It Will Take Türkiye to The Technology Super League
The groundwork has been created for Bilişim Vadisi İzmir, which will boost Türkiye’s worldwide competitiveness in civil technology, mobility, and entrepreneurship. The first mortar for Bilişim Vadisi İzmir, located on the Izmir leg of the Mega Technology Corridor, was set by Mustafa Varank, Minister of Industry and Technology, and Binali Yıldırım, Former Prime Minister, and AK Party Deputy Chairman.
“Bilişim Vadisi Kocaeli and İzmir, which are connected by the Mega Technology Corridor, coupled with other innovation ecosystem components will bring Türkiye to the super league in technology,” says Minister Varank, whereas former Prime Minister Yıldırım states “We have a tremendous chance before us. We are talking about a time when the perspiration of the mind gives way to the sweat of the brow. Developed industrial countries do not have an advantage at the present. Türkiye is a country where fresh minds nurtured in this age are the source.”
In addition to Mr. Varank and Mr. Yıldırım, the groundbreaking event in İzmir Urla brought together İzmir Governor Yavuz Selim Köşger, AK Party Deputy Chairman Hamza Dağ, AK Party Deputy Chairman Ömer İleri, AK Party İzmir Deputies Ceyda Bölünmez Çankırı and Mahmut Atilla Kaya, Head of the Presidency Digital Transformation Office Ali Taha Koç, AK Party İzmir Provincial Chairman Kerem Ali Sürekli, MHP İzmir Provincial Chairman Veysel Şahin, and plenty of other notable people from academics, the commercial sector, and politics.
Bilişim Vadisi İzmir, which will focus on technology-based activities, will employ 6,000 people in R&D, software development, and design. With its new base in İzmir, Bilişim Vadisi, which hosts Türkiye’s Automobile Initiative Group, will strengthen Türkiye’s position in the fields of mobility, linked technologies, health, agriculture technology, and digital gaming.
MR. YILDIRIM IS THE FIRST ONE TO SIGN THE PROTOCOL
Binali Yıldırım, Deputy Chairman of the AK Party and Prime Minister at the time, signed the protocol for the İzmir Technology Base, afterward renamed Bilişim Vadisi İzmir, in 2018. At the launch of Türkiye’s technology and innovation base Bilişim Vadisi in 2019, H.E. Mr. President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared that İzmir Technology Base will be integrated into Bilişim Vadisi. The 180 thousand square meter area was designated as a technological development zone by a presidential decision issued in 2021.
Minister Varank stated at the ceremony:
BRIGHT MINDS OF İZMİR: Bilişim Vadisi İzmir Technology Base, on which we lay the groundwork, will be the core of Bilişim Vadisi in İzmir, launched by our H.E. President. This new sector will assist our country in moving forward in mobility, connected technology, smart cities, cybersecurity, design, and digital gaming. Bilişim Vadisi İzmir, which was first signed by Mr. Binali Yıldırım and then taken under Bilişim Vadisi, will have a surface area of 180 thousand square meters. Bilişim Vadisi İzmir will connect İzmir’s young brains to the rest of the world.
A HISTORIC MOMENT: As you can see, Bilişim Vadisi Kocaeli and İzmir, linked by the mega technology corridor and other components of the innovation ecosystem, will propel Türkiye into the super league of technology. As a result, today marks a watershed moment in our country’s history. Without a doubt, Mr. Binali Yıldırım has made significant contributions to Bilişim Vadisi İzmir. They have aspirations. On this occasion, I am really delighted to be able to throw the first mortar of the project with Mr. Yıldırım.
STRONG AND NATIONAL DEFENSE: If we are able to maintain our position despite these conflicts and wars, the defense sector, whose locality we have raised from 25% to 75% under the leadership of our President, plays a significant role. A strong and national defense industry ensures Türkiye’s independence. The time has come to bring this into the civil domain. The innovation ecosystem that we have established from the ground up over the last 19 years is our fundamental asset that will propel Türkiye to the top.
