Technopark is an advanced university – industry cooperation model where enterpreneurs and companies come together to offer higher value added products and services under competitive conditions by benefiting the knowledge and the research power of the universities. University – industry cooperation is important in the aspect of using the restricted resources wisely and transferring the knowledge required for economic development from universities to the companies.  The integration of knowledge and manpower in the universities with the industrial production certainly contributes to the economic development.

It has been accepted that R&D studies promote innovation and therefore increase competitive power of the country.  Technoparks aim improving Turkey’s innovation capacity by providing advantages to enterpreneurs and companies carrying out R&D studies.

With the provision of proper place and environment for research and development studies, consultation service facilities, opportunity of having research and development cooperation with the university and by benefiting from the university infrastructure appropriately; companies within Technopark are capable to develop new technologies much easier.  Technoparks as one of the tools of strengthening the university – industry cooperation, are important in the aspect of enriching and activating universities’ services by supporting the universities’ training, education and research activities.  In this framework, technoparks provide benefits not only for the companies but also for the universities.

While proximity to research facilities and qualified human resources plus efficiency rise and low operating costs attract companies to locate in Technoparks; the knowledge and experience turning into production, the possibility for academic personnel to continue their research activities by using industrial funds, employment opportunities for students and graduates make technoparks attractive for the universities as well.

Technoparks provide physical and value added services needed by the companies in order to stay alive in the free market economy. Technoparks generally offer consultancy in foundation, administration, business plan, technology, finance, advertising and marketing.  In addition to that, they provide accessibility to a range of business and technology networks.

Although different terminologies such as “Technopark, Technopolis, Technology Development Zone” are used in Turkey, and “Science Park, Research Park, Technology Valley” are used in the world, all these show similar conformation and have the following objectives:

• To promote innovative technologies and related information
• To commercialize technological knowledge
• To support technology intensive production and enterpreneurship
• To contribute to the adaptation of manufacturing industry to innovative technologies
• To provide employment of qualified labor
• To support foundation and development of innovative companies that operate at high added value by benefiting from local potentials
• To promote regional development by intensive R&D studies
• To create foreign investment opportunities
• To increase the synergy and cooperation between local companies
• To increase the export rate at technology based products