Turkey's automotive industry awards exporters and launches a new innovation fund

At the Export Champions Awards organized by the Uludağ Automotive Exporters Association (OİB), Ford Motor Company was named the 2024 export champion. The ceremony, attended by Trade Minister Ömer Bolat and OİB officials, highlighted the sector’s contribution of $41.5 billion in exports for 2025, representing 15.2% of Turkey’s total export volume and supporting over 550,000 jobs.

The association also announced the OİB Venture Mobility Innovation Fund, seeded with 75 million TL (about $4 million) and targeting a $25 million fund size within five years to back automotive‑tech startups. Separately, OİB data showed that in the January‑June period, Turkish passenger‑car exports reached 82 countries, totaling $5.0 billion, a 5% decline from the same period last year. France was the top market with $1.13 billion, followed by Spain and Italy.