Atatürk University, through its technology development zone ATA Teknokent, plays a pivotal role in supporting the establishment and growth of financially and socially sustainable enterprises within the local and regional community. By providing continuous access to training programs, mentorship opportunities, university-based resources, and business development activities, the university ensures that local entrepreneurs and SMEs can build resilient and innovative businesses.
Training and Knowledge Transfer
ATA Teknokent regularly organizes targeted training programs to equip local firms with the tools and expertise needed for sustainable growth. For example, firms operating in the technopark participated in a specialized training on financial applications that enhanced their ability to manage budgets, resources, and investments more effectively, ensuring financial sustainability in their business models (ATA Teknokent Financial Applications Training). Additionally, another training introduced firms to EU funding opportunities, opening pathways for local entrepreneurs to access international resources and further strengthen their projects (ATA Teknokent EU Funds Introduction).
Knowledge transfer is also achieved through events such as the collaboration with ARGEKİP Bilişim, where academic expertise from the Faculty of Agriculture was connected with local technology firms. This initiative demonstrates how the university’s scientific knowledge directly supports the development of sustainable solutions in agriculture and technology (ARGEKİP Agriculture Collaboration).
Mentorship and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Mentorship is a key part of ATA Teknokent’s strategy to support entrepreneurs. Joint mentorship activities have been held with other technoparks, such as Kocaeli University Technopark, where mentor-mentee matching sessions created structured guidance for young entrepreneurs, enabling them to scale their businesses with experienced insights (Mentor-Mentee Session IV, Mentor-Mentee Session V).
Furthermore, ATA Teknokent actively engages in financial literacy and project-writing seminars, ensuring that local business founders not only gain technical expertise but also the managerial and financial knowledge required to run sustainable enterprises (Financial Literacy Seminar, EU Project Writing Training).
Partnerships with Local Business Ecosystem
Atatürk University has reinforced the link between academia and local business by forming strategic collaborations with the Erzurum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ETSO) and the TOBB Erzurum Young Entrepreneurs Board. Through the signed cooperation protocol, entrepreneurship trainings were initiated and continue to be expanded, offering local youth and aspiring entrepreneurs essential skills in business planning, innovation management, and startup scaling (Protocol Signing, Entrepreneurship Trainings Begin, Entrepreneurship Trainings Continue, Joint TOBB Protocol Training).
Through these collaborations, Atatürk University extends its support beyond the campus, directly empowering local business communities and fostering sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems in Erzurum and the wider Eastern Anatolia region.
With mentoring programs, financial literacy seminars, entrepreneurship training, EU project-writing workshops, and strategic collaborations with local chambers of commerce and technoparks, Atatürk University demonstrates a strong commitment to strengthening the regional economy and fostering financially and socially sustainable businesses.
