Following the great earthquake disaster occurred in 2023, some non-governmental organizations, foundation universities, private sector organizations and associations representing them started the formation of the Disaster and Emergency Technologies Initiative with a Search Conference held in March. On June 22, 2023, at the meeting hosted by TED University, the founding protocol of the "Disaster and Emergency Technologies Platform", the first step of the cluster, was signed.
AKUT Search and Rescue Association, Ankara Chamber of Industry 1st Organized Industrial Zone, Science Tree Foundation, Başkent University, Izmir University of Economics, Koç University, OSTİM Organized Industrial Zone, Sabancı University, TED University, Turkish Economic Policy Research Foundation are among the organizations signing the cooperation protocol.
Prof. Dr. İhsan Sabuncuoğlu, Rector of TED University, stated that he believes the Disaster and Emergency Technologies Platform will be an exemplary cluster model for both Turkey and the world, and added: "Today we are lighting a spark with a core team. We hope that this spark will grow further, turn into a big torch and set an example for Turkey and the world.