Yıldız Technical University Rises to 3rd Place in TÜBİTAK’s 2024 Entrepreneurial and Innovative University Index – Ranked First in Economic and Social Contribution
Yıldız Technical University (YTU) has achieved a major milestone in TÜBİTAK’s 2024 Entrepreneurial and Innovative University Index, rising two spots from the previous year to secure 3rd place with 76.69 points. Notably, YTU ranked first in the “Economic and Social Contribution” category with a score of 31.69 points—leading all universities in this key area.
The 2024 results of the index, which is prepared by TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye) to evaluate and encourage universities’ entrepreneurial and innovation performances, were publicly announced on May 28, 2025. The index evaluates 50 universities across Türkiye based on 23 indicators grouped under four main categories: Scientific and Technological Research Competence, Intellectual Property Pool, Collaboration and Interaction, and Economic and Social Contribution.
YTU also climbed to 2nd place in the number of licensed patents and international patent applications, demonstrating the university’s growing influence in the innovation landscape.
National Recognition from the Ministry
Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology, Mehmet Fatih Kacır, shared the results and insights during the announcement. He proudly stated:
“This year, the top three institutions are all public universities. In third place is Yıldız Technical University, second is Istanbul Technical University, and first is Middle East Technical University. This index, which we’ve conducted since 2012, has become a crucial reference that reflects how universities integrate their academic work with the entrepreneurial ecosystem and their economic contributions to society.”
Minister Kacır also highlighted the broader context of Türkiye’s rise in global scientific output:
“We have increased our annual number of scientific publications from 9,000 to 49,000, ranking 14th worldwide in scientific publication volume. With 106 technology parks (up from just 2), over 11,500 startups, and thousands of academic entrepreneurs supported through TÜBİTAK programs like BİGG, we are seeing a deep transformation in the national innovation ecosystem.”
He noted that the next phase would focus on commercializing high-tech university research in fields like AI, healthcare, quantum, space, and semiconductors, and that stronger support would be provided for deep-tech entrepreneurship and patent commercialization.
YTU: A Pillar of Innovation in Türkiye’s National Tech Movement
With its strong performance in multiple categories, Yıldız Technical University continues to affirm its position as one of Türkiye’s top entrepreneurial and innovative universities. The university’s leadership in economic and social contribution is backed by initiatives in university-industry collaboration, intellectual property development, technology transfer, and social impact projects.
This achievement reflects the dedication of YTU’s students, researchers, and academic staff to delivering real-world solutions and contributing to the National Technology Initiative. The university remains committed to cultivating the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators.
Top 10 – TÜBİTAK 2024 Entrepreneurial and Innovative University Index
- Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ)
- Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ)
- Yıldız Technical University (YTÜ)
- Sabancı University
- Bilkent University
- Özyeğin University
- Koç University
- Izmir Institute of Technology
- Boğaziçi University
- Bahçeşehir University