İSTKA — Istanbul Development Agency (İstanbul Kalkınma Ajansı)

Supports place-based development in Istanbul by funding regional innovation projects, entrepreneurship, and local talent growth.

İSTKA, the Istanbul Development Agency, is one of Türkiye's regional development agencies and covers Istanbul alone, the TR10 region. It was established in 2008 and became operational in 2009 under the Ministry of Industry and Technology, with a mandate to channel public resources into place-based economic development.

The agency funds competitive grant calls called Mali Destek Programları, alongside Güdümlü Proje Desteği and a 2026 global entrepreneurship call. The structured totals point to an annual envelope of TRY 550 million, and the raw information describes yearly ranges that typically sit between TRY 150 million and TRY 550 million. Eligible leads include municipalities, universities, research centers, organized industrial zones, and NGOs, while private SMEs usually appear as partners rather than lead applicants.

Applicants go through the national KAYS portal and are assessed by independent reviewers, which makes the process closer to a regional competition than a relationship-driven award. İSTKA is strongest for Istanbul projects that combine innovation, digital transformation, green growth, or entrepreneurship with a clear local implementation footprint.