The "Overview of the Turkish Software Ecosystem" report, prepared in collaboration between Sistem Global Consultancy and the Turkish Software Industry Association (YASAD), evaluates the employment and export volume contributed by domestic and foreign software companies operating in Turkey, recent software trends, entrepreneurship and investor ecosystems, as well as their strengths and areas for development. Hosted by YASAD, the report was shared with representatives from the private sector and public institutions during the Software Industry and Globalization Summit held on June 14. It examines grant and incentive programs for the software sector, approaches to intellectual, industrial, and property rights, and the efforts of the public sector in the software realm.Assessing the development of the software sector based on the data presented in the report, Elif İşgör Önen, COO of Sistem Global Consultancy, states, "The software industry, constantly evolving and changing with innovations, affects companies from every sector. Considering that today's most valuable companies are software-based, it is important to closely monitor the potential, strengths, and areas for development of the software ecosystem in order to correctly design strategic steps for the future. We have prepared the Overview of the Turkish Software Ecosystem Report with this vision in mind. It is crucial for all stakeholders in the sector to understand the significance of companies operating in this ecosystem, which holds a significant market share worldwide, in terms of being a driving force for the digital transformation of our country's SMEs and the value they will bring through their export activities. As a consultancy firm that has been providing services to the R&D, technology, and value-added production ecosystem for many years, Sistem Global has a significant number of software companies among our customers. Over the years, we have witnessed and supported the maturity of our companies in milestones such as software competence, focus on R&D, and establishing a product-oriented mindset. It is gratifying to see that software companies are now embracing globalization and exports and starting to take significant steps in this field.""The software sector will grow by 10%."Elif İşgör Önen, providing information about the strong areas and improvements in the software sector, stated, "We anticipate that market revenues will increase by 10% over the next five years. In software, where the ratio of domestic products is high compared to other areas of information technology, we observe a trajectory in line with global trends. Particularly in areas such as gaming and e-commerce, our regional influence is rapidly rising. We observe that Istanbul stands out in the global entrepreneurship ecosystem, with an increase in the number and diversity of investment deals and amounts. Structures such as TEKMER, Technoparks, Accelerators, and Incubation Centers are increasing both in number and in their successful integration into the global ecosystem. These developments in the software sector contribute to the overall growth of Turkey's technology ecosystem. All these opportunities need to be recognized by sector stakeholders as driving forces for Turkey's SME development, digital transformation, and export growth. Software companies have the potential to accelerate Turkey's export growth.""Access to the right financing sources is crucial."Elif İşgör Önen emphasized factors contributing to the development of the software sector, stating, "For software companies to achieve sustainable growth, from the idea stage to going public, it is crucial for them to access the right financing sources at the right time. Therefore, we believe that there are two important catalysts for sectoral maturity in the software industry: companies' access to the right financing sources and the establishment of effective globalization strategies. As Sistem Global Consultancy, we support companies in their international presence through our offices in London, Berlin, Singapore, and Brussels, while also facilitating their growth through investment partnerships. It is unanimous among all sector stakeholders that we need to claim a larger share of the global export market. We believe that by leveraging our highlighted strengths in the report and utilizing tools such as competitiveness, investment partnerships, and investment inflows, we can achieve a rapid increase in the software sector's export rates."Gönül Kamalı, President of YASAD, stated, "With software exports becoming a target for all companies, the sector has made significant strides in expanding and accelerating the scope and capacity of our exports over the past year. The effect of opportunities such as major innovations in incentive systems, globalization programs in institutions, established platforms, the activation of venture capital organizations, and the expansion of the investor network has further supported the globalization potential of software companies. There are many companies originating from Turkey that compete in the international market while adding value to our country, and it is possible to increase the number of such companies."
