Istanbul is a magnet for research, start ups and emerging technologies.
- World class universities and research: Istanbul is home to leading institutions such as Istanbul Technical University (ITU), which is ranked 79th globally and 1st in Türkiye in engineering and technology. These institutions feed a talent pool of more than 1 million university graduates per year, including over 80,000 engineering graduates, placing Türkiye among the largest talent pools in Europe and the MENA region.
- Thriving start up ecosystem: In 2022 Istanbul ranked 6th in Europe for early stage investments and 2nd for gaming investments, underscoring its role as a venture capital hotspot.
- Smart city pilots: Innovations such as the İstanbul Senin super app, offering integrated journey planning, payment and civic services, and AI based traffic management showcase how the city is deploying technology to improve daily life and mobility.
- Launch pad to three regions: Straddling Europe and Asia, Istanbul offers start ups and researchers a strategic base from which to access European, Middle Eastern and Central Asian markets.