ITU Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Application and Research Center

What ITU Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Application and Research Center does

ITU Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Application and Research Center (ITU|AI) is an academic research center established on December 2, 2018 at Istanbul Technical University (ITU) in Istanbul, Turkey, with active operations beginning April 24, 2019. The center operates across 11 ITU faculties including Computer and Informatics Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Mathematics Engineering, Physics Engineering, Aeronautics and Astronautics, Architecture, and Management, drawing on a membership base of 45+ faculty researchers and 53 dedicated staff. Its mission is structured around three pillars — AI research and development, AI product development know-how, and AI education — described by the center as an "AI tripod." The center is governed by Director Prof. Dr. Şule Gündüz Öğüdücü and Deputy Directors Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Behzat Tokdemir and Barış Başpınar, with an advisory board drawing from MIT, Google DeepMind, University of Waterloo, and industry leadership.

The center's core technology spans machine learning, deep learning, optimization, statistical modeling, graph analysis, data mining, computer vision, natural language processing, signal processing, and decision-making under uncertainty. Proprietary outputs include the Turkish NLP Pipeline (tools.nlp.itu.edu.tr) developed by the ITU NLP Research Group, the CellTransformer self-supervised framework for spatial transcriptomic analysis, the MIRAGE graph-based vector indexing system for high-dimensional data, and the iMAT AI-supported autonomous material microstructure analysis platform. Research collaborations cover personalized bug prediction for Ericsson Turkey, injection machine fault detection for Farplas (under EU Horizon 2020 Teaming AI), deep reinforcement learning order dispatching for Getir, and crew pairing optimization for Turkish Airlines.

The revenue model is multi-stream and project-based rather than commercial. Cumulative project funding totals approximately 30 million TL across 221 projects since 2018, sourced from industry partnerships (12.07M TL, 111 projects), TUBITAK grants (9.77M TL, 39 projects), EU programs (6.98M TL, 6 projects), ITU internal funding (1.11M TL, 60 projects), and SANTEZ (458,687 TL, 5 projects). Supplementary revenue comes from fee-based training programs (Generative AI Fundamentals at 20,000 TL per 12-hour program; AI LAB through Deloitte Academy partnership) and from administering the Google DeepMind AI Master's Scholarships. Customer segments include graduate M.Sc. and Ph.D. students, industry professionals and executives, enterprise R&D partners across defense, telecom, e-commerce, manufacturing, and technology, academia, and SMEs and public institutions via the AI EDIH Türkiye European Digital Innovation Hub designation.

Name

ITU Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Application and Research Center

Legal name

ITU Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Application and Research Center

Website

https://ai.itu.edu.tr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ITU AI Center is an academic research center at Istanbul Technical University, founded in 2018, that conducts foundational AI research across NLP, computer vision, and optimization, runs funded projects with enterprise partners, and delivers professional training programs and scholarships serving students, industry professionals, and Turkish enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AI Research and Education Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computer Training (61142), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAEAK

Technical Universities with Computing, Data & AI Focus

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Technical & Polytechnic Universities

SECONDARYBPAEANAH

Data, Analytics & AI Training (BI, Data Engineering, ML/GenAI)

Business & Public Services/IT & Digital Services (Managed Services, Systems Integration)/IT Training & Technical Enablement Services

SECONDARYEDAMACAG

AI & Machine Learning (Foundations & Applied)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Coding & Computer Science Programs

Keywords

• Artificial intelligence research
• Machine learning solutions
• Data science applications
• AI professional training
• University industry collaboration

