Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC) reached its 140th year with over 650 thousand members. ICOC commenced its activities for developing and globalising commerce and entrepreneurship in a small inn 140 years ago. Coaching its members for international competition and globalisation since 1882, ICOC has been making its mark on the projects for enhancing the quality in entrepreneurship and production and quantity, particularly in the last ten years. ICOC continues to guide the business realm like a beacon of commerce. In light of the know-how and expertise accumulated since 1882, ICOC develops the extent and content of the activities.

PARTICIPATION TO FAIRS

In 2022, the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce will continue to develop the entrepreneurial ecosystem is built. ICOC will support its members’ international activities to enhance their global competition capacity. Prioritising the fairs, product-development projects, local and international twinning programs, ICOC will carry out commercial diplomacy activities with the foreign commerce chambers and stand by its members by physically attending all international fairs in the post-pandemic normalisation process. ICOC included virtual fairs to the physical fair activities suspended due to the pandemic last year and maintained its presence in the international arena. The Chamber will carry out this mission by attending nearly 40 global fairs in its 140th establishment anniversary. In this way, ICOC will increase its activities towards its members’ access to new markets and promote new products.

SUPPORTING YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Among one of the actors to enhance the added value of the products with Teknopark Istanbul, ICOC will increase its support to new generation entrepreneurs in Türkiye with the Commercialization Center of Istanbul (BTM) it established in 2017. BTM enterprises achieved to receive investments worth US$ 1 billion since the establishment of the centre.

COMMERCIAL DIPLOMACY CONTINUES

ICOC will pursue its commercial diplomacy activities in its 140th year as well. To this end, the Chamber will organise bilateral negotiations, meetings and seminar programs with 15 target countries and 32 priority countries identified by the Ministry

of Commerce for 2022-2024. Moreover, to facilitate its members’ access to far markets, ICOC will carry out activities for cooperation agreements with the foreign chambers of commerce in the new year.

INTERNATIONAL TASKS

Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s (ASCAME) term presidency was assumed by the ICOC in 2007-2012. ICOC President Şekib Avdagiç is the present Vice President of the Danube Chambers of Commerce Federation (DCCF). ICOC will continue to participate in the activities of these organisations.