What is SimBT? Simulation company from ODTÜ Technopolis

Quick answer: SimBT (Simülasyon Bilim ve Teknolojileri) is a Turkish simulation software company founded on 31 March 2009 at the Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) Technopolis in Ankara. It works in six product families: image generation, maritime simulators, augmented and virtual reality, command and control, medical informatics and land vehicle simulators. The virtual bridge simulator delivered to the Turkish Naval Forces Command and the TakBul system used by the Gendarmerie General Command and the General Directorate of Security are among the company’s publicly stated references.

What is SimBT and what does it do?

The company’s registered name is Simülasyon Bilim ve Teknolojileri Mühendislik Danışmanlık ve Ticaret Limited Şirketi. It defines itself through the principle of “designing and developing original science and technology based, 100 percent national and global products”. Its stated fields of activity are defence, aviation, space, education, health, energy and security.

The product range is grouped into six families:

Image generation: the SimRealize image generator together with development tools such as SimEdit, SimWorld, SimTerrain and GenMap
Maritime simulators: the MarSim family — bridge, tug, ARPA radar, ECDIS and GMDSS simulators
Augmented and virtual reality: the ARBAKO maintenance and repair software, the EDSİS occupational safety training system and the HoloTable interaction table
Command and control: the TakBul identity and licence plate recognition system and the HolAround situational awareness system
Land simulators: the ArSim driving simulator and the TSim train simulator
Medical informatics: ARTOMİ anatomy training, ArBrain, NEVSİM and TOTSİS

When and where was it founded?

According to the SAHA İstanbul cluster record, the company was founded on 31 March 2009 at the ODTÜ Technopolis. Its head office is on the ODTÜ Technopolis MET campus (Mustafa Kemal Mahallesi, Dumlupınar Bulvarı No: 280, Block E No: 1, Çankaya/Ankara). SimBT is one of the catalogue companies listed in the 2026 Product Catalogue of the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB). Its LinkedIn record shows around 48 employees; the company does not officially state a current headcount.

The corporate image presents the company’s fields of activity through air, land and naval platforms. Source: simbt.com.tr

Who does it work with?

According to the company’s own promotional material, more than 55 research and development projects have been carried out to date. Its publicly stated customer list includes the SSB, the Turkish Armed Forces, the Turkish Naval Forces Command, the Gendarmerie General Command, the General Directorate of Security, Aselsan, Havelsan, Roketsan, TUSAŞ, STM, Turkish State Railways (TCDD) and the Directorate General of Coastal Safety. Details of the corporate structure and the management team are covered in the Who owns SimBT? file.

Certificates and quality infrastructure

Item	Status	Source
CMMI maturity level	CMMI DEV/3	Official website
Facility security clearance	NATO Secret and National Secret	Official website
Software process standards	MIL-STD 498, MIL-STD 973	Official website
Quality management	ISO 9001:2015	SAHA İstanbul
Information security	ISO 27001:2013	SAHA İstanbul
Production permit	Production permit certificate and capacity report	Official website

The company also states that it runs product-oriented projects with universities; its academic link to the ODTÜ Modelling and Simulation (MODSİM) circle is visible in the background of its management team as well.

SimBT taking part in the Technopolis Defence Industry Clustering Project Market — The company attended the 3rd Technopolis Defence Industry Clustering Project Market in 2016. Source: SimBT

Headline references

According to the company’s official news pages, the SGD virtual bridge simulator was delivered to the Turkish Naval Forces Command at the end of 2020 and is used in personnel training. At the IDEF 2023 exhibition the company announced that an export agreement had been reached for a portable maritime simulator; the buyer country was not disclosed. At DIMDEX 2018 sales agreements were signed for TakBul. The details are set out in the references and exports file.

Diagram of the SimBT maritime simulator product family — The maritime product family diagram places vessel traffic services, tug, virtual reality bridge, emergency response and desktop simulators plus the instructor console around the bridge simulator. Source: simbt.com.tr

Frequently asked questions

Which sectors does SimBT work in?

Defence, aviation, space, education, health, energy and security. The weight of the portfolio sits in simulation, simulators and augmented and virtual reality applications.

Is SimBT a state company?

No. SimBT is a privately held limited company. Its shareholding structure is not shared publicly; not officially disclosed.

Which SimBT product is the best known?

In terms of publicly stated references the leading group is the MarSim maritime simulator family. The SimRealize image generator forms the underlying layer of the other simulators.

Is SimBT publicly listed?

No, the company is not traded on the stock exchange. There is no official statement about an initial public offering plan.

Where can the products be reviewed?

A summary of all product families is available in the SimBT product guide.

Sources and verification note

The information in this file was compiled from the sources below; undisclosed data has been marked “Not officially disclosed.” Manufacturer statements are reported together with their source. Accessed: August 12, 2026.