ISTANBUL
Türkiye’s Digitalpark Technopark has signed a cooperation agreement with North Macedonia’s International Balkan University (IBU) to strengthen entrepreneurship and innovation links between Türkiye, the Balkans and Europe.
The agreement was signed at Digitalpark Technopark’s Atasehir campus in Istanbul by General Manager Tahsin Engin and IBU Board of Trustees Chairman Bilal Sucubası, according to a statement released on Wednesday.
As part of the partnership, Digitalpark will collaborate with the university’s INNOX Innovation Center in North Macedonia's capital Skopje to support startups and expand regional innovation networks.
The cooperation includes the launch of the Bridge To Balkans (B2B) regional accelerator program, which aims to bring together entrepreneurs, mentors and investors from Türkiye and Balkan countries to help innovative startups expand into regional and global markets.
Planned activities include startup acceleration programs, training and mentorship initiatives, networking events, international business development support, and participation in EU-funded projects, with a focus on digital transformation and artificial intelligence.
Officials said the INNOX Innovation Center, located in central Skopje and covering 1,000 square meters, will provide coworking spaces, offices and event areas for entrepreneurs and investors, with the goal of positioning Skopje as a regional hub connecting Balkan startups with European and global innovation ecosystems.
Digitalpark Technopark, founded in 2019 through a presidential decree and jointly established by Recep Tayyip Erdogan University and the Turkish-German University, hosts more than 350 companies and over 4,000 employees across its campuses in Istanbul and Rize, focusing on fintech, artificial intelligence and deep-tech projects.