Minister of Industry and Technology, Mehmet Fatih Kacır, speaking at the opening of the Tech.EU Summit held in London, emphasized the critical importance of access to technology for social development, a sustainable future, and a fairer world.
Kacır stated that having a strong startup and innovation ecosystem is at the heart of Turkey’s National Technology Move, aiming to steer the Turkish economy towards higher technology and innovation. He mentioned that they aim to attract international ventures to the country in the field of technology through the “Techvisa” program in the near future.
Highlighting that the number of technoparks in Turkey has increased from 2 to 102 in the last 22 years, Kacır reported that more than 10,000 companies focus on R&D and innovation in Turkey’s technoparks. He also noted that the Turkish private sector hosts over 1600 R&D and design centers and the number of R&D personnel has increased from 29,000 in the 2000s to 272,000.
Kacır emphasized Turkey’s leadership in drone technologies, citing it as one of the best examples of Turkey’s approach in this field. He mentioned that Turkey’s success in defense technology demonstrated how bold visions could be turned into reality, and notable breakthroughs could be achieved. He emphasized that their focus now is to replicate this success story in other sectors.
Kacır underscored that TOGG (Turkey’s Automobile Joint Venture Group) is one of the key indicators of transformation in this field. He stated that TOGG, more than just an electric and smart car, leads the transformation of Turkey’s largest export sector, the automotive industry, by being produced by a Turkish brand in Turkey. He also mentioned that this transformation would support mobility initiatives and TOGG is already demonstrating its commitment to fostering innovation by collaborating with over 30 different startups. Kacır stressed that changes in technology have created unique opportunities for innovation and success, and having a strong startup ecosystem is a crucial part of the National Technology Move.
Kacır referred to Turkey’s entrepreneurial ecosystem being described as the “star of European technology”. He mentioned that while Turkey did not have any unicorns in 2019, there are currently 7 “Turcorns” (Turkish unicorns). He highlighted that Turkey has become an important center not only for startup companies but also for “scale-up” companies. He shared information about the hundreds of startup companies in Turkey with unicorn potential.
Kacır stated that Turkey provides various supports to increase the number of unicorn companies and that Turcorn100 is the national vision project in this context. He emphasized that the young human resources of the country are one of the most important competitive advantages globally.
Kacır mentioned that the world’s largest aviation, space, and technology festival, TEKNOFEST, has been held since 2008, providing opportunities for young people to develop technology. He reiterated their commitment to continue investing in human resources.
In conclusion, Kacır invited everyone to grow in Turkey, collaborate with Turkish ventures, and invest in promising startups in Turkey. He also announced that they would soon announce the “Techvisa” program to invite talents and ventures in the technology field to the country.
After his speech, Minister Kacır visited the stands of Turkish and international technology and venture companies at the summit venue.
source aa.com.tr/ prepared by Melisa Beğiç