The Technical Assistance for Support for the Digital Transformation of Manufacturing Industry in Türkiye Project (DIGITAL Türkiye) is co-financed by the European Union and the Republic of Türkiye under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA).
The project aims to support the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry in Türkiye by strengthening capacities, enhancing the adoption of digital technologies, and improving the competitiveness of companies.
Within this scope, this Open Call for Applications invites eligible companies to benefit from the services provided under the project to accelerate their digital transformation processes.
Description of the Project
The Project is implemented under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III) 2021–2027, within the thematic window “Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth” and is co-financed by the European Union and the Republic of Türkiye in accordance with the relevant Financing Agreement and Action Document governing the respective Annual Action Programme. It is implemented under the coordination of the Ministry of Industry and Technology and aims to support the digital transformation of Türkiye’s manufacturing industry through strengthened policy frameworks, enhanced institutional coordination, and improved enterprise-level capacities.
The Project is structured around two main components. The first component (Policy and Strategy) focuses on supporting policy development, strategy formulation, and governance mechanisms related to the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry. The second component (Pilot Implementation) concentrates on the pilot implementation and testing of selected digital transformation approaches, with the aim of assessing their applicability, generating practical insights, and informing future policy development and potential scaling.
It is designed to address the structural challenges faced by Turkish manufacturing enterprises, including low digital maturity levels, limited adoption of both first- and second-generation digital technologies, insufficient interaction between technology users and providers, and gaps in governance, policy dialogue, and access to tailored financial instruments. In this respect, the ToR emphasizes the need for an integrated and demand-driven approach that combines analytical work, capacity building, pilot implementations, stakeholder engagement, and policy support.
A key element of the ToR is the utilization and operational strengthening of existing digital innovation infrastructures established under previous CSP interventions, including METU-DTX (Middle East Technical University Digital Transformation and Innovation Center) primarily focusing on the automotive and machinery sectors; İHKİB Digital Transformation Center (DDM) primarily serving the textiles and apparel industry; OzUBEX (Digital Transformation of SMEs in Turkey through the Establishment of an Industry 4.0 Competence Center) primarily targeting white goods suppliers and manufacturing SMEs; and AnkaTheraHub (Ankara Innovative Theranostics Development Center) primarily concentrating on healthcare and medical technologies while these centers have sectoral priorities reflecting their original design and expertise areas, their service models, technological infrastructure, and capacity-building functions are not limited to these sectors and may be extended to other manufacturing domains and cross-sectoral applications where relevant and appropriate.
Overall, this project provides a structured and coordinated approach to addressing digital transformation needs, while enabling effective use of existing capacities and alignment with relevant EU digital policy objectives. Objective of the Call
The objective of this call is to support companies in the digital transformation and to reduce the costs of enterprises, increase their productivity, and ensure their compliance with global standards such as the EU Green Deal.
Added Value for Technology Users / Factories
Manufacturing enterprises seeking to advance their digital transformation, particularly SMEs, will benefit from a comprehensive support mechanism designed to strengthen competitiveness, efficiency, and technological readiness.
Key opportunities and benefits include:
- Digital Maturity Assessment and Roadmapping
Enterprises will be able to assess their current level of digitalisation and identify priority areas for improvement through structured digital maturity analyses and tailored transformation roadmaps.
- Expert Advisory Support
Participating companies will gain access to specialised consultancy services on topics such as digital investment planning, technology adoption, cybersecurity, operational efficiency, and strategic transformation processes.
- Pre-Investment Technology Testing and Validation
Before making investment decisions, enterprises will have the opportunity to test and validate new technologies within the facilities of the Digital Innovation Centres, including İHKİB DDM, OzUBEX, and METU-DTX. This approach helps reduce investment risks, supports informed decision-making, and increases confidence in technology adoption processes.
Added Value for Technology Providers / Technology Companies
Technology providers, software developers, and R&D companies offering digital solutions for the manufacturing industry will benefit from increased visibility, collaboration opportunities, and direct engagement with industrial stakeholders.
Key opportunities and benefits include:
- Solution Testing and Validation in Real Industrial Environments
Technology providers will have the opportunity to test and demonstrate their digital solutions within real manufacturing environments, enabling them to validate performance, improve reliability, and strengthen market credibility.
- Access to New Customers and Business Opportunities
Through dedicated matchmaking and networking activities, at least 100 technology providers will be connected with potential industrial clients, creating opportunities for collaboration, pilot implementations, and long-term commercial partnerships.
- Strengthened Industry Collaboration and Innovation Ecosystem
The programme will facilitate closer cooperation between technology developers, manufacturers, and digital innovation actors, supporting the development of practical, industry-oriented digital transformation solutions
Therefore companies have the opportunity to apply for the following services:
Scope of Services
Selected companies will receive support in the following areas:
| Service | Digital Maturity Assessment |
| Description | The service will serve to determine the enterprise’s current digital maturity level and define the following steps for the company to achieve a higher level of maturity. The assessment is also expected to determine the assessed enterprise’s need for other services under the project (i.e. training, consultancy, testing & verification, use-case development).
