CUBE Beyoğlu has opened its doors to start-ups with the academic support of Boğaziçi University

In collaboration with Boğaziçi University, Middle East Technical University (METU), Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Teknopark Istanbul and Beyoğlu Municipality, Turkey's first urban incubation centre started operations in Beyoğlu, one of the most central districts.

Located in a historic building that was remodelled with the support of the Beyoğlu Municipality, CUBE Beyoğlu has begun assisting early-stage companies in many areas such as investment, business networking and infrastructure. CUBE Beyoğlu is aimed to be an exemplary model for Turkey and the world. The centre will be able to support approximately 400 start-up companies operating in five thematic areas such as digital gaming, augmented-artificial reality, digital art, artificial intelligence and simulation, and mobile applications.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO BENEFIT FROM THE KNOWLEDGE AND BACKGROUND OF BOĞAZİÇİ UNIVERSITY

The centre will be able to support about 400 start-up companies working in five thematic areas such as digital games, augmented artificial reality, digital art, artificial intelligence and simulation, and mobile applications.

Prof. Dr. Gürkan Kumbaroğlu, Vice Rector of Boğaziçi University, visited CUBE Beyoğlu and met with stakeholders, stating that the CUBE will offer great benefits to young companies in one of the most central points:

"CUBE Beyoğlu Incubation Centre opened in April in collaboration with two other leading research universities in Turkey, Teknopark Istanbul and Beyoğlu Municipality. Here, young companies are offered great benefits by receiving support and incentives for R&D personnel and tax exemptions while benefiting from Boğaziçi University's scientific knowledge and research background. In addition, we will assign our professors to contribute to corporate R&D activities in CUBE. Moreover, experts and scholars from Boğaziçi University will provide training and mentoring to the companies here as part of the acceleration programme."

“WE INVITE ALL BOĞAZİÇİ UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TO CUBE"

Prof. Dr. Kumbaroğlu also stated that CUBE supports companies operating in "five thematic areas" that "shine" through the added value they create around the world, adding that Boğaziçi students are very successful in these areas. The Vice Rector invited all Boğaziçi students to the centre and continued,

"Thanks to CUBE, we will support promising technology-oriented companies that are still at the beginning of their journey in the centre of the city, Beyoğlu, one of the most inspiring places in Istanbul, in five thematic areas that overlap with our focus areas as a research university. Our incubation companies work in the fields of digital games, augmented and artificial reality, digital art, artificial intelligence and simulation, and mobile applications, which in recent years have stunned the world with the added value they have created. These are all areas that Boğaziçi University students are closely following and in which they have achieved significant success. As Boğaziçi University, we want to support more undergraduate and graduate students in the centre and we want all enterprising Boğaziçi students who are interested in our thematic areas to find their way here. We invite all Boğaziçi University students."

"WE PROVIDE ALL THE NECESSARY TRAINING FOR SUCCESS"

Volkan Özgüz, executive director of Boğaziçi University Technology Transfer Office (TTO), one of the stakeholders of CUBE Beyoğlu, said that the TTO contributes its knowledge and experience to the centre.

Özgüz explained that startups operating in thematic areas will receive training and consulting services in many areas, such as investor relations, finance and labour law, and gave the following details:

"As TTO, we will provide our entrepreneurs with the necessary training, support and guidance as they plan their next steps. Here, we will provide entrepreneurs working in areas such as simulation, augmented reality and mobile applications with the full experience of TTO. We plan to offer many different trainings on this topic. These trainings will cover all areas necessary to build a business, such as developing a business idea, planning relationships with investors, preparing for financial management, and labour law. In addition, our experts also offer advice in various areas. So we will support companies in their early stages in every way."