GITEX Ai Türkiye to debut in Istanbul with global investors and AI startups

GITEX Ai Türkiye will debut in Istanbul on Sept. 9-10, 2026, bringing together more than 100 investors from 20 countries, 300-plus exhibitors and Türkiye’s growing AI startup ecosystem. The event is positioned as a bridge between global capital and Eurasia’s industrial AI, fintech, mobility, energy tech and enterprise software opportunities.

Why it matters: - GITEX Ai Türkiye is being positioned as a new meeting point for global capital, Turkish startups and the region’s industrial economy. - The event aims to channel investment into AI applications where Türkiye already has engineering talent and industrial depth. - Organizers expect the debut to help surface the next generation of globally scalable tech companies built in Türkiye.

What happened: - The inaugural GITEX Ai Türkiye will take place Sept. 9-10, 2026, at Istanbul Expo Centre. - More than 300 exhibitors are scheduled to participate. - More than 100 investors from 20 nations, managing US$50 billion in assets, are expected to attend. - The event is hosted by the Investment and Finance Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, branded as Invest in Türkiye, in strategic partnership with Türkiye’s Ministry of Industry and Technology. - The event is powered by GITEX and organized by inD, the joint venture between Dubai World Trade Centre and Informa.

The details: - Erhan AK, CFO at Fark Holding, said the strongest opportunities for venture capital in Eurasia include industrial AI, fintech, defence tech, mobility, energy tech and enterprise software. - AK said international investors should focus on sectors where Türkiye combines engineering talent with industrial depth. - AK said startups that can scale across Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia look especially attractive. - AK said Türkiye can serve as an innovation base for companies that compete globally from day one. - Turkish startup funding reached $559 million in the first quarter of 2026, more than seven times the same period a year earlier. - Türkiye has produced eight tech unicorns. - Trendyol, valued at $16.5 billion, is among the exhibitors. - AK will speak on the panel “Next growth engines – emerging industries that could define Türkiye’s digital decade.” - Fark Holding, through its Fark Labs innovation arm, has become one of the more active industrial investors in Turkish AI ventures. - Fark Labs teams in the USA, Netherlands, Finland and Portugal are helping local startups scale internationally. - GITEX Ai Türkiye will feature Türkiye’s major innovation hubs, including YTÜ Yıldız Technopark, Medeniyet Technopark, Antalya Teknokent, Giresun Teknopark, ITU ARI Teknokent and Teknopark Ankara. - YTÜ Yıldız Technopark says it hosts 750 companies, more than 14,000 R&D staff, 70 AI-focused companies and 341 active AI projects. - YTÜ Yıldız Technopark will show its Starboard AI platform, including a Techno-Scouting module that scores portfolio companies against more than 60 parameters. - Medeniyet Technopark’s TeknoKöprü Investment Acceleration Programme combines training with direct investor meetings. - Medeniyet Technopark has already run delegation programs to the UK, Qatar, the UAE, Malaysia, Singapore and Morocco. - Antalya Teknokent said the event can help expand joint accelerator programs, strengthen international investment ties and improve foreign investor access to the ecosystem. - Giresun Teknopark said the event can help startups outside Türkiye’s largest cities reach international markets, investors and strategic partners. - Organizers say the event will also feature technology companies including Google Cloud, HPE & NVIDIA, ASUS, Huawei, Dell Technologies, SAP and TrendAI. - Trendyol, Andevos and Halkbank are also listed among participants.

Between the lines: - The pitch is not just about AI products. It is about applying AI to sectors where Türkiye already has a manufacturing and engineering base. - The comments from investors and technoparks point to a common strategy: pair local technical talent with international capital and market access. - The focus on technoparks suggests Türkiye wants to convert university-linked and regional innovation clusters into export-ready companies. - Several speakers framed the opportunity as building “deeper” ventures that create models, infrastructure and industrial applications, not only consumer-facing apps.

What's next: - GITEX Ai Türkiye’s conference program will run alongside the expo over two days. - Investors and technoparks will use the event to form partnerships, test deal flow and identify startups ready for international scaling. - The event’s success will likely be measured by new investments, commercial collaborations and cross-border expansion for participating companies.

The bottom line: - GITEX Ai Türkiye is trying to turn Istanbul into a digital corridor where Eurasian AI startups can meet global investors and sell into global markets from day one.