The Turkish Informatics Foundation (TBV) was founded in 1995 to contribute to the development of the legal, technical and physical infrastructure required for Turkey’s full transition to an information-based society and to accelerate the transition process. Today, the foundation has 186 institutional and 251 individual members. Chaired by Mr. Faruk Eczacıbaşı, TBV is an independent and legal entity reporting only to its own Board of Directors. However, like all foundations in Turkey, it is also subject to the legal supervision of the General Directorate of Foundations. TBV has no political affiliation.
In addition to infrastructure development, TBV organizes economic and social activities that contribute to raising the share of information and communication technologies in Turkey’s economy. These include informing the public about local and global developments in these fields, organizing activities that increase digital literacy, and providing the infrastructure needed to ensure the secure and free movement and sharing of information. TBV also promotes the use of international quality standards and educational methodologies and tools and supports the establishment of technoparks to encourage R&D activities and university-industry cooperation.
TBV believes that the share of ICT in overall investments needs to reach the EU average and has put a great deal of effort into building bridges between Turkey and the EU. To this end, TBV collaborates with non-governmental organizations from the EU on policy development in order to ensure that Turkey and the EU pursue a common vision and strategy.
In recent years, TBV has established two platforms for promoting discussion and collaborative action on important issues: “Beginning Node” and “Blockchain Turkey”. Beginning Node (https://baslangicnoktasi.org/en/) is a collaborative platform for developing models aimed at solving problems and needs generated and spread globally by the internet. Beginning Node empowers individuals by creating encounters between people of different disciplines who share a vision and by connecting them to the tremendous potential of exponentially growing ideas. The platform’s main mission is to prepare young people for the rapidly-changing world by ensuring that they have the critical skills they need.
“Blockchain Turkey” (https://bctr.org/en/) is an independent, non-profit organization founded on TBV’s initiative that aims to create a healthy blockchain ecosystem in Turkey and, through this system, to secure Turkey’s leadership in its region.
In 2010, TBV and two other NGOs in the field of information and communication technologies established the “Digital Turkey Platform” following the launch of the “Digital Agenda for Europe” initiative. TBV has been in close contact with Digital Europe since March 2011 to implement the Agenda in Turkey.