Headquarters

HQ city

Istanbul

HQ country

Türkiye

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Research Project Funding: The center operates primarily through externally funded research projects. Total budget of 221 projects amounts to approximately 30 million TL, sourced from industry-funded projects (111 projects, 12.07 million TL), EU projects (6 projects, 6.98 million TL), TUBITAK-funded projects (39 projects, 9.77 million TL), ITU-funded projects (60 projects, 1.11 million TL), and SANTEZ projects (5 projects, 458,687 TL).
2. Training and Education Programs: The center generates revenue through paid professional training programs such as the Generative AI (GenAI) program priced at 20,000 TL for 12 hours of instruction. Additional revenue comes from AWS training series partnerships.
3. Google DeepMind Scholarship Administration: The center administers Google DeepMind AI Master's Scholarships providing 1,000 USD monthly stipend for 4 semesters, plus 2,400 USD academic travel grant, 2,000 USD equipment grant, and 2,000 USD relocation allowance per scholar.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ITU AI Center is an academic research and education center at Istanbul Technical University that conducts AI and data science research, offers paid professional training programs (GenAI, AI LAB), and delivers applied AI R&D projects for industry partners spanning NLP, computer vision, optimization, and generative AI. It operates an 'AI tripod' covering Research & Development, Product Development Know-How, and AI Education, executing 221 projects with a total budget of approximately 30 million TL.

Product overview

ITU AI Center is an academic research and education center at Istanbul Technical University, founded in December 2018. Rather than a commercial product company, it operates as a multi-faceted AI ecosystem offering research and development services, educational programs, and collaborative industry projects. The center's offerings include AI training programs (AI LAB, Generative AI Fundamentals), research initiatives (iMAT material microstructure analysis platform), scholarship programs (Google DeepMind AI Master's Scholarships), and professional development workshops. Its research activities span natural language processing, computer vision, recommendation systems, generative AI, and optimization across various industrial applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• iMAT - AI-Supported Autonomous Material Microstructure Analysis Platform An AI-enabled autonomous platform for material microstructure analysis combining AI with material science to increase speed, accuracy, and scalability in analyzing material structures, targeting manufacturing and materials industries.
• AI LAB Training Program An intensive AI training program providing comprehensive knowledge and practical experience for integrating AI into business processes, targeting working professionals and executives.
• Üretken Yapay Zeka (GenAI): Temeller ve Uygulamalar A 12-hour introductory training program for business executives covering GenAI fundamentals, prompt engineering, RAG systems, AI agents, ROI frameworks, and governance using tools including OpenAI ChatGPT, Anthropic Claude, Google NotebookLM, n8n, and Microsoft Copilot Studio.
• Google DeepMind AI Master's Scholarships Prestigious international scholarships for ITU M.Sc. students specializing in AI, administered by IIE with priority for female candidates, including monthly stipend of 1,000 USD, academic travel grant of 2,400 USD, equipment grant of 2,000 USD, and relocation allowance of 2,000 USD.
• AWS Workshop Series An 8-part hands-on training program covering cloud computing, generative AI, RAG architectures, Bedrock-based AI agents, container applications, and serverless application development, conducted in collaboration with ITU MEM and AWS Turkey.
• Turkish NLP Pipeline A natural language processing tool and infrastructure for Turkish language processing developed by the ITU NLP Research Group, providing services for academic research including parsing, morphological analysis, and text processing.

