The existing company profile of METUTECH is based on high technology research, software development, IT, defence and electronics industry. The incubation center of METUTECH serves 40 micro sized companies including spin offs (25 spin off companies are in progress) from Middle East Technical University. As the result of the encouragements of METUTECH, more than 658 R&D projects have been completed between METUTECH companies and METU academicians since 2002. In the year of 2009, within the context of 118 ongoing R&D projects METUTECH companies cooperated with 137 academicians from 26 different departments of the university. From the beginning of 2010 till June 2010, 62 R&D projects are being executed with the participation of METU academicians.



Within the frame of METUTECH strategic Plan, METUTECH is working hard to encourage techno-preneurship, facilitate university-industry convergence and increase internationalization. Business Plan Contest (YFY?), Technology Transfer Office (METUTECH TTO), Pre-incubation Centre for Students (METUTECH ATOM) and Association for Business Angels Network (METUTECH BAN) are major components of this quest.



The business plan contest, namely ‘New Business and New Ideas’ (YFYI), has been organized by Teknopark Inc. since 2005. The aim of this competition is that encouraging technology and innovation based entrepreneurship among the university students. Team members of selected projects at the first stage, are given free-of-charge courses on entrepreneurship, business plan preparation, financial management and IPR. And the winner of the competition is awarded with free office space for 3 years allocated in METUTECH, 50.000$ in cash as seed fund for general category sponsored by Elginkan Vakf?; 35.000$ in cash as seed fund for telecommunication category sponsored by TÜRK TELEKOM; 35.000$ in cash as seed fund for defence industry category sponsored by Undersecretary of Defence Industry and 17.000 $ in cash as seed fund for industry category sponsored by OST?M.



METUTECH-ATOM, METU Technopolis Animation Technologies and Game Development Center is a pre-incubation center founded as part of METU Technopolis. METUTECH founded METUTECH-ATOM to deem operational its prime directive of proliferating university-industry cooperation and integrate the pre-incubation model to strengthen its existent infrastructure. The main objective of pre-incubation structures and systems is to prevent the loss of creative ideas produced by participants and to convert these ideas or projects into experience and investments. METUTECH ATOM provides grounds for students for their pre-studies for related future technologies like virtual life simulations, augmented reality and avatar technologies. These new concepts will utilize emerging technological facilities for the sake of different fields like entertainment, medical science, defense industry and education.



METUTECH Technology Transfer Office (METUTECH TTO) has been serving as the intermediary institution with the basic motive to facilitate the commercialization of research outcomes of Middle East Technical University. The support mechanism covers the entire process that is beginning from the IPR protection and spanning till the formation of the companies. Currently, a number of 25 researches have been covered by the program.



METU and METUTECH apply The Business Angels concept, which has been developed and used in the world as a solution to the early stage financial problems, for the first time in Turkey. “METUTECH-BAN” (Association for Business Angels Network established by METUTECH) which has been founded for this purpose brings together technology investors as an association and aims to introduce the technology-based entrepreneurs with the investor business angels who are members of the network.

Furthermore, METUTECH-BAN is a member of European Business Angels Network. METUTECH-BAN organized and completed the 10th EBAN Annual Congress (http://congress2010.eban.org/) on 15th and 16th of April 2010 in Istanbul with a great success, which was took placed under the auspices of the President of Turkish Republic Mr. Abdullah Gül. Over 300 participants from all over Europe and the nearby Eurasian area who were all related persons of investment and finance world as the managers of Business Angels Network, early period risk cost price fund directors, individual investors and managers of finance sectors have met on the occasion. This event, has raised the awareness gathering of early stage investors in Europe. Moreover, this is an indicator that Turkey is also in top position on the international platforms.

Some Statistics regarding METU Technopolis
Information on Defence Industry Companies
METUTECH hosts 70 companies which perform R&D projects for defense industry. The companies are generally specialized on electronics and Information technologies. METUTECH is a center of attraction for defense industry companies since it includes SATGEB region which comprises R&D departments of Turkeys biggest defense industry companies such as ASELSAN, HAVELSAN and. TAI. For other companies locating in METUTECH is a big physical advantage in order to cooperate with these sector leading companies. Moreover METUTECH also provides facilities such as which make it easier having “facility security certificate”.
METUTECH also hosts international companies. Environmental Tectonics Corp. Turkey Branch (ETCT) USA, Siemens EC A?. Germany, Ayd?n Yaz?l?m ve Elektronik A?. (Ayesa?) USA, TUSA?-Türk Havac?l?k ve Uzay San. A?. are examples to those companies.

The objectives of METUTECH within the defense industry are:
Increasing the awareness of METUTECH defense industry companies,
Developing the capabilities of METUTECH defense industry companies,
Increasing the cooperation within the METUTECH defense industry companies by developing the communication between the companies,
Detecting the investment areas,
Facilitating the internationalization of the METUTECH defense industry companies by using the European Union projects which are carried out by METUTECH,
Providing the necessary environment which will help to use military solutions for civil needs.

METUTECH works together with SSM and SASAD in order to reach its objectives. Within this context METUTECH, SSM (Under secretariat for Defense Industries), Ostim (Organized Industrial Region) and SASAD (Defense Industry Manufacturers Association) have signed a protocol which stipulates the establishment of KDM (SME Consultancy Center) in METUTECH and in Ostim. The missions of KDM are:
Developing the capabilities of SME’s and Supplier Industry,
Increasing the cooperation within the defense industry companies by developing the communication between the companies and training the SME’s and Supplier Industry,
Supporting the activities which helps companies to reach international standards,
Increasing the work proportion of SME’s and Supplier Industry and within this context supporting their human resource needs and developing their export activities,
Informing SME’s and Supplier Industry regarding sectoral targets,
Informing SME’s and Supplier Industry about “Defense Industry Support Credit”

Moreover METUTECH has established a platform called TSSP (METUTECH Defense Industry Platform) regarding its responsibilities with respect to KDM protocol. TSSP brings METUTECH defense industry companies together and creates an environment where company representatives discuss the possible future activities.
Since defense industry projects are mostly confidential, only the list of METUTECH Defence Industry Companies is given below. For more information please contact with the related company.