ODTU TEKNOKENT Management Company, ODTU TEKNOKENT Yönetim A.Ş., arranges a preliminary meeting with the companies and entrepreneurs willing to locate in the zone before taking the application, in order to be well-informed about their demands and projects. In these meetings, the companies are informed about significant details of the online application process, after which the company applies ODTU TEKNOKENT with the Application Form and other documents.
The applications are evaluated by three referees (arbitration board) who are experts in the field and the projects that are to be carried out at ODTU TEKNOKENT. The referees have face-to-face meeting with the applicant company and may visit their offices or facilities if they deem necessary. The judgements of the referees are accounted for, by ODTU TEKNOKENT management, Teknokent Higher Advisory Board (TYDK) that is comprised of private industry representatives and submitted for approval to ODTU TEKNOKENT Executive Board and University Executive Board. In accord with the referees’ decisions, the company can either be accepted or conditionally accepted or rejected. The primary indicator for the companies that are accepted to Teknokent is the degree of R&D in their projects and university-industry collaboration.
The arbitration board consists of experts in the same field as the company and especially in the area of the prospected research and software development projects of the company. ODTU academicians are prioritized in the referral of the arbitration board. The identities of the members of the arbitration board are not revealed to the companies and they meet at the evaluation meeting the first time.
It takes at most sixty days from the submission of the application files till the evaluation. Within this period of time, the process is finalized and Teknokent Higher Advisory Board informs the companies of the decisions.
It is not possible to make reservations for office space before application. Those companies, who go through the application process and are accepted are later assigned office space.
Office space is assigned to companies depending on the R&D traits of the projects, the value-added and the scale of collaboration the company may go into. Moreover, the equipment and conditions required for the company to realize its projects at ODTU TEKNOKENT are also taken into consideration.
The companies that are accepted to ODTU TEKNOKENT, are provided with office space equipped with all communication, Internet, and electrical infrastructures. Should the company wish, internal furbishing can be done upon receiving permission and on condition that the company will return the office to its original state when leaving. The furbishing request should be submitted as a project to ODTU TEKNOKENT for approval.
The rental cost of R&D offices at ODTU TEKNOKENT is 28.8 TL/m2 excluding VAT. The operating cost per month is approximately 13.01 TL/m2 and is recalculated at the beginning of each year depending on the changes in the costs incurred. The entrepreneurs and companies that rent offices in the zone shall contribute to these operating costs. The operating costs include office space climatization (a factor of building conditions), environmental planning, common spaces’ climatization and cleaning, building security services, common electrical and water expenditures. The electric and water – if any -consumption of the office space itself as well as other costs such as telephone and data connection are not included in the operating cost.
After the application process is complete, in case the company cannot be assigned an office space right away, the request of the company is ranked in accord with ODTU TEKNOKENT evaluation criteria and the company is assigned an office when a suitable space is available. The criteria that is taken into consideration, in order of priority, are R&D quality, university-industry cooperation within the scope of the project, international collaboration and collaboration possibilities with ODTU TEKNOKENT companies.
Within the scope of Technology Development Zones Law, the companies that are permitted to operate within the zones are subject to some tax incentives. (i) R&D personnel, research personnel, software personnel wages are exempt from income tax until 31.12.2023. (ii) Income associated with R&D and software development activities that are exclusively held in the zone are exempt from corporate tax (income tax in the case of private persons) until 31.12.2013. (iii) During the time income of entrepreneurs are exempt from either income or corporate tax, the production made within the zone as well as their services such as system management, data management, business applications, sectoral, Internet, mobile and military command and control application software are exempt from VAT.
The authority for the audit of tax incentives declared by companies within the zone is Revenue Administration of Ministry of Finance and the corresponding Tax Office. General issues regarding the tax audit are also relevant for activities within the zone.
Since the primary goal of the zone is to reinforce university-industry collaboration in research and technology development projects, it is expected of the companies to synergize for such collaboration. University-industry collaboration is integrated into the system as a condition of the rental contracts.
ODTU is one of Turkey’s universities with the most developed laboratory and research center facilities. ODTU TEKNOKENT companies are eligible to make use of the 365 laboratories and 40 research centers, with special conditions. The companies willing to use laboratories and/or research centers need to contact the relevant department administration or research institute management. In case the company wishes so, ODTU TEKNOKENT can assist in the process.
The companies that are willing to work with academicians in their projects, need to consult with relevant department administration to determine researchers involved in their fields. It is possible for ODTU TEKNOKENT companies to partner with academicians in their projects, only after the consent of the University Executive Board. A copy of the contract undersigned between the academician and the company attached to the forms need to be submitted to the department administration for approval. Upon the approval of the University, ODTU TEKNOKENT informs the company regarding the assignment of the academician in the project. Throughout this process, ODTU TEKNOKENT Management Company Directorate of Collaboration Operations on Technology provides the assistance needed, please contact relevant experts.
The headquarters of the company does not need to be in the zone. However, the R&D and software office in the zone shall be “establishment” (office) in accord with Turkish Commercial Law. In order to comply with this law, the companies that have their headquarters outside Ankara, shall have branch offices in the zone.
In order to operate within the scope of Technology Development Zone Law No.4691, the companies that are accepted to locate in ODTU TEKNOKENT have to provide the following documents within 10 days after moving in the office space assigned for their use: Regional Office Registry, SSK Employer Registry, copies of polling plug and tax office liability registration documents, resumes of personnel benefiting from tax incentives within the scope of Law No.4691 (resumes, job descriptions, date of employment, total time of exemption benefited according to Law No.4691, SSK statement of employment) and information regarding personnel out of the scope of Law No.4691 (name, surname, date of employment, job description and SSK statement of employment).
The resumes of personnel benefiting from tax incentives within the scope of Law No.4691 (resumes, job descriptions, date of employment, total time of exemption benefited according to Law No.4691, SSK statement of employment) and information regarding personnel out of the scope of Law No.4691 (name, surname, date of employment, job description and SSK statement of employment) must be submitted to ODTU TEKNOKENT within 10 days. For new personnel, face recognition system registration must be made via emailing haydar.meral@odtuteknokent.com.tr.
In case of a change in any information regarding any personnel such as the termination of employment or change in the job description, ODTU TEKNOKENT Management must be informed within 10 days. Each month, the companies must submit Employed Personnel Information Form that contains information about R&D personnel employed within the scope of Law No.4691 (name/surname, SSK registration number, occupation, project code involved, project task, and total time of exemption) to ODTU TEKNOKENT Management for approval and be submitted to Tax Office as attachment to Withholding Tax Return. The companies must declare their activities that they run in the zone by filling out Activity Monitoring Forms online, every quarter, through www.odtuteknokent.com.tr by entering the system with their username and password.
A one of the exemplary campuses in Turkey, the special care that ODTU Campus gives to design principles and environmental harmony is as well sustained within the borders of ODTU TEKNOKENT, and “living and natural spaces” are created to provide the employees with a pleasant working ambience.
At ODTU TEKNOKENT, “life and human” are as priorities as “technology”, and to improve social life, various activities are organized. New Year Parties, summer welcoming parties are organized to facilitate the integration of business and social life. Within the scope of these activities, to boost communion among employees, activities such as karaoke contests and games are set up. ODTU TEKNOKENT employees can benefit from many social opportunities that the University offers. Moreover, within 5 km of radius, at easy access of the employees are shopping malls, cinemas, concert and theater halls, restaurants, sports facilities, educational institutes, accommodation and lodgings.
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