Türkiye targets increasing the volume of software exports to $7 billion in 2028, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat said on Saturday in his address at an event in Istanbul.
Addressing the Innovation Champions Awards Ceremony, part of the 11th Türkiye Innovation Week (TIW) supported by the Ministry of Trade and hosted by the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), Bolat emphasized the significance of innovation and technological transformation for production and export targets.
The awards ceremony also featured the attendance of other top officials including Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, and other key government officials.
In his speech, Bolat emphasized that such organizations showcase Türkiye's entrepreneurial spirit and innovative capacity, contributing to the country's technological and intellectual development in line with the "Century of Türkiye" vision.
Bolat highlighted that the world is undergoing an unprecedented innovative era, with companies experiencing transformations through technologies like AI, quantum and biotechnology. He also reiterated Türkiye's commitment to enhancing its innovation ecosystem.
"Our goal is to make Türkiye a hub for startups and innovative firms that produce advanced technologies, both regionally and globally," he said.
The minister pointed out that Türkiye has increased its goods and services exports by 7.5 times over the past 22 years, with annualized goods exports reaching $261.6 billion and services exports hitting $111.1 billion as of September.
On the subject of high and medium technology exports, Bolat stated that Türkiye is approaching the figure of $100 billion, having doubled from 2012, and that the share of such products in total exports was around 40% last year, with a goal to increase it to 50% by 2028.
He recalled that software exports were at $3.5 billion last year and said, "Our target for 2028 is $7 billion."
Bolat remarked that Türkiye is now a significant player in the technology sector, manufacturing a variety of high-value products, including its own warships and drones.
He also noted that, according to the 2024 Global Innovation Index by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization), Türkiye ranks 37th among 133 countries, placing it among the top 50 most innovative countries.
Pointing out the importance of carrying Türkiye's achievements even further, he stressed the priorities of addressing the current economic vulnerabilities, improving the investment environment and enhancing technological transformation that will ensure unit price increase in exports.