28.07.2026 00:11
The final stretch has been reached for the Terminal Istanbul project, expected to open at Atatürk Airport. Announcing that the initial phase of the Terminal Istanbul project will soon be operational, Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır said, "This is the first step of the world's largest entrepreneurship center. Very soon."
Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır shared the ongoing work on the 'Terminal Istanbul' project, which is being realized at Ataturk Airport and is poised to become one of the world's largest entrepreneurship centers, with the public through a video posted on his social media account.
"THE FIRST STEP OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER" The video also included footage of Minister Kacır's inspections at the project site and the preparations being carried out at the center. In his post, Minister Kacır stated, "Terminal Istanbul's initial phase is the first step of the world's largest entrepreneurship center, very soon at Ataturk Airport."
A 360-DEGREE SUPPORT MECHANISM WILL BE OPERATED According to information obtained from the ministry; Terminal Istanbul, to be established at Ataturk Airport in line with the National Technology Initiative vision, will bring together Turkey's technology ecosystem and young entrepreneurs with global giants. The center, which aims to host thousands of entrepreneurs, technology companies, and investors, will serve as the world's largest entrepreneurship center with universal-scale acceleration programs, co-working spaces, and incubation centers. Terminal Istanbul will not only offer a physical workspace; it will provide a holistic structure that supports ventures throughout their entire growth journey, from the idea stage to product development, commercialization, securing investment, and entering global markets. At the center, where idea development, productization, and scaling processes are gathered under one roof, a 360-degree support mechanism will be operated for entrepreneurs.
STRATEGIC COLLABORATION WITH GLOBAL GIANTS Terminal Istanbul, through established strategic international collaborations, will bring global knowledge, capital, and experience directly into Turkey's ecosystem. In this context, the partnership with Techstars, one of the world's largest accelerators, will be one of the strongest examples of global actors actively participating within the center. Through contacts conducted in various geographies, particularly Pakistan, Qatar, Paris, and London, and connections established with the Turkish diaspora and international technology platforms, Turkish ventures' access to global markets will be systematically supported.
INTERNATIONAL TALENT HUB Through the Tech Visa program implemented by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, high-potential ventures from different parts of the world will be enabled to operate within Terminal Istanbul. While 'soft landing' programs, grants, exemptions, and incentive mechanisms will facilitate the rapid adaptation of foreign ventures to the Turkish market, local ventures will also be supported in expanding to global markets from here.
STRONG LABORATORY INFRASTRUCTURE The center will accelerate the commercialization processes of deep-tech ventures, in particular, through shared laboratories, joint access to high-cost equipment, consumable supply centers, and digital infrastructure solutions. This aims to directly address the issue of academic and R&D research outputs failing to be commercialized. Additionally, thanks to a clustering structure to be created with the contribution of local technology leaders and global companies across 34 different technology verticals, vertical expertise will be provided in a wide range of fields from artificial intelligence to biotechnology, mobility to space technologies.
Integrating all critical components of the entrepreneurship ecosystem under a single roof, Terminal Istanbul, with its holistic model, will have the identity of a dynamic campus that lives throughout the day. To facilitate entrepreneurs' access to finance, special investor networks, funding programs, and investment preparation processes will be directly integrated into the center's operational structure. To meet entrepreneurs' need for qualified human resources, scholarship, talent development, alumni networks, and artificial intelligence programs will be implemented; special regulation guidance desks will operate to quickly resolve public permissions and regulatory processes.
Providing entrepreneurs with access to global networks through the diaspora by connecting them with top-level executives and industry leaders, the center will maximize stakeholder interaction through smart matching tools and digital platforms. This living campus structure, creating a strong interaction ground with day-long events, hackathons, investor-entrepreneur meetings, executive academies, and community programs, will be positioned as a growth platform for entrepreneurs, a qualified opportunity pool for investors, an innovation partner for corporate companies, and a strategic center that will increase Turkey's global competitiveness.