In today’s global competitive environment, having high-value-added products based on advanced technology and innovation is essential. With the rapid expansion of digitalization, the concept of mobility has become indispensable, leading to the emergence of an entirely new ecosystem in the automotive industry. The activities we can perform while in motion are changing, and new vehicle alternatives are developing in parallel with these changes.
As a result, the global automotive industry is now focused on electric, interconnected, autonomous, and shared vehicles. This new system brings developments such as a reduction in accidents and traffic congestion, decreased energy demand and transportation costs, and the elimination of parking spaces through multi-modal transportation. In this data-driven system, it is projected that by 2030, half of the costs in the industry will be attributed to software and electronics.
As the Turkish automotive sector, we believe that we must take a leading role in this transformation. With 18 export championships over the past 19 years and a record-breaking export value of $37.2 billion in 2024, we believe the Turkish automotive industry should secure its place at the top of the global stage. Furthermore, we expect young people to not only follow these global developments but also be actively involved and lead the way.
With this perspective, as the sole coordinating export association of the Turkish automotive industry, we are committed to pioneering initiatives that will not only position Turkey as a manufacturing hub but also as a center for R&D, innovation, and design.
Our event, launched under the name "Turkey Automotive Industry R&D Project Market and Component Design Competition," has evolved into a platform that integrates creative ideas into the industry to enhance global competitiveness. Since 2019, this event has taken a new direction under the name "Automotive Future Design Competition." This year, it will once again be held as the "Automotive Future Design Competition" on October 23, 2025, as a physical event.
The "Automotive Future Design Competition" provides a platform for professionals, researchers, academics, students in relevant fields, and automotive enthusiasts over the age of 18 to showcase their innovative ideas, designs, and projects. This competition holds great significance as it enables a broad audience to present their creative visions.
Encouraging automotive enthusiasts to bring their dream designs to life, we expect participants to submit unique, innovative, and commercially viable projects that will enhance the industry’s value-creation capabilities. Projects deemed worthy of awards or exhibitions by a panel of leading industry professionals, designers, and academics will have the opportunity to be showcased to visitors throughout the event.
The competition is designed to foster an R&D and design culture integrated with technology, increase value-added production and exports through new technologies, nurture new designers, encourage commercializable projects, and strengthen university-industry collaboration in Turkey. Project applications for the competition will be accepted until August 4, 2025.
This year, the top five winning projects in the Automotive Future Design Competition will receive a total cash prize of 3.6 million TL, along with patent registration awards. The competition winner will receive 1 million TL, the second-place winner 800,000 TL, the third-place winner 650,000 TL, the fourth-place winner 600,000 TL, and the fifth-place winner 550,000 TL.
In this context, we invite automotive companies, technology firms, startups, angel investors, technoparks, universities, and end-users to be part of the synergy that will position Turkey among the pioneering nations creating the cars of the future.
What Have We Achieved So Far?
Having successfully completed 13 years, our event has awarded a total of 6,899,000 TL in cash prizes to project owners. Over the past 13 years, more than 5,000 projects have competed, and the event has reached over 14,000 participants.
Among the finalists, 11 project owners have been awarded International Design Scholarships under the Design Notice Program with the support of the Ministry of Trade, allowing them to pursue education in countries such as Italy, Australia, and the United States.
In addition to providing cash prizes, as OİB (Uludağ Automotive Industry Exporters’ Association), we have been collaborating with İTÜ ARI Teknokent for years to ensure that ideas and projects transition into industrial production and contribute to the sector as tangible outputs. Through these initiatives, we have supported over 450 automotive startups, which have collectively received investments exceeding 718 million TL, reached a total revenue of 391 million TL, and provided employment for more than 1,800 people. Within this framework, we continue to support award-winning projects in the İTÜ Çekirdek Incubation Center, helping them develop and integrate into the industry.
Through the İTÜ Çekirdek Incubation Program, award winners not only develop their projects but also receive comprehensive entrepreneurship training, consult with expert mentors in different fields, engage in investor meetings, access office spaces, receive R&D support, conduct sales negotiations, and connect with an extensive network. Thanks to OİB, entrepreneurs also gain the privilege of benefiting from the expertise and broad network of the automotive industry.
We also recognize innovative automotive startups at the Big Bang Startup Challenge, a major event that brings together entrepreneurs, investors, corporate firms, and technology enthusiasts, showcasing the best startups accepted into İTÜ Çekirdek throughout the year. In December 2024, OİB awarded a total of 2 million TL to automotive entrepreneurs at this event.
As a result, our collaboration with İTÜ Çekirdek fosters the establishment of startup companies that constantly innovate and pursue rapidly advancing automotive technologies. By supporting entrepreneurs on their journey from project and idea to industry, we contribute to the formation of Turkey’s next generation of industrial pioneers.