Turkey's Gazi Technopark bridges gaps, nurtures ideas

By Sevgi Ceren Gokkoyun

ANKARA (AA) - A technopark in Ankara has been bridging gaps between academics, experts and entrepreneurs since 2008.

A total of 106 companies employing a thousand people have been working on more than 200 different projects here.

Innovative ideas are nurtured through the BIGGAnahtar program and funds from The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK).

Forty-two start-ups were granted seed money worth 7.1 million Turkish liras ($1.2 million) since 2017.

The technopark also helps entrepreneurs gain access to international markets.

It produces its own energy through solar panels. Stakeholders who are researching potential use of solar energy can also benefit from it.

One of the firms in Gazi Technopark, MIA Technology Company conducts innovative research and development activities on biometric identification with domestic face recognition test.

Another company, Matriks Biotechnology is trying to make a name for itself in the bio-technology market. It researches on biological markers for the follow-up of autism, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and prevention of hair loss.

An education research firm, Informatics Garage is redefining the traditional concepts of schooling, learning, education, assessment and knowledge.

The park is marked second-best in Turkey, according to a recent research.

Turkey's technoparks have made exports worth $4.1 billion since their establishment in 2001 until last July, according to data from the country's Industry and Technology Ministry.

These technoparks have ballooned to 84 from only two in 2001.

*Writing by Havva Kara Aydin