“Interstellar Summit Awards” Honor Top Innovators

The first-ever Interstellar Summit Awards, hosted by YTU Yıldız Technopark, celebrated its winners this year. The event saw over 50 companies recognized across 15 categories for their outstanding achievements. YTU Yıldız Technopark General Manager, Orhan Tanışman, addressed the attendees, stating, "We currently have over 700 companies and 1,400 active projects. Since Yıldız Technopark was established, we've achieved $2 billion in exports, secured more than 620 patents, and completed over 6,000 projects."

The event kicked off with a promotional video showcasing YTU Yıldız Technopark, followed by opening speeches. Awards were presented in categories such as Star of R&D, Star of Indexing, Star of Commercialized Products, Star of Export, Star of Intellectual Property, and Star of Sustainability. Esteemed guests included Yıldız Technical University Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Yılmaz, YTU Yıldız Technopark General Manager Orhan Tanışman, the Board of Directors, YTU Yıldız Technopark companies, and other special invitees.

"We Are an Entrepreneurial University"

During his opening speech, YTU Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Yılmaz emphasized their long history of educating engineers and architects over the past 113 years. He stated, "But in the last 20 years, our greatest talent has expanded beyond that. We are an R&D university, but we see traditional R&D as an outdated concept. Instead, we emphasize research, innovation, technology, and commercialization. We believe that any R&D work that does not culminate in commercialization has not truly reached its goal. We strive for this. We are one of the few universities that excel in this area. You can find our 165,000 alumni all over the world. We have 42,000 students, from undergraduates to doctoral and post-doctoral researchers, all engaged in R&D. We are an entrepreneurial university. We are the university that has established the most companies for students and academics. We are solution-oriented. When people think of Yıldız Technical University, they think of our graduates who immediately dive into solving problems in the industry. In the past, this might have been underestimated, but now it is our rising value. Thanks to this, we have reached the status of having Türkiye's largest Technopark."

"Entrepreneurs from All Over Türkiye Gather Here"

YTU Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Yılmaz highlighted the vast ecosystem at YTU Yıldız Technopark, which hosts 700 companies. He said, "With a valuation of 19 billion dollars, the combined worth of these 700 companies is astounding. Such a large ecosystem. We are the largest in Türkiye, but we also bring together talent from all over the country. Imagine a funnel drawing in talented entrepreneurs from the east, from cities like Gaziantep, Ankara, Kayseri, and Sivas —all flowing into this ecosystem here. We have the most selected teams on site now. One of the best things we do is gathering talent from across Türkiye and bringing it to the heart of our ecosystem. For the past decade, Yıldız Technical University has been the center of this movement."

"Among the Top 10 Entrepreneurial Incubators Globally"

YTU Yıldız Technopark General Manager Orhan Tanışman remarked that the Technopark was already ranked first when he joined. "But I said that being number one in Türkiye is not enough for us. To widen our lead, we need to go global. While we were already regional leaders, we needed to continue our efforts to gain global recognition. After establishing a presence in Silicon Valley, we expanded to Dubai, Tashkent, and London, and we are now continuing with centers in Amsterdam and Berlin. Our vision to become a global leader is not just all talk. When I arrived, I said, 'We have an excellent entrepreneurship program and a strong incubator. Isn't there a mechanism to take this global? If there is, why aren't we applying?' Some thought we might rank low. But we applied, and now we are among the top 10 out of 1,800 entrepreneurial incubators worldwide. This is a clear sign of our global influence," he said.

"Startup House, Our Entrepreneurial Incubator, Has Proven Itself Globally"

Orhan Tanışman stated that they have established the YTU Startup House as a global brand. "This is a stage for disruptors. Typically, we are confined to certain areas, but that's not enough for us. Startup House, our entrepreneurial incubator, has already proven itself worldwide. We use Startup House as a metaphor. Our university's and our slogan features a 10-star system: five domestic and five international offices, creating a comprehensive network. We're building a large club to manage this community effectively. Five locations are in Istanbul, and five are international, all working towards a common goal. I want to thank everyone for giving us this pride," he said.