President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced plans to establish a superconducting chip production facility during the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA) and Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) Science Awards Ceremony in Ankara on December 18, 2024. According to Anadolu Agency, Erdogan described the initiative as a step toward producing high-performance processors for next-generation quantum computers.
“Türkiye’s goal is to join the ranks of the 15 nations at the forefront of quantum computing,” Erdogan said, as reported by Türkiye Today. He added that the forthcoming facility would “pave the way for developing higher-capacity quantum computers.” The announcement came less than a month after the unveiling of Turkey’s first 5-qubit quantum computer, QuanT, at TOBB ETU.
At the QuanT launch ceremony in November, SSB head Haluk Görgün and TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu had indicated that ASELSAN and TOBB ETU would establish the superconducting chip facility with SSB support. Erdogan’s December 18 remarks elevated the project to a presidential-level commitment. He also called on academic institutions, researchers, and private enterprises to collaborate on quantum technology development.