BEYSAD prepared a 10-Million-Euro project named “Digital Transformation of SMEs in Turkey through Establishment of the Industry 4.0. Competence Center” for the ACTIVITY 1.1 MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES call of the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology Competitive Sectors Program (IPA-II) on 06.04.2017-05.07.2017. We shared with you before that we made our official application with the project cooperation with Ozyegin University and TUSIAD, successfully passed the evaluation process and made it to the top 9 projects.

As a part of this Project, our country and sector will have a Competence Center as the ones in the USA and EU with a technical infrastructure and personnel that can support our members with pilot projects, consultancy, training and R&D projects in their Industry 4.0 transformation. With the foundation of the Competence Center, the sub-sectors of the white goods sector including electronics, chemistry, glass, and plastics etc. will have great benefits, member companies will be given technical consultancy services in the Center, infrastructure will be sourced for trying pilot projects, a training infrastructure will be created and courses and certificate programs will be opened to raise qualified human resources for the sector, and advanced researches will be conducted with the academic cadre of universities.

The Competitive Sectors Program application new period first calls to continue by the end of 2026 were carried out under the titles of production industry, research and development and technology transfer and commercialization. In the call that had a budget of 112.8 million Euros and that was opened in April 2017, the institutions that have a project which successfully passed the evaluation process signed protocols in a ceremony in the charge of the Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Mr. Dr. FarukOzlu and the European Union Turkey Delegation Ambassador Mr. Christian Berger on January 23, 2018.

BEYSAD participated on the first day as a project owner. Board Members Mr. Hasan OkyarBayraktar and Mr. SayatCakir represented the Association and signed the protocol on behalf of BEYSAD, thus enabling our project to take the next step forward.  

ErincAlbey from Ozyegin University and HazalInce from TUSIAD, our shareholders, were also present in the ceremony.

Minister Ozlu Attended to the Competitive Sectors Program Signature Ceremony
Minister Ozlu reminded that the Competitive Sectors Program had been conducted since 2007 as a part of the Turkey and European Union (EU) financial cooperation and stated that the program aimed to improve the competitive power of SMEs and to achieve overall development.

Mr. Minister indicated that in the 1st Term of the Competitive Sectors Program that spanned 2007-2013, licensed storages, shared facilities, laboratories, R&D Centers, tourism infrastructure projects for SMEs and startups were brought into action and underlined that the major common point of our projects with the EU was focusing on increasing the competitive power of our businesses and SMEs.

"Our effort is on supporting the competitive industry model with technological investments, as with the signature ceremony today," said Minister Ozlu and added that Turkey put advanced technology at the center of growth and development and called 2018 the year of breakthrough in science, technology and industry.

"The Program is significant in raising Turkey among the top 10 economies of the world."
European Union Turkey Delegation Ambassador Mr. Christian Berger stated that the Competitive Sectors Program was significant in terms of EU-Turkey relations and for raising Turkey among the top 10 economies of the world. Berger highlighted that it was critically important that SMEs, the backbone of the Turkish economy, need to grow as a part of this program and become globally competitive.

"The project took off with the 23 institutions that passed the evaluation."
European Union and Foreign Affairs General Manager Dr. OguzHamsioglu reported that a total of 178 application were received to the project proposal calls under the titles “Production Industry,” “Research and Development,” and “Technology Transfer and Commercialization” as a part of the Competitive Sectors Program from April 6, 2017 to July 6, 2017 and the 150 proposals that passed to the technical evaluation stage were assessed by independent evaluators who are experts in their fields. After the technical evaluation, one-on-one meetings and field visits were conducted and the final list emerged. Mr. Hamsioglu also said that the project took off with the 23 institutions that were found successful.

EU Turkey Delegation Undersecretary François Begeot regarding Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance, 1st Term (IPA-I) indicated that none of the funds as a part of this Program was sent back to Brussels in 2017 and congratulated the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology for its efforts. Addressing to the new term potential beneficiaries, he said that "If you are well prepared for the projects, you will have a good application period. It is critical that you own your project."

After the speeches, a protocol was signed with the representatives of the 23 projects with a budget of 113 million Euros that successfully passed the evaluations that were conducted as a result of the 2nd Term call of the Competitive Sectors Program. The project owners include universities, development agencies, technopolises, organized industrial zones, unions, chambers and associations.