the field of educational technologies that possess high impact potential and have a technology readiness level (TRL) of at least 3, and to transform them into sustainable business models. The 15 startups selected following evaluations conducted within the scope of the program will be included in a comprehensive support process.

Within the framework of the program, entrepreneurs will be offered entrepreneurship and business development training, one-on-one support from expert mentors, access to the educational technology ecosystem, the opportunity for pilot implementations within the Ministry of National Education, opportunities to participate in national and international events, and the chance to meet with investors and stakeholders at Demo Day. Entrepreneurs will develop educational solutions ranging from AI-powered learning solutions and digital content platforms to assessment technologies and remote and hybrid education systems.

Culminating with 100 hours of mentorship and Demo Day

Selected startups will receive a total of 100 hours of mentorship support throughout the program. The process, supported by training sessions, industry meetups, and networking events, will culminate in a Demo Day at the program’s conclusion. At this event, startups will have the opportunity to present their projects to investors and stakeholders.