GITEX Ai Türkiye, the first Türkiye edition of one of the world's leading technology and artificial intelligence event networks, was held at the Istanbul Expo Center on September 9-10.
Hosted by the Investment and Finance Office in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Technology, the event brought together startups, investors, technology companies, and policymakers from around the world.
More than 300 corporate exhibitors and startups from 70 countries, 150 global speakers, and more than 100 investors managing combined assets exceeding USD 100 billion participated in the two-day event, which welcomed thousands of visitors.
Global technology companies, including Google Cloud, HPE, NVIDIA, ASUS, Dell Technologies, Huawei and SAP, participated in the event, while companies supported under the Turcorn 100 Program, including Colendi, Vispera, Saha Robotics, WASK and TechSign, also showcased their technologies.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır highlighted Türkiye's ambition to rank among the leading countries in artificial intelligence. Referring to the country's expanding innovation ecosystem, Minister Kacır noted that Türkiye has established 1,700 R&D centers and supports more than 13,000 companies across 115 technoparks.
The Minister also stated that public fund-of-funds mechanisms have mobilized USD 2.8 billion for the startup ecosystem, while a recently announced USD 300 million allocation to venture capital funds is expected to generate more than USD 750 million in additional financing. Under Türkiye's AI Action Plan for 2026-2030, at least 2 percent of public investment programs will be allocated to artificial intelligence projects.
Meanwhile during his key remarks, Investment and Finance Office President A. Burak Dağlıoğlu emphasized Türkiye's transformation from a geographical bridge into a regional hub for manufacturing, R&D, logistics, technology, and entrepreneurship.
“Twenty years ago, Türkiye was often perceived as a bridge between Asia and Europe. Today, Türkiye is a hub for the region," Dağlıoğlu said. “Our ambition for the decades ahead is to become a global economic powerhouse. Combined with our position at the nexus of continents, Türkiye's talent, resilience and strong investment environment give us a powerful foundation to remain competitive as AI reshapes the global economy."
At the “From Idea to Impact: Unlocking Women's Power in Türkiye's Innovation Economy" session, Women and Democracy Foundation (KADEM) Chair of the Board of Trustees Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar addressed the role of women and human-centered innovation in the AI era, while GITEX CEO Trixie LohMirmand highlighted Türkiye's strong industrial base and its potential to compete in the emerging AI economy.
Director General of National Technology and Artificial Intelligence at the Ministry of Industry and Technology Sadullah Uzun underlined Türkiye's objective to become a country where AI is “built, commercialized and scaled."
Investment and Finance Office Head of Communications Department Gökhan Yücel described GITEX Ai Türkiye as the beginning of “a new platform that connects ideas, capital, talent, and technology through Türkiye." He also moderated the panel session titled “Creative Industries Rewired: What Happens When AI Enters the Studio?", which explored how AI is reshaping creative processes, production models, and the future of the creative industries.
The inaugural GITEX Ai Türkiye put Türkiye at the center of global conversations on technology, investment and entrepreneurship, while opening new avenues for international partnerships and investment. As artificial intelligence adoption accelerates, cybersecurity also took on greater prominence, with Türkiye's evolving regulatory framework placing a growing focus on resilience, governance and accountability. The next edition of GITEX Ai Türkiye will take place on September 15-16, 2027.