A NEW BREAKTHROUGH EVERY DAY: Our country is making steady progress toward the aim of becoming a great and powerful Türkiye. We constantly make new advances in the world of industry and technology. We are working around the clock to establish Türkiye’s strong image in the defense industry and other industries and technology fields. Bilişim Vadisi İzmir will be one of the symbols of our work here. They will lay the groundwork for our country’s future in collaboration with the universities, the commercial sector, and entrepreneurs. I predict Bilişim Vadisi İzmir to open before the end of the year, triggering a surge in demand from local entrepreneurs similar to that witnessed in Kocaeli.
AK Party Deputy Chairman Yıldırım remarked during his speech at the ceremony:
THE DREAM PROJECT: We are embarking on a project that we have envisioned and planned for years. With the help of our Minister Mustafa Varank, we are laying the first brick. In informatics, space and time are no longer significant. There is always contact available, no matter where you live. 300 years in human history is noteworthy. The change began in the world in the middle of the 1700s with the invention of the steam engine. Later, the second and third industrial revolutions followed.
A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY: Unfortunately, we missed these three times and became users instead. As Türkiye, we now have a tremendous chance in front of us. Call it the twenty-first century, the digital era, the age of information communication, or the age of the information economy. In other words, we are discussing a time when the sweat of the mind has been replaced by the sweat of the sweat, and information is power. The advanced industrial countries do not have an advantage at this time. Türkiye is a country where youthful minds educated during this time period are the source.
WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO: When the AK Party took power, the amount spent on research and development was 0.4. The figure has now reached 1.03 today. Our goal is to raise it to 2-2.5. We still have a long way to go. This is how to acquire prosperity by cutting down on time. I feel that the Bilişim Vadisi in İzmir will be the start of something much bigger.
WE ARE SUPER EXCITED
“Bilişim Vadisi will reveal our city’s potential in the realm of technology. I am hopeful that our 6,000 colleagues who will serve our city and country will do remarkable things here. We are quite thrilled about the creation of the ‘Mega Technology Corridor,’ which will connect Kocaeli and İzmir, remarked İzmir Governor Yavuz Selim Köşger, whereas AK Party Deputy Chairman Hamza Dağ stated, “Recently, highly substantial studies in the realm of technology have been done out in İzmir. Every political party delegate in Izmir made the promise of Bilişim Vadisi İzmir.”
A DISTINCT DIMENSION
“Our education, science, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship ecosystem, which we developed along with Technopark İzmir on our university’s campus, is being carried to a quite different dimension with Bilişim Vadisi. Bilişim Vadisi İzmir will be one of the most important stops on a powerful technology corridor that will run from İstanbul to İzmir.” stated Izmir Institute of High Technology Rector Prof. Dr. Yusuf Baran.
FROM DEFENSE TO SOCIAL AREAS
Bilişim Vadisi General Manager A. Serdar İbrahimcioğlu stated that the company is continuing its efforts to direct its technological accumulations in the defense sector to the civilian sector and areas, and that “the collaborations that Bilişim Vadisi will create with university, industry, and trade networks will also increase the region’s high technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, and infrastructure opportunities.”
6 THOUSAND PEOPLE WILL BE EMPLOYED
When completed, Bilişim Vadisi İzmir will have a closed area of 63 thousand square meters. With this investment, the indoor capacity of İzmir’s technology development zones will be increased by two and a half times. Bilişim Vadisi İzmir will employ 6,000 R&D, software, and design professionals, as well as technology entrepreneurs.
THE CENTER OF ATTENTION IS ON CIVIL TECHNOLOGIES
The sophisticated technology that Bilişim Vadisi İzmir will build will lure worldwide enterprises to Türkiye. It will also assist entrepreneurs in establishing R&D and incubator frameworks. Bilişim Vadisi, which focuses on civil technology, will maintain its national and international cooperation network in İzmir, contributing to employment and output. It will make important contributions to the industry’s digitalization and development of the software industry. Bilişim Vadisi İzmir will also host innovative research projects, including prototype development and testing workshops.
TECHNOLOGIES IN HEALTH AND AGRICULTURE
Mobility, connection technologies, smart cities, cyber security, design, and digital games, particularly health and agriculture technology, will be studied in Bilişim Vadisi İzmir. İzmir’s strong infrastructure in industry and technology will be strengthened through strong relations with universities and technoparks.