ITU ARI Teknokent on Media
Another global move from ITU ARI Teknokent: A cooperation agreement has been signed with the Regional Development Agency of the Netherlands.
ITU ARI Teknokent, a key player in Türkiye's technology-oriented development, has expanded its global entrepreneurship support with a new addition. The strategic cooperation agreement with InnovationQuarter, the regional development agency of the Netherlands, will enable Turkish deeptech scaleups to access the Dutch and European markets more quickly and effectively. This important collaboration will provide Turkish entrepreneurs with access to innovation infrastructure in the Netherlands, connections to investor and mentor networks, support for developing market strategies and entering markets, while creating growth and collaboration opportunities for Dutch entrepreneurs in Istanbul's dynamic ecosystem.
ITU ARI Teknokent, Türkiye’s leading technology development zone, continues to drive Türkiye's entrepreneurship ecosystem forward on a global scale through international acceleration programmes and new strategic collaborations. Its collaboration with InnovationQuarter, the regional development agency of the Netherlands, is set to give the process of Turkish technology companies opening up to the European market a significant boost. As part of this partnership, Turkish enterprises will benefit from advantages such as market entry strategies, localisation support, and access to collaboration networks in South Holland, the Netherlands' innovation capital. The Netherlands' robust innovation infrastructure, combined with ITU ARI Teknokent's expertise, enables entrepreneurs to achieve their growth objectives in Europe more quickly. The collaboration focuses particularly on startups operating in high-impact sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), cleantech and biotechnology, which are aiming for international growth.
The Ecosystem's Gateway to the Globe
The Innogate International Acceleration Programme has been run by ITU ARI Teknokent since 2014 and has now successfully completed 21 physical periods, 15 of which took place in the USA, 5 in the UK and 1 in Germany. The ‘Innogate Always On’ model, launched in July 2024, provides ongoing access to markets such as France, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, the UK and Germany.
As part of the ITU SEED International Acceleration Programme, which began in 2022, over 140 foreign startups have received support in Türkiye. This cooperation will deepen ITU ARI Teknokent's work in the Netherlands and enable Dutch startups to transition smoothly to Istanbul and benefit from the ITU SEED programme's advantages.
Commenting on the collaboration, Prof. Attila Dikbaş, General Manager of ITU ARI Teknokent, said: 'As ITU ARI Teknokent, we are very proud to collaborate with InnovationQuarter to build a sustainable bridge between Türkiye and the Netherlands that creates mutual value. Through our international programmes, we offer Dutch entrepreneurs a soft landing in Istanbul, which is strategically located at the intersection of the European, Asian and MENA regions. Thanks to our dynamic innovation ecosystem, startups can quickly access qualified human resources, advanced infrastructure, tax advantages, and growth opportunities."
This cooperation will facilitate the expansion of Turkish technology startups into the Dutch and European markets. The Netherlands is one of the most developed regions in Europe in terms of entrepreneurship and is a strategic gateway for our startups thanks to its strong investment network, collaboration opportunities with global companies, and regulatory transparency. Thanks to this partnership, our startups can experience the region's specific business culture on site and accelerate their growth by establishing direct contact with potential customers, investors and business partners.
InnovationQuarter Internationalisation Director Chris van Voorden said: 'This partnership brings together the innovation ecosystem of South Holland with Türkiye's dynamic technology community. Thus, we will introduce new technologies to our region and create international cooperation opportunities for Dutch institutions.'
