GITEX AI Türkiye 2026 will bring together 100-plus investors from 20 nations, managing US$50 billion in assets, to meet Türkiye’s technopark-incubated startups.
Ahead of the inaugural GITEX AI Türkiye event taking place from September 9–10 at the Istanbul Expo Centre, regional industry executives and technopark leaders highlighted growing venture interest in Türkiye’s artificial intelligence and industrial tech sectors.
Erhan AK, CFO at Fark Holding, said “Industrial AI, fintech, defence tech, mobility, energy tech, and enterprise software represent the most compelling opportunities for VCs eager to unearth the region’s next tech unicorn, while partnering with local labs and accelerators will help navigate regulatory checks.
“International investors should look beyond consumer applications and focus on sectors where Türkiye combines engineering talent with industrial depth,” continued AK, who will also be attending as a headline speaker at the inaugural GITEX Ai Türkiye in Istanbul.
“Particularly attractive are startups developing solutions that can scale across Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. Türkiye is an excellent innovation hub, and the strongest companies will use Türkiye as their innovation base while competing globally from day one.”
AK’s comments come as Turkish startup funding surges. In the first quarter of 2026, Turkish startups raised $559 million, more than seven times the same period a year earlier. The nation has so far produced eight tech unicorns, including Trendyol, Türkiye’s $16.5 billion e-commerce giant, which is among the 300-plus exhibitors at GITEX Ai Türkiye, from 9-10 September 2026 at Istanbul Expo Centre.
AK will speak on the ‘Next growth engines – emerging industries that could define Türkiye’s digital decade’ panel at GITEX Ai Türkiye’s two-day conference programme.
Technopark Ecosystem Highlights at GITEX Ai Türkiye
The two-day conference will feature showcases from several major Turkish innovation hubs and technoparks:
- YTÜ Yıldız Technopark: Home to 750 companies and over 70 AI-focused entities, the technopark will demonstrate its Starboard AI platform, which includes an investor scouting module that ranks startups across 60 evaluation parameters.
- Medeniyet Technopark: Highlighting its TeknoKöprü Acceleration Program, the hub emphasized the transition toward deep-tech ventures developing foundational AI models rather than basic application layers.
- Regional Hubs: Facilities including Antalya Teknokent and Giresun Teknopark will focus on expanding cross-border accelerator access for startups based outside primary metropolitan areas.
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“We view GITEX Ai Türkiye as a global networking and growth platform for our technology companies,” said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Garip, Managing Director of YTÜ Yıldız Technopark. “Our Techno-Scouting module scores companies based on over 60 parameters, enabling global investors to quickly identify the most promising start-ups suited to their investment stages.”
“What Türkiye needs is not more ventures, but ‘deeper’ ventures; not ventures that build AI-powered applications, but ventures that directly produce AI models,” said Ali Ramazan Tak, General Manager, Medeniyet Technopark. “GITEX AI Türkiye will offer opportunities for our entrepreneurs on their journey from the idea stage to global markets, helping them meet international investors, establish cross-border business partnerships, and expand their export channels.”
A shared AI vision backed by investors with US$50 billion AUM
GITEX AI Türkiye 2026 will bring together 100-plus investors from 20 nations, managing US$50 billion in assets, to meet Türkiye’s technopark-incubated startups to propel the next wave of Turkish-built, globally scaled AI champions.
Highlighting the investor perspective, Erdem Dereli, Venture Partner at Malaysian VC firm Gobi Partners (managing $2 billion in assets), pointed to the maturity of the local engineering ecosystem.
“Türkiye stands out for its technical depth and proven track record of producing mega-unicorns, particularly in gaming and e-commerce,” Dereli stated. “The ecosystem is uniquely self-sustaining; early success stories have created a second-generation cohort of founders and angel investors who possess the operational blueprint needed to scale startups globally.”
GITEX Ai Türkiye is hosted by the Investment and Finance Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (Invest in Türkiye) in strategic partnership with Türkiye’s Ministry of Industry and Technology. The flagship debut event is powered by GITEX, and organized by inD — the joint venture between Dubai World Trade Centre and Informa that organizes GITEX globally.
Global Tech Brands including Google Cloud, HPE & NVIDIA, ASUS, Huawei, Dell Technologies, SAP, and TrendAI are set to participate at GITEX Ai Türkiye, alongside regional brands Trendyol, and Andevos.
Disclaimer: This article is based on press statements and executive interviews released by the event organizers and participating entities ahead of GITEX AI Türkiye. Venture funding metrics, startup figures, and market projections are provided directly by third-party research sources and participating organizations.