The service provider will be expected to apply its digital maturity assessment tool. The assessment will at least yield details and following steps on: · Business Strategy (Level of digital investments and readiness/willingness for investment) · Digital Readiness (Use of digital solutions and advance digital technologies) · Human Resources (Up-skilling, staff engagement etc.) · Data Management (Aggregation, storage, integration analytics, security etc. · Automation · Green Transition Environmental sustainability of the business |
| Service | Consultancy |
| Description | The consultancy services will guide technology users and providers via following means:
• Based on the results of their maturity assessments, the benefits for the technology user enterprises, will be a more successful digital transformation, enhancing operational efficiency and sustainability, innovation capacity and technology utilization. • The technology providers will benefit these services through their digital technology solution development and delivery to the market enhancing their capacity on the feasibility, possible applications and market potential of their solutions. These services are required to address enterprise’s consultancy needs on strategy development and planning, technology investment and implementation, solution/product development, product/process optimization, change management including staff upskilling, intellectual property rights, environmental sustainability, access to finance etc. The indicative, long list of consultancy topics are: · Digital technology investment strategy development · Selection and investment feasibility of digital technology solutions · Digital solution/product feasibility · Development, integration, deployment, implementation and optimization of the digital technology solutions (addressing cybersecurity) · Capacity development of the company staff to develop, use and manage the solutions · Sustainability reporting utilizing digital tools · Support on access to financing mechanisms |
| Service | Testing & Verification |
| Description | The aim of the testing and verification services is to identify potential issues with digital technology solutions, refine them, and increase their effectiveness. These services will serve both technology users and providers.
Technology users will benefit these services where they need to test a technology solution before investment or optimize the technologies they already possess. For technology users, this service will be complementary to consultancy services and cover the technical testing of the solutions. On the other hand, technology providers will have the chance to have the capabilities and feasibility of their digital technology solutions tested, verified and optimized in a realistic industrial setting before offering them to the market. The service provider will offer their existing infrastructure and capacity for setting up the test environment, configuration, execution of the tests, data collection and analysis of the data, and benchmarking. The service receiving firm’s own infrastructure and capacity may be incorporated where needed. |
| Service | Joint Technology Solution Development | |
| Description | These services will serve to solve an enterprise’s specific problem or achieve their particular goal utilizing enabling digital technologies. The services will serve both technology users and providers.
Based on the results of the maturity assessments, customized use-cases will be jointly developed and applied with the technology users. The benefits for the technology users will be improved operational efficiency, enhanced prediction, cost reduction (including energy efficiency), improved and data driven decision making, increased flexibility and agility, enhanced quality control, supply chain optimization, sustainability etc. |
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| Technology providers will also be able to apply to jointly develop such solutions with the service provider.
The service provider will provide their infrastructure and capacity for: · Technical consultation and determine the technical feasibility, · Research application design and prototype development, · System integration, · Data collection and analysis, · Testing and validation of the solution etc. The service receiving firm’s own infrastructure and capacity may be incorporated where needed. |
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be a legally registered company operating in Türkiye
- Operate in the manufacturing industry especially machinery, automotive and suppliers, Machinery, Electrical & Electronics, White Good, Chemicals & Plastics, Textiles & Apparel, Medical Technology
- Be willing to engage in digital transformation processes and related project activities
- Demonstrate commitment to actively participate in the services provided under the project (e.g. assessments, trainings, workshops, and other support activities)
- Assign relevant staff to ensure effective participation throughout the implementation of project activities
The company must provide relevant data and information to support the evaluation of the Project activities, outputs, and results, including the impact of the services delivered under the Project.
Selection Criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on:
- Relevance of the company’s sector and activities
- Motivation and commitment to digital transformation
- Potential impact of the support on company performance
- Availability of internal resources to engage in the process
- Service-related nucriteria shown in the application form
Application Process
Interested companies are invited to apply by:
- Filling out the application form (provided separately)
- Submitting required company information and contact details
- (If applicable) Participating in preliminary assessment activities
Applications must be submitted via:
Timeline
- Launch of the Call: [Date]
- Deadline for Applications: [Date]
- Evaluation Period: [Date]
- Notification of Selected Companies: [Date]
- Start of Services: [Date]
Benefits of Participation
Selected companies will benefit from:
- Free-of-charge expert support under an EU-funded project
- Access to digital transformation know-how and tools
- Increased competitiveness and innovation capacity
- Improved operational efficiency and productivity
- Stronger integration into digital value chains
Contact Information
For further information, please contact:
📧 info@digitaltr.com
🌐 https://linktr.ee/digitaltrproject