Türkiye sets record in high-tech production and innovation

In pursuit of sustainable and value-added industrial production, Türkiye has broken an all-time record in high-tech manufacturing, driven by strategic investments in critical sectors and an expanding network of R&D, design, and technology development centers.

According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Technology, Türkiye reached record levels in tech product output during the first half of the year, aligning with its "Century of Türkiye" vision and National Technology Initiative. In June alone, high-tech manufacturing increased by 88.2%, marking the highest level ever recorded. The growth has been fueled by substantial investments in R&D, design, and technology zones.

As of July, 1,360 R&D centers are operational across 58 provinces, with Istanbul (432), Ankara (155), Kocaeli (140), Bursa (138), and İzmir (105) leading. These centers span 46 sectors, including automotive, energy, healthcare, banking, aviation, and cosmetics. Key areas of focus include machinery, automotive sub-industries, software, ICT, and electronics.

These centers employ 89,053 people, have completed around 75,000 projects, and are currently working on over 14,000 more. They have registered 16,335 patents, with 29,308 more in application. Foreign-partnered R&D firms now number 249.

TECH DEVELOPMENT ZONES NEAR 12,000 FIRMS

Türkiye has designated 110 Technology Development Zones (TDZs), with 91 currently active. Four more are expected to be announced by year-end. These zones now host 11,858 firms, employing 123,554 people.

The zones have generated 84,419 projects to date, with 2,180 registered patents and around 5,000 patent applications. They also host 515 foreign-partnered firms and 3,260 incubator startups. Total sales from the zones have reached 1 trillion Turkish lira, with exports totaling $14.6 billion. Additionally, over 600 utility models and nearly 500 industrial designs have been registered from TDZs.

DESIGN CENTERS REACH 339 ACROSS 29 CITIES

The number of active design centers has risen to 339, employing over 8,000 personnel and completing more than 15,000 projects. These centers have 342 registered patents, with 618 pending applications, and include 42 foreign-partnered firms.

Among the 32 sectors represented, the most active include textiles, engineering-architecture, manufacturing, automotive sub-industries, and media/communications.