Türkiye Innovation Week 2024, hosted by the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) for the 11th time this year, was held at the Haliç Congress Center with the theme "Out of the Box: Human, Culture, Model". Speaking at the awards ceremony, TİM President Mustafa Gültepe stated that they had doubled the export of high-tech products in 10 years, adding, "We are racing towards 100 billion dollars in medium-high and high-tech product exports."
Türkiye Innovation Week, organized for the 11th time this year, hosted by the Turkish Exporters Assembly and supported by the Ministry of Trade, was held at the Haliç Congress Center.
The last day of the event, held between October 10-12 with the theme "Out of the Box: Human, Culture, Model," featured award ceremonies. Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat, Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, and Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak attended the award ceremonies for Türkiye's Entrepreneurs Competition, İnnovaTİM Innovation Competition, and İnnovaLİG Champions.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, which was also attended by Ömer Karadeniz, Chairman of the Board of the Plastics Industrialists Federation, Mustafa Gültepe, President of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), stated that they had come together in many events over the previous two days to explore various dimensions of innovation. Gültepe said, "We witnessed a rich program on our main stage and other event areas. By addressing innovation from every angle, we listened to the stories of pioneering brands that achieved global success. We exchanged ideas for establishing a strong innovation ecosystem extending from local to global and showcased Türkiye's unique potential."
Reminding that they had risen from 74th to 37th place in the global innovation league within the last 12 years, Gültepe emphasized that they had doubled high-tech product exports in 10 years and were progressing towards 100 billion dollars in medium-high and high-tech product exports. "We witnessed a long-term, challenging, but win-win competition," said Gültepe, noting that this year the USA, China, and Sweden were among the top-ranked stakeholder countries in the global innovation league.
Gültepe stated that TİM aims to make Türkiye the center of the innovation ecosystem by strengthening international collaborations, adding that many steps have been taken towards this goal. Gültepe also added that today they would present awards to young people for both the 'İnovaTİM Innovation Competition' and 'Türkiye's Entrepreneurs Competition'.
Applications received from 69 different universities across Türkiye
The İnnovaTİM Innovation Competition was organized this year in the Sustainability and Artificial Intelligence categories. A total of 2,334 students from 69 different universities across Türkiye applied, and 443 teams registered for the competition. Gültepe said, "This year's event, with its algorithm named 'Özgelecek', is among Türkiye's most comprehensive and original programs."
Türkiye's Entrepreneurs Competition was organized this year in two main categories: 'Türkiye General' and 'TİM-TEB Entrepreneur House'. Gültepe stated that a total of 163 applications were made from 30 different provinces for this competition, and 18 technology-based startups managed to reach the finals. Emphasizing that they would always aim "forward," as expressed by the Great Leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Gültepe noted that they should not be afraid to think innovatively, experiment, and make mistakes.
Gültepe stated that the determination of young people would guide them in the future, and in this process, entrepreneurs and projects that will carry our country to more prosperous tomorrows, engineers who will make their mark on the world, and economists who will shape the future will be trained. He emphasized that İnovaTİM, Türkiye's youngest and most innovative community, continues its work with over 3,000 university students.
In the Türkiye's Entrepreneurs 2024 Awards, where entrepreneurs were awarded, the 'Fastest Growing Entrepreneur' award in the TİM-TEB Entrepreneur House category was given to Shipentegra. The 'Entrepreneur with the Most Exporting Countries' award was presented to Toffu. In the Türkiye General category, the 'My Goal is Global Success' award went to DRN Lojistik, the 'Women Technology Entrepreneur' award to GC Savunma, the 'Environment and Sustainability Friendly Entrepreneur' award to Tumurly, and the 'Young Entrepreneur' award to Neuraturk. In the İnnovaTİM Innovation Competition, firms awarded in the Sustainability category included Retile, Nature’s Renewables, Biotexura, Fondöten İstasyonu, and Ecocrate, while in the Artificial Intelligence category, Sağlıklı Tarlam, Hemix, Effiorbit, Lintech, and Havade were deemed worthy of awards.
Yılmaz: “Exporters are Türkiye's source of pride"
Speaking at the İnnovaLİG Champions Award Ceremony held within the scope of Türkiye Innovation Week, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz noted that they held the 11th edition of the İnnovaLİG program this year, which was initiated to develop exports and encourage companies that are Türkiye's source of pride. Yılmaz stated that the program started in 2014 with 460 applications, that there was more favor each year than the previous one, and that they experienced the joy of exceeding the 2,000 mark for the first time last year, while this year 2,302 companies from 67 different provinces applied.
Bolat: “We are setting an example for the world with innovative solutions"
Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat also stated that innovation and technological transformation are key tools for production and export targets, saying, “In this context, we have doubled the export of high-tech products since 2012. I would like to proudly state that we are approaching the 100 billion dollar level in medium and high-tech product exports.”
Bolat stated that thanks to such organizations, which are an indicator of entrepreneurial spirit and innovative capacity, Türkiye is setting an example for the world with its R&D activities, technology ventures, and innovative solutions.
Kacır: “There is a Türkiye that trusts its intellect and hard work”
Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, in his speech, stated that the world is in a period where paradigms are changing, and habits are being abandoned, and said, “Against those who say they cannot do it, they cannot succeed in producing and developing technology for this new era, there is now a Türkiye that trusts the abilities, intellect, and hard work of its own children.” Kacır expressed that they experienced the excitement of young people's original ideas in artificial intelligence and sustainability transforming into products and services in the İnnovaTİM Innovation Competition, and stated that the wind of technological transformation is blowing faster and stronger than ever before in history.
Bak: “Türkiye's strength is here”
Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak also said in his speech that young and dynamic Türkiye should be strong in technology, digital, and artificial intelligence. Bak said, “This year's TEKNOFEST was magnificent. Great things happened in Adana. 1 million 100 thousand people visited. There is excitement and enthusiasm, everything. This is where Türkiye's strength lies. We believe in you and trust you.”
The awards ceremony, also attended by Ömer Karadeniz, Chairman of the Board of the Plastics Industrialists Federation, was held under the host of the Turkish Exporters Assembly and with the support of the Ministry of Trade. Türkiye Innovation Week, held for the 11th time this year, took place at the Haliç Congress Center.
This content has been translated using artificial intelligence technology.