In this interview with Muhammed Özhan, CEO at Türk Telekom Ventures, he talks about his vision of Alaian and other aspects of the alliance.

What does Alaian mean to you?

Alaian represents a significant opportunity for our company to engage with global telecommunications players, drive industry transformation through open innovation, and leverage new technologies and initiatives to stay competitive and innovative.

How would you define Alaian in one word?

Collaboration.

What does your telco contribute to the overall alliance?

At Türk Telekom, we were among the first organizations to recognize and embrace the value of entrepreneurship, aligning with global trends. For 10 years, we have supported new technologies and the startups that develop them. This support evolved into a more comprehensive dimension with the establishment of Türk Telekom Ventures in 2018.

Türk Telekom contributes significantly to the overall alliance through its venture capital investment fund “TT Ventures GSYF” and accelerator program “Türk Telekom Ventures PİLOT”. By investing in and partnering with start-ups in various fields such as education, health, energy, artificial intelligence, fintech, and digital products, we bring a wealth of innovative solutions to the table. Additionally, our TT Ventures Venture Capital Investment Fund supports global growth potential startups, attracting both domestic and international investors, and providing strategic support alongside financial returns. Furthermore, our PİLOT program, Türkiye’s first corporate start-up accelerator, nurtures technology start-ups with mentorship, training, and investment opportunities, fostering a collaborative environment for innovation. Our company contributes by sharing best practices, participating in joint efforts, identifying and supporting innovative startups, and investing in promising start-ups. We also facilitate knowledge and experience sharing through our industry experts and collaborate on joint investments with other member companies.

Highlight a key telco technology for you today

5G technology is a key focus for us today, as it enables faster, more reliable connections and opens up new possibilities for innovation across various sectors. Turk Telekom not only looks for innovative value-added services exploiting 5G technology for its customers but also develops innovative solutions for 5G technology to enable it throughout the World. Aiming to provide stable synchronization service independent of GPS/GNSS to all mobile operators in the world for 5G, Turk Telekom’s patented solution’s standardization process in ITU-T has just started.

We lead Türkiye’s digitalization process with a comprehensive roadmap covering all aspects of life, from infrastructure to superstructure. In this context, we aim to contribute to Türkiye’s advancement by investing in technology, both independently and through our group companies, leveraging the strength derived from our advanced technology capabilities. We are a company actively involved in shaping the roadmap of 5G through our work on 5G and the pioneering achievements we have accomplished. We are driving digital transformation in various industries and preparing them for the 5G era through initiatives such as Türkiye’s first private industrial mobile network, smart factory projects aimed at enhancing efficiency, and industrial 5G trials.

We will continue to lead this process through the development of innovative products and partnerships in the field of 5G and next-generation communication technologies. Within the framework of 6G, Turk Telekom invests in Technologies related to end-to-end AI enabled networks, ultrahigh reliable and performance networks as well as energy aware sustainable networks. Turk Telekom is also involved in the standardization bodies such as in ETSI, 3GPPP and ITU-T, to shape the emerging Technologies under 6G with the global companies.

Investing in generative AI tools can unlock new revenue streams by enabling innovative AI-driven services. One of the most promising advancements in the sector is conversational AI, which can significantly enhance customer service, and boost user engagement. Deploying conversational AI, along with continuously training AI models using real-world data to improve their accuracy and expand their capabilities, can also integrate with advanced analytics to predict customer needs and deliver proactive support.

As Türk Telekom, we have not only undertaken AI projects independently but have also collaborated with partners to drive innovation in this field. At Türk Telekom, we have a robust portfolio of AI projects, both independently developed and in collaboration with our partners.

As AI continues to advance at an unprecedented pace, protecting our data has never been more critical. We’re leveraging generative AI to raise awareness of AI in data security.

Generative AI is a powerful tool with the potential to revolutionize recruitment processes. This technology enables HR departments to conduct more efficient, fair, and comprehensive candidate assessments. We aim to leverage generative AI in our recruitment processes to support our HR teams.

We aim to accelerate manual processes and enhance customer satisfaction by utilizing intelligent robots equipped with WiFi-5G integration and powered by conversational AI.

Although still in its early stages, investing in quantum computing research and partnerships is essential. Early adoption and experimentation in this area could lead to groundbreaking innovations that provide a competitive edge. Forming strategic alliances with tech firms specializing in quantum computing will be crucial for staying ahead in this rapidly evolving field.

Additionally, we are developing and implementing projects focused on blockchain and metaverse technologies.

Why is it so important to innovate, and what role does innovation plays in your company?

In our company, innovation is at the core of our strategy, enabling us to develop cutting-edge solutions and maintain our competitive edge. Innovation is crucial for staying competitive in the fast-paced telecommunications sector. For Türk Telekom, innovation drives growth, enhances customer experiences, and opens new revenue streams. Through our dedicated start-up arms like TT Ventures GSYF and PİLOT accelerator program, we invest in cutting-edge and potential technology start-ups, and support start-ups that align with our strategic vision. This commitment to innovation ensures that we remain at the forefront of technological advancements and can continually offer new and improved services to our customers.

What does an alliance like this offer the entrepreneurial ecosystem? 

An alliance like Alaian offers the entrepreneurial ecosystem unparalleled access to a global network of industry leaders, resources, and expertise. It provides a platform for start-ups to showcase their solutions, collaborate with the established network telco companies, and gain visibility in global markets. This ecosystem fosters innovation and accelerates the growth of new technologies. Through this alliance both our PİLOT and TT Ventures GSYF, and also global startup network may receive mentorship, collaboration opportunities with the leading telcos, and maybe investment opportunities, helping them scale their start-ups and achieve significant growth via global market reach. This ecosystem fosters a collaborative environment where new technologies can thrive and make a substantial impact on the telco industry.

What would you say to startups who want to be part of the alliance? 

All startups use innovative technologies to offer solutions that touch everyone’s lives in different ways. They contribute to societies and the world. We find this community that supports these initiatives very valuable. We encourage the cutting age and promising technology start-ups to join Alaian and take advantage of the unique opportunities it offers. By becoming part of the alliance, they can gain access to valuable resources, industry insights, and potential partnerships that can help to scale their innovations and make a significant impact in the telecommunications sector. Our TT Ventures and the PİLOT accelerator program startup network will also benefit from partnership and maybe investment opportunities in the global market. Join to collaborate, innovate, and transform the future of telecommunications.