ODTÜ TEKNOKENT, Turkey's first and biggest technopolis, is establishing the Information Innovation Center in Ankara, which will include global technology giants with the support of the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology. With the Information Innovation Center planned to be operational by the early 2018, ODTÜ TEKNOKENT aims to create a value-added innovation ecosystem in which successful technological products and technology companies are created in the international arena and global technology companies are included.

The President of METU and the Chairman of ODTÜ Teknokent A.Ş. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Verşan Kök stated that ODTÜ TEKNOKENT Information Innovation Center, which will be built on a total area of 33.500 m2, including 10.500 m2 office space in the Ankara Development Zone on the Eskişehir road, is scheduled to open at the early 2018. Expressing that the Information Innovation Center which will allow researchers, information professionals, students and local people to have an easy access to information due to its location will be the heart of technology in Ankara, and added, "ODTÜ TEKNOKENT Information Innovation Center that will change the face of Ankara aims to include global tech companies as well as domestic ones. In addition to sharing the products, solutions and visions of global technology companies, activities such as presenting R&D, solutions, products and visions of faculty members/students and ODTÜ TEKNOKENT companies, giving seminars and trainings are also being planned. In addition, favorable conditions will be provided to train young entrepreneurs in the incubation areas to be developed in the center."

Stating that training programs will be organized for university students on the effective use of information and communication technologies and ways of producing through these technologies and entrepreneurship, and they are planning to organize activities to help students have a command of the newest technologies, Prof.Dr. Kök added that the the Information Innovation Center aims to bring these developed technologies together with the society, as well as developing technologies and including the science and technology in daily life through social areas in the center.

Innovative R&D efforts with original ideas

Saying "With the Information Innovation Center; we will host 5G/advanced communication technologies, cloud solutions, large data, Internet of objects, digital conversion in industry (Industry 4.0), especially information-driven and genuine work and create a synergy to produce high added value on a global scale", Prof. Dr. Kök added:

"ODTÜ TEKNOKENT Information Innovation Center to be established in ODTU MET campus on Eskişehir road will be 3 km away from METU and ODTÜ TEKNOKENT, 8 km away from Bilkent University and Bilkent Cyberpark, 9 km away from Hacettepe University and Hacettepe Teknokent, and will be located in a high-potential innovation area, where intensive R&D activities are carried out and new technologies are developed."

In this regard, Mustafa İ. Kızıltaş, the General Manager of ODTÜ TEKNOKENT, expressed that the Information Innovation Center is a very important project for them and said "As ODTÜ TEKNOKENT, we are currently hosting large national and international companies. We are dedicated to be able to provide an environment where students, academics, information professionals and public can observe global trends quickly and directly, in relation to what we have developed together with leading, indigenous and multinational technology companies. Thus, we aim to develop and institutionalize the technical capacity. With the Information Innovation Center planned to be operational by the early 2018 with the support of the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology, we are committed to create a value-added innovation ecosystem in which successful technological products and technology companies are created in the international arena and global technology companies are included." Kiziltaş stated that thanks to the Information Innovation Center, bridges will be established with global technology giants. He added that information technologies that will make life easier will be developed in this center and that it will add great value to Ankara as a center that combines society and technology in the heart of the city.