Türkiye’s US$58 billion tech market lands on the world stage amid multi-billion-dollar AI investment surge

Türkiye’s tech market, projected to swell from US$38 billion in 2026 to US$58 billion by 2031, is stepping onto the global stage as multibillion-dollar investments and an aggressive skills drive accelerate the country’s AI ambitions. The inaugural GITEX Ai Türkiye will convene more than 300 exhibitors and 100-plus investors from 20 nations at the Istanbul Expo Centre on 9–10 September 2026, spotlighting Türkiye’s push to build one gigawatt of data centre capacity and mobilise capital for AI infrastructure.

"Our USD 3 billion commitment to data centre and AI infrastructure alongside USD 10 billion mobilised from the private sector reflects the rising confidence investors have in Türkiye as a powerhouse for investments," said A. Burak Dağlıoğlu, President of Invest in Türkiye. "A young, digitally native talent base and a startup ecosystem growing at remarkable speed make a compelling case on their own. GITEX Ai Türkiye gives that momentum a global stage, and we are proud to be part of bringing it to Istanbul."

Context and scale of the push

The government has allocated US$3 billion this year toward data centre and AI investments, while seeking an additional US$10 billion from private investors to accelerate AI innovation through to 2030. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced in June 2026 a national AI Action Plan to train 10,000 advanced AI specialists and 100,000 AI application professionals, part of a wider effort to scale local talent to meet industrial demand.

Türkiye’s startup ecosystem is showing early signs of traction: Q1 2026 funding reached US$559 million, more than seven times the amount raised in the same quarter a year earlier. The country also hosts 114 technoparks with over 13,000 startups and more than 1,700 R&D and design centres, infrastructure that organisers say will be highlighted at GITEX Ai Türkiye.

Corporate and event dynamics

• GITEX Ai Türkiye is hosted by the Investment and Finance Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (Invest in Türkiye) in partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Technology, and organised by inD, the joint venture between Dubai World Trade Centre and Informa.
• Global technology names confirmed include Google Cloud (Cloud Headline Partner), HPE and NVIDIA as gold sponsors, alongside ASUS, Dell Technologies, Huawei, SAP and TrendAI. Regional names include Trendyol (noted as a US$16.5 billion e‑commerce giant) and Andevos.
• Halkbank joins as Platinum Sponsor, and vendors such as fixcloud, Odoo, Sangfor, Redington and Forcepoint will address cloud, ERP, cybersecurity and distribution needs.
• Google Cloud reiterated a long-term commitment after announcing a plan to build a new Google Cloud region in Türkiye as part of a 10‑year, US$2 billion investment in partnership with Turkcell, which serves 46 million subscribers.

"Our participation in GITEX Ai Türkiye 2026 is a testament to Google Cloud’s long-term commitment to the nation," said Alp Önder Güler, Country Manager for Google Cloud Türkiye. "We are focused on enabling organizations to thrive in the agentic era by bringing our most advanced cloud and AI technologies to the country."

HPE emphasised the move from experimentation to production-ready AI. "At GITEX Ai Türkiye, we are proud to showcase how HPE and NVIDIA are leading the way in transforming AI from exploration to production," said Yasemin Dogrul, HPE Türkiye Managing Director. "Our collaborative efforts are enabling enterprises to build secure, scalable AI factories that seamlessly integrate infrastructure and accelerated computing."

Outlook

Organisers expect the two-day debut to catalyse cross-border partnerships, advanced manufacturing collaboration, capital flows and talent exchanges across Eurasia. With more than 300 exhibitors, a pipeline of technoparks and startup talent, and a mobilised US$13 billion in public and private commitments highlighted by event partners and sponsors, Türkiye is positioning itself as a regional corridor for AI deployment and investment through 2030 and beyond.