The Bloomberg HT Technology Summit brought together key decision-makers from the public and private sectors, academia, and civil society to discuss the transformative impact of AI, cybersecurity, cloud technologies, and technological investments on the economy and employment. The event featured Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır and Investment Office President A. Burak Dağlıoğlu.
During the summit, Minister Kacır delivered a keynote speech titled “National Vision and Strategies in Technology." Highlighting Türkiye's technological advancements and industrial strength, Minister Kacır underscored the country's progress in the defense industry, stating: “Türkiye has grown into a formidable technological power, bolstered by its strong production capabilities. The clearest example of this is our defense industry, where the share of domestically developed systems has surged from just 20 percent in the past to nearly 80 percent today."
Minister Kacır also emphasized the importance of the National Technology Initiative and the HIT-30 Program, which aims to propel high-tech production and exports with over USD 30 billion in support. He provided insights into Türkiye's export growth in advanced technology, stating: “Türkiye's medium-high technology exports have reached USD 90 billion, while high-tech exports stand at approximately USD 9 billion. However, with total exports reaching USD 263 billion, there is a pressing need to accelerate efforts in high- and medium-high technology sectors. Achieving this requires the adoption of bold and innovative strategies."
Furthermore, Minister Kacır highlighted Türkiye's commitment to fostering R&D, citing initiatives aimed at attracting global corporations to establish R&D centers in the country, particularly in semiconductor technologies, battery technologies, electric vehicles, solar energy, and wind turbines.
Investment Office President A. Burak Dağlıoğlu also participated in the summit as a guest speaker, delivering a speech titled “Türkiye: Nexus of Technology." Dağlıoğlu highlighted Türkiye's growing appeal to international investors, stating: “In the first 11 months of 2024 alone, Türkiye attracted USD 9.6 billion in FDI. The country has received over USD 270 billion in total investments. Twenty years ago, Türkiye had around 5,000 international companies, whereas today, this number exceeds 80,000. These companies contribute significantly to employment, with nearly 9 percent of private sector jobs provided by international investors. Additionally, international companies account for approximately 30 percent of Türkiye's annual exports."
Dağlıoğlu also highlighted that the finance sector leads in FDI, followed by manufacturing, energy, and wholesale/retail trade. He noted that technology startups have gained significant share, particularly in the last five years. Pre-pandemic, Türkiye attracted around USD 100 million in early-stage tech investments, but now it is drawing billion-dollar deals, positioning itself as the nexus of technology.
Stressing the Turkish government's commitment to increasing technology investments, Dağlıoğlu noted that the Türkiye Wealth Fund started investing in early-stage technology funds, with more than USD 50 million allocated in 2024.
Additionally, Investment Office Vice President Bekir Polat participated in the panel discussion titled “New Investment Strategies in Türkiye's Technology Ecosystem." Polat touched on Türkiye's evolving approach to attracting global technology investments and fostering innovation.