YTÜ Yıldız Technopark, a global leader in the technology development and entrepreneurship ecosystem, has strengthened its presence in London. The technology park, which received UTPO support from the Turkish Ministry of Trade, has moved into its new office in London, the hub of finance and technology. The launch event marking YTÜ Yıldız Teknopark’s new location in London was attended by Turkish Ambassador to London Osman Koray Ertaş, Ambassador Aysan Mullahasan Atılgan, Representative of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in London, YTÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Eyüp Debik, TÜBİTAK Vice President Prof. Dr. Mesut Güner, YTÜ Yıldız Technopark General Manager Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Garip, as well as representatives from the ministry and various companies. 

The program began with a promotional video highlighting YTÜ Yıldız Technopark’s international structure. Following the opening remarks, entrepreneurs operating out of the London office presented their companies.

“Technological transformation is creating a new era of disruption”

Turkey’s Ambassador to London, Osman Koray Ertaş, highlighted the global transformation taking place in his speech, noting that artificial intelligence and technological advancements have become decisive factors in the international system.

Emphasizing that we are undergoing a rapid transformation process, Ertaş said: 

“We are directly experiencing the systemic developments unfolding on the international stage. We are navigating a geopolitical transition. We are in an era of increasing uncertainty and decreasing predictability. In this context, the AI revolution and technological transformation stand out as one of the most significant trends. There is a very rapid shift from physical strength to machine power, and now to intellectual power. We cannot fully grasp the pace of this transformation today, but this era will be assessed very differently in the future.” 

Highlighting London’s importance as a financial hub, Ertaş said, “Despite Brexit, London remains one of the world’s most important financial centers. Establishing a presence in such hubs is crucial for scaling our ventures and expanding into global markets.”

“A critical step for entrepreneurs to expand globally”

Prof. Dr. Eyüp Debik, Rector of Yıldız Technical University, noted that the London office has been restructured to provide greater support to entrepreneurs, stating:

“Our current office had more limited resources. By opening a larger center with stronger social amenities today, we aim to provide greater support to our entrepreneurs. Together with our offices in Amsterdam and Skopje, this structure forms an important part of our university’s internationalization vision.”

Debik also touched on the university’s research capacity, stating, “We have established interdisciplinary research groups. We currently have 62 active research groups. The primary goal of these groups is to contribute both to our country and to the world by establishing strong partnerships with the industry and international stakeholders.”

“A strong indicator of Turkey’s global outreach”

Ambassador Aysan Mullahasan Atılgan, the Representative of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in London, also highlighted the significance of the opening, stating, “Such initiatives by the Republic of Turkey are extremely meaningful to us. It is a source of pride to witness this important moment. Our support and encouragement will continue.”

“The goal is to increase high-tech exports”

TÜBİTAK Vice President Prof. Dr. Mesut Güner also highlighted the importance of increasing Turkey’s high-tech exports in his speech.

Noting that high-tech products account for 3.5 percent of Turkey’s total exports, Güner stated that this ratio is higher in developed countries.

Güner added that technology parks and overseas offices contribute to Turkey’s technology-driven growth and the enhancement of its international competitive strength.

“The goal is for companies to scale up globally”

YTÜ Yıldız Technology Park General Manager Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Garip, noting that success in technology ecosystems is measured by scaling capacity, made the following assessment:

“In technology ecosystems, the most important parameter is no longer how many companies you have; it is how quickly these companies can scale and how quickly they can write a success story. With over 750 companies, more than 14,000 R&D personnel, and over 1,200 active projects, we possess a strong ecosystem.”

Garip highlighted the importance of access to financing for startups to grow on a global scale, stating, “Simply securing investment or accessing funds is not enough. A dual-pronged growth strategy is required. It is crucial to properly structure both commercialization processes and financial management, and to implement the necessary optimizations across all processes. “No matter how high-quality a product is, it cannot scale if it cannot reach the right markets. That is why, following our offices in Dubai, Amsterdam, and Skopje, we are further strengthening our global network with our London office.”

About the International Technology Marketing Office (UTPO) 

UTPO was established pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 5447 by the Ministry of Trade. “Internationalization of the Turkish Information Technology Sector and E-Turquality (Stars of IT) Program,” specifically designed for the IT sector by the Ministry of Trade, and refers to the International Technology Marketing Offices opened abroad by collaboration organizations to facilitate the sale and marketing of domestic technological products and services overseas. 

Following its Dubai office—which was the first UTPO approved by the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Turkey—YTÜ Yıldız Technopark has now established Europe’s first UTPO structure by including its London office under this status.