IZMIR BILIMPARK WILL BECOME A TECHNOLOGY BASE
Izmir Bilimpark (Izmir Science and Technology Park, Technology Development Zone), which was co-established by Izmir Chamber of Commerce, Izmir University of Economics, and ITOB Organized Industrial Zone with the intent of becoming a center for developing high value added products in design in Izmir, started to host the first companies. The construction of the Administrative Building and the Incubation Centre within Izmir Bilimpark has been completed, and brought into service.
The design of the Administrative Building and the Incubation Centre were created by Lecturers Gudjon Erlendsson and Özlem Akın from IUE Department of Architecture, and students Mehtap Altuğ, Cemre Akalın, N. Mine Tunca, Erinç Yıldırım, and Ertunç Hünkar. And the companies already started to work on their innovative initiatives.
Ekrem Demirtaş, President of IUE Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Executive Board of Izmir Chamber of Commerce reminded that they held a symbolic ground breaking ceremony for the Administrative Building and the Incubation Centre where Fikri Işık, Minister of Science, Industry, and Technology, tightened the screw of the steel column. President Demirtaş said, “Izmir Bilimpark will become a techno park where high value added products in R&D, innovation, and design are developed and manufactured. Izmir Bilimpark, with the academic power and support of Izmir University of Economics on their side, will be putting model university-techno park-industry collaboration into practice.”
Demirtaş indicated that the building also differed from the other techno parks in terms of structure as well and that the design started initially in the location. “If R&D and innovation will take place in these buildings, creative thinking and design should start from the location first. The building of IUE Faculty of Fine Arts and Design was designed with the teachers and students of Department of Architecture. Bilimpark Building, likewise, has also been designed by the teachers and students of Department of Architecture. We bring in new buildings to Izmir with a different architectural approach,” said Demirtaş.
Demirtaş, who indicated that they would also allocate location for serial production of high-tech products at Izmir Bilimpark, stated the following:
“We’ve established ITOB Organized Industrial Zone with a special model since Izmir’s economy is based on SME’s. 125 factories are in function, construction of 75 factories is in progress, and 360 factories will be in service in 2 years. Izmir Bilimpark, with the participation of creative and innovative companies, will become a science production base of Turkey. It is of utmost importance for young generations to find all kinds of scientific work opportunities in order to get Turkey ready for the third millennium. And we provide that opportunity to young, creative entrepreneurs. Our goal is to make Izmir Bilimpark become a techno park where high value added products in R&D, innovation, and design are developed and manufactured. Our investors will benefit from 5th Zone incentives pursuant to Incentive System invested in Technology Development Zone. To qualify for this, high-tech products should be outcome of R&D projects supported by Minister of Science, Industry, and Technology, KOSGEB, or TUBITAK.”
Izmir Bilimpark has 3 floors (ground floor, and floors 1 and 2). Fitness center, 130m2 open office area and 3 offices are located on the ground floor. 2 10-people meeting halls and offices which can be combined are located on the first floor, and on the second floor where the Incubation Center is located at there is a 415 m2 office (full floor). In Block B, a cafeteria, 10-people meeting hall and a laboratory are located on the ground floor, whereas R&D offices in different sizes are located on the first and second floors. Entrepreneurs will be able to request a production unit which is at least 200 m2 and its multiples in size.