Quantifiable outcome

• ITU ranks 1st nationally in AI publications with 1,288 papers and 8,389 citations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability13 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• TÜDÖKSAD (Türkiye Döküm Sanayicileri Derneği)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2026TÜDÖKSAD (Turkish Foundrymen's Association) partners with ITU AI Center on the iMAT project to contribute sectoral vision for AI-enabled computational materials technologies. Association provides industry perspective and connections to Turkish foundry sector for technology transfer.
• İTÜ Kariyer ve Staj MerkeziminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2025ITU Career and Internship Center co-organizes the ITU AI Summit, contributing to event success and providing career development perspective for AI-focused students.
• İTÜ Yapay Zekâ Öğrenci KulübüminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2025ITU AI Student Club co-organizes the ITU AI Summit and collaborates on AWS community events, engaging student community in AI activities.
• Cloud TürkiyeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2025Cloud Türkiye co-organizes AWS-Cloud Türkiye AI/MCP Meetup, bringing together technology professionals, students, and AI enthusiasts for networking and knowledge sharing.
• Deloitte AcademycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 September 2025Deloitte Academy serves as the official registration channel for the AI LAB professional training program, a next-generation AI training initiative organized by ITU ARI Teknokent, Marketing Türkiye, Deloitte Academy, and ITU AI. Starting October 24, 2025, the program offers comprehensive AI integration training to professionals, limited to 20 participants.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS) TurkeycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2025AWS Turkey and ITU signed a protocol for comprehensive collaboration on student digital competency development. AWS Workshop Series (8 sessions) organized by ITU AI and ITU MEM with AWS Turkey support, covering cloud computing, GenAI, RAG architectures, and Bedrock AI agents. Series concluded with AWS Final Hackathon awarding $30,000 in AWS credits to winning teams. AWS experts provide hands-on training and technical guidance throughout the program.
• AI EDIH Türkiye ConsortiumflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 July 2024AI EDIH Türkiye consortium, partnered by ITU AI Center, recognized by European Commission as a European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH). This official EDIH designation positions ITU AI Center to accelerate digital transformation of SMEs, startups, and public institutions in Turkey, providing AI expertise, training, and cutting-edge solutions aligned with EU digital initiatives.
• FarplascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 September 2023ITU and Farplas cooperating within EU Horizon 2020 Teaming AI project consortium. ITU-supported AI technology enables instant detection and prevention of faults in Farplas injection machines. This represents the first industry implementation from the Teaming AI project.
• Teaming AI Project Consortium (EU Horizon 2020)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2021ITU AI Center is part of the Teaming AI Project (Human-AI Teaming Platform for Maintaining and Evolving AI Systems in Manufacturing), a Horizon 2020 funded project. Project aims to overcome flexibility limitations in Industry 4.0 by combining knowledge graphs and relational machine learning for human-AI teaming in manufacturing.
• BoeingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2019Boeing collaborates with ITU AI Center on research activities, providing industry perspective and potential for applied aerospace AI applications.
• ASELSANcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2019ASELSAN (Military Electronic Industries) supports applied R&D activities at ITU AI Center, particularly relevant to defense technologies and national security applications of AI.
• Turkish AirlinescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2019Turkish Airlines partners with ITU AI Center on deep learning-driven optimization for large scale airline operations, specifically focusing on crew pairing optimization using machine learning to predict solutions and improve operational efficiency.
• TurkcellcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2019Turkcell cooperates with ITU AI Center on AI research and development activities, providing telecommunications industry perspective and potential for applied AI solutions.
• VodafonecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2019Vodafone supports applied R&D activities at ITU AI Center, contributing telecommunications industry expertise to collaborative AI projects.
• GetircoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2019Getir collaborates with ITU AI Center on deep reinforcement learning research for order dispatching, courier assignment, and meal delivery optimization. Research conducted with Ryerson University Data Science Lab and ITU Software Modelling and Analysis Lab.
• HuaweicoreTechnology or Integration · 10 July 2019Huawei partners with ITU AI Center for AI research collaboration, providing technology industry perspective and potential for joint innovation projects.
• MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2019MIT faculty collaboration with ITU AI Center on AI research, representing international academic partnership for joint research projects and knowledge exchange.
• NVIDIAcoreTechnology or Integration · 10 July 2019NVIDIA AI Technology Center collaboration through Prof. Simon See's seminar participation and potential for GPU computing and AI technology partnerships.
• İTÜ ARI TeknokentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2019ITU ARI Technokent serves as the technology park component for ITU AI Center, facilitating technology transfer and commercialization of AI research outcomes through the technopark ecosystem.
• Ericsson TurkeycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2018Ericsson Turkey collaborates on TUBITAK 1505 funded project developing personalized bug prediction and bug resolution time prediction models using AI. Project crawls version control systems, test tools, and issue repositories to identify features predicting bugs in code modifications.
• Google DeepMindflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Google DeepMind AI Master's Scholarships program administered by IIE supports underrepresented talent in AI at ITU. Priority given to female candidates and non-employed applicants. Benefits include 1,000 USD monthly stipend for 4 semesters plus travel, equipment, and relocation grants totaling approximately 7,400 USD per scholar. Since 2017, the program has expanded internationally supporting scholars in countries underrepresented in AI.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AiTeaming
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/itu-ai

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

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