Today’s global competitive environment requires possessing high value-added products based on advanced technology and innovation. Influenced by the concept of Mobility the indispensable element of the rapidly spreading digitalization process a brand-new ecosystem has emerged in the automotive industry. What we can do while on the move has begun to change, and in parallel, different vehicle alternatives are developing.
In this direction, the global automotive agenda is now shaped by electric, connected, autonomous, and shared vehicles. This new system brings advancements such as reduced accidents and traffic congestion, lower energy demand and transportation costs, and the elimination of parking areas through multi-modal transport. In this system where Big Data has gained immense importance, it is predicted that by 2030, half of vehicle costs will consist of software and electronics.
As the Turkish automotive sector, we believe we must take a pioneering role in this system. The Turkish automotive industry, which realized a total of $41.5 billion in exports in 2025, currently ranks first in European commercial vehicle production. We expect our youth to be individuals who do not just follow these global developments but actively participate in and even lead them.
With this understanding, the event we launched under the name "R&D Project Market and Component Design Competition" has evolved into a platform that brings creative ideas into the industry to gain further strength in global competition. Moving into a different lane with a new approach since 2019, our event continues as "The Future of Automotive Design Competition." This year’s physical event will be held on October 21, 2026.
The Future of Automotive Design Competition, where innovative ideas, designs, and projects will be presented, holds great importance as a platform where a wide audience—including industry professionals, researchers, academics, students in related fields, and automotive enthusiasts aged 18 and over—can showcase their creative ideas.
In this competition, which encourages automotive enthusiasts to bring their dream designs to life, we expect participants to submit original, innovative, and commercializable projects that will increase the sector's ability to create value. After being deemed worthy of an award or exhibition by leading industry professionals, designers, and academics, these projects will have the opportunity to meet visitors throughout the event day.
The competition is organized to establish an R&D and design culture integrated with technology, increase value-added production and exports, train new designers, encourage commercializable projects, and strengthen university-industry cooperation. Project applications will continue until August 3, 2026.
This year, the top 5 winning projects in The Future of Automotive Design Competition will receive a total of 5 million TL in cash prizes and a Patent Application Award. The winner of the competition will be awarded 1 million 500 thousand TL, the second 1 million TL, the third 900 thousand TL, the fourth 850 thousand TL, and the fifth 750 thousand TL. In this context, we invite you all to join the synergy between automotive companies, technology firms, startups, angel investors, technoparks, universities, and end-users, all working toward the vision of making Turkey one of the leading countries creating the cars of the future.
What Have We Achieved So Far?
In the 14 successful years of this event, we have provided a total of 10,499,000 TL in cash prizes to project owners. Over the past 14 years, more than 6,000 projects have competed, and the number of participants has exceeded 14,000.
Among the finalists, 11 project owners deemed eligible for the Overseas Design Scholarship (within the scope of the Design Communiqué) earned the right to study in countries such as Italy, Australia, and the USA with the support of the Ministry of Trade.
As OİB, in addition to cash prizes, we have been collaborating with ITU ARI Teknokent for years to ensure that ideas and projects are industrialized, turned into production, and contribute to the sector as tangible outputs. Within the scope of these events to date, support has been provided to 530 automotive startups. These startups have received a total of over $54 million in investments, reached a turnover of $28 million, and provide employment for more than 2,100 people. In this context, we support the development of winning projects at the ITU Seed (İTÜ Çekirdek) Incubation Center. Through this collaboration, we have covered significant ground in developing projects and transferring them to the industry, and we will continue to do so.
In the ITU Seed Acceleration Program, award winners not only develop their projects but also receive comprehensive entrepreneurship training, meet with expert mentors in various fields, conduct investor meetings, use open office spaces, receive R&D support, hold sales meetings, and gain access to a vast network. Thanks to OİB, entrepreneurs also gain the privilege of benefiting from the experience and extensive network of the automotive industry.
The Big Bang Startup Challenge, which brings together entrepreneurs, investors, corporate firms, and technology enthusiasts—and where the best startups accepted into ITU Seed throughout the year compete—will be held in December 2026. This event rewards innovative startups that will shape Turkey’s automotive sector. Entrepreneurial groups that succeed and establish companies following the Big Bang continue to develop their skills and opportunities for a year with the momentum they have gained. As OİB, we also awarded a total of 3.4 Million TL to automotive entrepreneurs at the Big Bang event in November 2025. In conclusion, our cooperation with ITU Seed ensures the establishment of startup firms that produce innovative solutions by chasing rapidly advancing automotive technologies. It supports entrepreneurs on the path from idea to industry and makes the emergence of Turkey’s young industrialists possible.