“Istanbul Gaming Startsups Academy” Launced as the Joint Project of Çekmeköy Municipality and Özyeğin University

Istanbul Gaming Startups Academy, one of the significant projects of Çekmeköy Municipality, introduced its projects on the Özyeğin University campus to bring a new breath of air to the global and Turkish gaming startup sector.

Developed by Çekmeköy Municipality with the support of Istanbul Development Agency and coordinated jointly by Özyeğin University, OYUNDER, and Helyum, Istanbul Gaming Startups Academy: 9999in1 Space Project was launched at Özyeğin University on July 21, 2023. The launch featured Resul Çelik, Çekmeköy District Governor, Prof. Dr. Esra Gençtürk, Özyeğin University Rector, Ahmet Poyraz, Çekmeköy Mayor, Latif Coşar, Çekmeköy Deputy Mayor, Serkan Korkmaz Arslan from Istanbul Development Agency (İKA), Tansu Kendirli, President at OYUNDER, and Metin Yıldız, founding partner at Helyum, as well as game entrepreneurs and mentors.

Istanbul Gaming Startups Academy brings together the stakeholders of the gaming industry in Istanbul to strengthen cooperation and community relations in the digital gaming ecosystem. The Academy contributes to the Turkish entrepreneurship ecosystem, helps entrepreneurs prepare for international competition, assists in making sectoral progress sustainable, and stands by entrepreneurs from idea validation to commercialization. Designed in line with the sector’s characteristics, the Academy has offered approximately 2,000 hours of training to around 400 students. Istanbul Gaming Startups Academy boasts a broad array of services, including training and mentoring programs, intensive conventional and digital publicity activities, panel discussions attended by all actors of the gaming ecosystem, gameathons, demodays, webinars, and broadcasts on digital channels, with the goal of drawing gaming entrepreneurs to the sector. The Academy has also recently been named one of the 25 gaming startup centers included in the latest reports of the Digital Transformation Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey.

Remarking that they take pride in playing host to the Gameathon at Özyeğin University, Rector Prof. Dr. Esra Gençtürk highlighted the importance of cooperation between universities and the public sector, industry, and NGOs in her address. “This year marks the 15th anniversary of our University, which puts students at the core of all its activities. Founded as an entrepreneurial research university full of life 24/7 and open for 365 days, public-industry cooperation is a sine qua non for us. Hence, our University has received the University-Business World Cooperation Award at the YÖK Outstanding Achievement Awards 2022. We are a university that is shown as an example in this area. Joining our forces with distinguished partners such as our esteemed municipality, ministries, and ISTKA, we forge ahead with an unwavering commitment to our path.

Today, Özyeğin University goes beyond being a university up in the world rankings. In fact, our University was ranked 79th in the Times Higher Education’s “THE Impact Ranking,” which assesses universities based on their projects’ social contributions towards the United Nations ‘Sustainable Development Goals. We are a university that cares about the impact of our activities. Today’s event is a testimony of our University’s distinction in terms of cooperation and its broad range of stakeholders. I recommend students who participated in Gameathon to think bigger with a larger vision that goes beyond fun,” said Prof. Dr. Esra Gençtürk.

Participants who attended training sessions for the past 20 months demonstrated the games they have developed. The Demoday ensued with the 48-hour Gameathon at the Faculty of Architecture and Design at Özyeğin University, which provides space and infrastructural support for the event. Following the marathon, participants received their certificates.