Skip to content
News from Turkey

Türkiye to Build $4.5 Billion Biotechnology Valley in Istanbul

Biotech_Valley_Under_3MB

Türkiye is preparing to make one of its most ambitious moves in science and technology with the creation of a $4.5 billion Biotechnology Valley in Istanbul’s Tuzla district. The announcement was made by Ercan Varlıbaş, president of the Biotechnology Industrialists’ Association (BIYOSAD), during a press conference unveiling the project’s full scope.

A Global-Scale Biotechnology Ecosystem

Spanning 2.7 million square meters, the Biotechnology Valley is designed to be one of the world’s leading hubs for biotech innovation. It will integrate:

  • Biotechnology Specialized Organized Industrial Zone (BİOSB)

  • R&D centers

  • A technology transfer office

  • Testing and calibration laboratories

  • Patent support infrastructure

  • Education institutions (including a vocational school and a high school dedicated to biotechnology)

Strategic Goals & Economic Impact

According to Varlıbaş:

  • The valley aims to be the largest biotechnology cluster in Europe and Asia.

  • It will host 160 companies and create 20,000 jobs.

  • It is expected to generate $15 billion in annual exports and drastically reduce biotech imports by enabling domestic production of high-value goods.

  • It aims to elevate Türkiye’s global biotech ranking from 48th to within the top 10.

“Our goal is to align Türkiye’s biotechnology capacity with its overall economic strength,” said Varlıbaş, noting the disparity between Türkiye’s 20th global GDP rank and 48th in biotech.

Startups & Industry Collaboration

The Biotechnology Valley will offer comprehensive incubation and support systems for startups, including:

  • Access to shared labs and testing infrastructure

  • Collaboration opportunities with established biotech entrepreneurs

  • Direct links to academic institutions and international biotech ecosystems

The project also involves strategic cooperation with the Industry and Technology Ministry and the Health Ministry, alongside international talks in South Korea, Boston, and Taiwan.

Growth in Türkiye’s Biotech Sector

Recent figures from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) highlight the sector’s momentum:

  • Number of biotech enterprises rose from 499 in 2020 to 687 in 2023

  • Biotech R&D spending surged from ₺446 million in 2020 to ₺2.49 billion in 2023

Related articles