Dünya – Aiming to become a high-tech manufacturing and export base in the next 10 years, Türkiye will heavily rely on its technology parks which are fast increasing in number and populated by the country’s visionary entrepreneurs and talented workforce.
“Technology development and innovation in technoparks will bring an export revenue of USD 10 billion by the year 2023.”, according to Türkiye’s Minister of Science, Industry and Technology, Nihat Ergun, speaking of the government’s goals to reach by the centennial of the republic. “The target is to double the number of technoparks in Türkiye and increase their exports 10-fold. Anything less will not be considered a success.”, Ergun noted as he laid out the plan to boost the high-tech exports of the growing country.
Technoparks in Türkiye have come a long way in the last decade, from only two in 2003 to 36 active technoparks today with 16 soon to be launched. There will be at least a hundred active technoparks in Türkiye by 2023, filled by some 10,000 companies operating in tech-intensive sectors, the Minister said. Annual exports of Turkish technoparks amounted to USD 1 billion in 2012. The figure is expected to reach USD 10 billion in 2023.
“Software developing companies are the backbone of Türkiye’s technoparks as that sector is well-suited for rapid growth. However, sector-specific sites are also in planning. Teknopark Istanbul, focusing on defense technologies among other high-tech branches, is an example. Technoparks of tomorrow may well be focusing on medical devices, pharmaceuticals and other particular areas.”, Ergun remarked.
Growing in parallel to technoparks, the research and development (R&D) expenditure in Türkiye is expected to take up 3 percent of the country’s GDP by 2023, up from today’s 1 percent. Vying to become one of the top 10 economies of the world by then, Türkiye strongly supports R&D and innovation-related investments through its comprehensive investment incentive regime.