Türkiye and Germany Join Forces in Artificial Intelligence
Yeditepe University has launched three new units at Teknopark Istanbul: a Venture Studio, a Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence Research, and a Carbon Solutions Laboratory. The center is intended to serve as a hub for numerous national and international technology projects, with a primary focus on artificial intelligence collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute, one of Europe's largest applied research organizations, and IIB.
The opening ceremony was attended by Yeditepe University Founder and Honorary President Bedrettin Dalan, Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Durman, Vice Rector for Research and Innovation Prof. Dr. Oğuz Bayat, Dr. Olaf Sauer, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute IOSB in Germany, Recep Tanrıkulu, Founder of IIB International Institute of Business Enterprises, IIB Türkiye Representative Assoc. Prof. Dr. Faik Tanrıkulu, and Dr. Burak Keskik, Deputy General Manager of Teknopark Istanbul, along with a large number of domestic and international guests and students.
The Yeditepe University Technology Hub at Teknopark Istanbul has been conceived as an integrated ecosystem centered on international partnerships and industrial R&D activities. Through the Venture Studio, a next-generation entrepreneurship model that takes ideas from concept to market, the center aims to create a shared production pool bringing together students, academics, and companies. Within this ecosystem, the goals are to develop new technologies, establish startups, engage funding institutions, and support every stage of the journey from idea to product. In this respect, the center is designed not only as a research platform but also as one focused equally on commercialization.
Dalan: This Partnership Matters for Türkiye
Yeditepe University Founder and Honorary President Bedrettin Dalan stated, "This collaboration is significant not only for Yeditepe University but for Türkiye as a whole. The Fraunhofer Institute is a leading institution in emerging technologies, both in Germany and globally, and its certifications are recognized worldwide. We are launching our collaboration with Fraunhofer in artificial intelligence, but we will have the opportunity to work together across all areas of technology going forward. I therefore see this as a meaningful step for Türkiye's technological development. Yeditepe University is already recognized internationally for its R&D work, and today we have formalized a partnership with the Fraunhofer Institute. This collaboration will yield work of considerable importance."
Prof. Dr. Durman: Fikirlerin Ürünlere Dönüştüğü Çalışmalar Yapılıyor
Yeditepe University Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Durman said: "Yeditepe University and Teknopark Istanbul have been building strong collaborative ties in recent years. The university has a significant technology hub within Teknopark, where we conduct research with a forward-looking, entrepreneurial orientation, bringing together students and academics. At the center, we translate ideas into products. We are also grateful for the ongoing support of Teknopark's leadership throughout this process."
Sauer: Türkiye Is a Strategic Partner for Us
Dr. Olaf Sauer, describing Türkiye as a strategic partner, elaborated: "Fraunhofer, Yeditepe University, and IIB have launched a highly valuable international collaboration. Yeditepe University possesses modern infrastructure, R&D capacity, and intellectual property assets that complement Fraunhofer's work well. At the outset, we will focus on Industry 4.0, data management, industrial artificial intelligence, and digital twins, with a particular emphasis on Türkiye's manufacturing sector and German companies operating in Türkiye. The collaboration will naturally extend to other areas over time. Türkiye occupies a strategic position in supply chains linking Asia and Europe. We therefore anticipate developing and implementing solutions in areas such as resilient supply chains, nearshoring of production and assembly capacity, robotics, and green transition and circular-economy initiatives. The collaboration will also help train a new generation of specialists with expertise spanning manufacturing, assembly, material flow, logistics, and related information technologies. That combination of competencies is precisely what the future demands. Yeditepe University is well-positioned to establish itself as a visible and credible international R&D partner, and by integrating its professors and researchers into scientific communities such as CIRP, IFAK, and IEEE in the fields of manufacturing and automation technology, the university can further consolidate that standing."
Prof. Dr. Bayat: Our Goal Is Global Reach Through Artificial Intelligence
Yeditepe University Vice Rector for Research and Innovation Prof. Dr. Oğuz Bayat said: "The AI Application and Research Center and the Venture Studio have been designed as an integrated ecosystem with international partnerships and industrial R&D at their core. Within this framework, we aim to achieve global reach in artificial intelligence, particularly through TÜBİTAK and European Union projects. The center will also carry out work focused on technology and knowledge transfer. Through the next-generation Venture Studio model, a shared production pool will be established, bringing together students, academics, and SMEs. New technologies will be developed, startups will be founded, funding institutions will be engaged, and every stage from idea to product will be supported. In this sense, the center will function not only as a research platform but as an innovation platform oriented toward commercialization. Students, academics, and industry representatives will be brought together through events, entrepreneurship courses, and joint project development. Projects will also be supported financially through collaboration with TÜBİTAK's 1812 Program and venture capital firms."
Healthcare, Robotics, and Automotive Among Priority Areas
Prof. Dr. Bayat continued: "Yeditepe University is currently running Industry 4.0 and digitalization projects with international partners, most notably the Fraunhofer Institute, with the aim of expanding AI-based automation solutions across manufacturing and industrial facilities. Through European Union projects and international consortia, work is underway in sectors including healthcare, robotics, automotive, steel, and aluminum. AI training programs for industry are also being planned in collaboration with the Turkish Exporters Assembly and European partners. On the green transition and sustainability front, the Carbon Chatbot project, developed with support from the Istanbul Development Agency, is contributing to carbon capture and green transition technologies. Türkiye's integration into the European Union manufacturing ecosystem is expected to generate significant momentum across all of these areas."
