Technoparks in Turkey are formed with the participation of universities, industry, state, and local governments. Technoparks are usually located in or near a university that has completed its development and has a strong and efficient computer network.
Technoparks in Turkey should not be seen as employment institutions. It supports the increase in job opportunities, but care is taken to ensure that entrepreneurs have sufficient technical and administrative potential. Technoparks should be geographically close to the industrial zones and have strong transportation and communication facilities. Management should have the principles of neutral and independent working towards entrepreneurs.
There are 2 types of capital in the establishment and operation of technoparks. The first is the establishment capital and the second is the venture capital. The income of the park consists of the rents paid by the entrepreneurs, the sale of the patent rights and the partnership share if the company of the entrepreneur leaving the park is partnered.
Development of Technoparks
Technopark practices in developed countries emerged after the Second World War and tried to meet the technological needs of the countries’ industries. After these technoparks were established, the concept of technopark attracted attention in different countries and spread rapidly. Heriot-Watt University technopark in Edinburgh and Cambridge Technopark in Cambridge were established in England in 1972. The first technopark initiative in France is Sophia Antipolis, the country’s most developed technopark.
The idea of establishing the first technopark in Turkey began to form in the early 1980s. ITU launched a technopark application in 1985 with the Istanbul Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Later, this technopark continued its activities under the name of Technology Development Center in accordance with the agreement signed between ITU and KOSGEB. Established in İzmir in 1988, İzmir Technopark A. In addition to these, technopark constructions continue in İzmir, Konya, Kayseri and Eskişehir universities.
Technopark Examples in Turkey
The aims can be listed as helping industrialists who desire technological innovation, providing university-industry cooperation in the implementation of technological innovations, helping industrialists with technological difficulties and communicating with relevant institutions, helping the industrialist in choosing technology, and providing the industrialists with the necessary consultancy services.
It started on 8th of Octyober 1991. The purpose of establishment, services, management structure, and establishment of the center are the same as the METU-KOSGEB Technology Development Center. 11 projects have been successfully completed so far.TÜBİTAK-MAM Technopark
It started with the cooperation protocol signed between KOSGEB and METU on 2 May 1992 and was officially opened on 27 May 1992. 25 companies operate within the center.
Its aim is to provide technological support to entrepreneurs and industrialists in return for a small investment, to make use of the TÜBİTAK-MAM infrastructure and to provide organized services, to ensure the birth and development of small and medium-sized industrial enterprises.
MAM Business Incubation Centers did not go the way, allocated office and laboratory spaces to entrepreneurial enterprises in their own facilities and encouraged joint R & D projects.
Other Technopark Examples worldwide
Germany
- Berlin New Technology Center
- Aachen Technology and Innovation Center
- Sophia antipolis
America
- Research Triangle Park
- Silicon Valley (Clicon Valley)
Japan
- Tsukuba Science and Technology Park
- Hiroshima Technology Park
England
- Cambridge Science Park
- Manchester Science Park