Focusing on digitization and technology, IGA Istanbul Airport has initiated an exciting collaboration with Plug and Play, which operates in Silicon Valley, to promote new ideas, support entrepreneurs, and connect with major companies.
This partnership aims to accelerate IGA Istanbul Airport's global innovation journey and contribute to a more sustainable future. The first step within the collaboration is planned to be a "technology-focused initiative." After collecting ideas and technology needs from IGA Istanbul Airport employees, a call will be made to startups capable of providing solutions in these areas. Selected startups' solutions will be implemented at IGA Istanbul Airport through innovation processes.
IGA Istanbul Airport plans to establish an "innovation management" and "entrepreneurship ecosystem" within its structure, focusing on the fields of Travel, Mobility, Internet of Things (IoT), and Smart Cities as part of the "Travel Vienna" and "Smartcities Istanbul" programs. Moreover, they will participate in the "Selection Day" in Vienna on October 19 and the "Istanbul Expo Day" on November 2 at Feriye Palas, bringing together startups and partners.
"We will establish innovation management and an entrepreneurship ecosystem"
Selahattin Bilgen, Acting CEO of IGA Istanbul Airport, emphasized that gaining access to Plug and Play's extensive ecosystem, which reaches more than 60,000 startups worldwide, will accelerate IGA Istanbul Airport's innovation journey. He stated, "With this project, by focusing on our employees' ideas and needs, we will take our airport further in technology. As IGA Istanbul Airport, we are determined to take more prepared and innovative steps into the future with this exciting collaboration. Our partnership will greatly contribute to supporting the culture of innovation at IGA Istanbul Airport, attracting technology startups to the airport, meeting the airport's technology needs with an innovative perspective, promoting corporate entrepreneurship and sustainable development, and bringing new ideas to life at our airport."
Lale Gözübüyük, Director of Plug and Play Türkiye, also expressed her excitement about the collaboration with IGA Istanbul Airport, stating her goal to announce the success stories that will result from this partnership to the global ecosystem. She said, "IGA Istanbul Airport is among the world's largest and most successful airports, but it continues to work tirelessly to make our country proud by striving for the best. I am honored to collaborate with such a hardworking and successful company. Our entire team will do their best to make the most of Plug and Play's unique global innovation opportunities for IGA Istanbul Airport."
