Trabzon holds ceremony to launch and sign industry and technology projects

Minister of Industry and Technology Kacır said the number of organized industrial zones in Trabzon had risen from three to five, paving the way for 85 billion liras in investment. Kacır attended a ceremony in the city to launch and sign projects focused on technology, entrepreneurship, rural development and production.

Minister of Industry and Technology Kacır made statements on investments in Trabzon and across Türkiye at the Industry and Technology Projects Launch and Signing Ceremony held at the Hamamizade İhsanbey Cultural Center.

Kacır said the manufacturing industry's added value had increased from $41 billion to more than $250 billion over the past 23 years, while exports had risen from $36 billion to $278 billion. He said Türkiye had been brought to first place in Europe in the production of commercial vehicles, household appliances, solar panels and steel, adding that domestic technology production had been developed in the fields of defense industry, space, mobility and artificial intelligence.

Organized industrial zones expanded in Trabzon

Kacır said the number of organized industrial zones in Trabzon had increased from three to five over the past 23 years, while their total area had grown from 100 hectares to 422 hectares. He said an additional 4,865 jobs had been created in the organized industrial zones.

Kacır said small and medium-sized enterprises in Trabzon had received 3.2 billion liras in support through KOSGEB to date. He said investments worth 85 billion liras and more than 13,000 jobs had been enabled in the city, adding that the financing support for loans to be used for the investments had been increased to 30 million liras.

Kacır said tax reductions were provided through an investment contribution rate of up to 30 percent, depending on the nature of the investment, and that VAT exemptions and customs duty exemptions were applied to investment machinery. He said nine investment projects worth a total of 3.8 billion liras had been supported in the first call under the Local Development Initiative Incentive Program in the fields of electric boat and yacht production, industrial nets and similar products, and integrated aquaculture production and processing facilities.

Protocols signed for the projects

Kacır said 25 project applications with a total investment value of 6.9 billion liras had been received under the Local Development Initiative. He said 802 million liras had been provided through the Eastern Black Sea Development Agency for 444 projects carried out in Trabzon, while 2 billion liras had been provided through the DOKAP Regional Development Administration for 114 projects.

Kacır said six projects carried out with this support had been officially launched. Protocols were also signed for 12 projects with a total investment value exceeding 228 million liras in the fields of agricultural production, rural development, livestock, road construction, fishing and restoration.

As part of the ceremony, DOKAP Regional Development Administration President Hakan Gültekin and DOKA Secretary-General Kemal Akpınar signed protocols with the project stakeholders. Minister Kacır, Trabzon Governor Tahir Şahin, Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Metin Genç and other participants visited the projects that were launched.

Technology and entrepreneurship centers for young people

Kacır said the Özdemir Bayraktar Science Center and Planetarium had been established in the city through cooperation between Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality, TÜBİTAK, the Eastern Black Sea Development Agency and the Turkish Technology Team Foundation.

Kacır said the National Technology Workshop, established at Karadeniz Technical University with 30 million liras in support from TÜBİTAK, had also been opened. He said the center would provide young people with infrastructure in design, production, artificial intelligence and robotic systems, adding that students would be able to turn their theoretical knowledge into practice and develop innovative projects.

Kacır said the KTÜ VakıfBank Entrepreneurship House would support entrepreneurs in project development, mentoring, intellectual property, financing, business model creation and meetings with investors. He added that the prototyping infrastructure at the National Technology Workshop would accelerate the process of turning ideas into products.

TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Orhan Aydın said they supported the public sector, private sector and entrepreneurs. Aydın said research centers and institutes were working on critical technologies needed by the country, adding that the aim was to expand access to science throughout society through science centers and Deneyap Workshops.

Aydın said these centers equipped young people with problem-solving, analytical thinking and project management skills. Following the speeches, Minister Kacır visited the National Technology Workshop and Entrepreneurship House on the KTÜ campus and met with students developing technology projects.