Turkish software developers demand trade center in Silicon Valley

Turkish software developers have placed their demands for a Turkish Trade Center in Silicon Valley, California, the home and heart and soul of computer and information technology.

Mehmet Büyükekşi, the chairman of the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TİM) told Anadolu Agency that Turkish Trade Centers have already been opened in Iran, Dubai and the U.S., but the official opening ceremonies will be held with Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci in attendance .

He said the Turkish Trade Centers, established by TİM, bring companies to trade centers in "sectoral clustering."

"The fees, required of companies to get their places in these trade centers are very reasonable. A company is able to exhibit its products at these trade centers for a year for a fee equivalent to participating in a fair," the chairman noted.

Büyükekşi stated that a minimum of 20 to 30 companies from each sector will have the opportunity to display their products and confirmed that four Turkish Trade Centers have already been opened in three countries. TİM wants to increase the number of these centers to 10, with London, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, China, and India also on the list.

He said that there are more than 200 companies in the four Turkish trade centers established in the three countries. That number may eventually go up to 500, with the introduction of planned trade centers.

"This is an estimated figure. We make calls to these centers, and based on the responses to the calls, we evaluate demand and make aggregations," he said.

Stressing that they do not aggregate if there is demand from a single company, Büyükekşi said, "However, we have experienced very beautiful examples in this regard from time to time."

According to the TİM chairman, there are software developers in Dubai who want them to open a Turkish Trade Center in Silicon Valley in California, U.S.

"First we want to see what software developers can do in Dubai, and we will do the evaluations based on this," he said.

"Software developers are very satisfied with Dubai. They can offer proposals for major projects not only in Dubai but also in other Gulf states," he added.

Büyükekşi further explained that they will have a different application at the Turkish Trade Center in New York. They will create several replica hotel rooms at the center and furnish them like a normal hotel room.

Here, furniture makers will be able to display furniture, home textile producers will display bedspreads, towels, and curtains while carpet producers will be able to lay carpets. American customers will be able to visit these rooms and contact all the companies involved.

These centers are aimed at providing an opportunity for Turkish medium-sized companies to check market demands before making bigger investments. The performances of companies included here will also be measured to see their exports before and after showcasing their products at these trade centers.