Turkey's $58 Billion Technology Market Grows on AI Investments

Turkey's information and communications technology market is expected to reach USD 58 billion by 2031, with artificial intelligence and data centre investments strengthening the country's role in the Eurasian technology ecosystem. This growth will be carried to the global technology ecosystem through GITEX Ai Turkey, which will be held for the first time on 9-10 September 2026 at Istanbul Fair Centre.

Turkey's information and communications technology (ICT) market is expected to reach USD 38 billion in 2026 and rise to USD 58 billion by 2031. Accelerating investments in artificial intelligence, data centres, cloud technologies, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure are strengthening Turkey's strategic position in the technology and innovation ecosystem in Eurasia.

Turkey is allocating significant resources for data centre and artificial intelligence investments as part of its digital transformation goals, aiming to reach 1 gigawatt of data centre capacity by 2030 and secure USD 10 billion in resources from the private sector to support artificial intelligence innovations.

Developing human resources in artificial intelligence is also among the important aspects of this transformation. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced in June 2026 that under Turkey's Artificial Intelligence Action Plan, plans are in place to train 10,000 advanced-level artificial intelligence specialists and 100,000 artificial intelligence application professionals.

Investments accelerating in Turkey's start-up ecosystem
Growth in Turkey's technology entrepreneurship ecosystem is also noteworthy. The country attracted USD 559 million in start-up investment in the first quarter of 2026, recording growth of more than seven times compared to the same period last year.

More than 13,000 start-ups are operating in 114 technology parks across Turkey, while the country has more than 1,700 R&D and design centres. This infrastructure creates an important foundation for the development of start-ups operating in artificial intelligence and advanced technology fields and their entry into global markets.

GITEX Ai Turkey to bring together technology ecosystem in Istanbul
GITEX Ai Turkey 2026, which is expected to be an important platform for bringing these developments to the global technology ecosystem, will take place on 9-10 September 2026 at Istanbul Fair Centre.

At the event, which is being held for the first time, more than 300 corporate companies and start-ups as well as investors, government representatives, technology executives and expert speakers will come together.

The event will focus on areas including artificial intelligence and digital technologies, 5G and telecommunications, cloud technologies, connectivity technologies, cybersecurity, data centres, fintech, e-commerce, green technologies, health technologies, mobility, quantum computing and smart manufacturing.

GITEX Ai Turkey is aimed at establishing cooperation between Turkey and international technology ecosystems, accelerating investment and information flow, and contributing to domestic technology companies' access to global markets.

GITEX global technology network moving to Istanbul
GITEX Ai Turkey is being organized under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey Investment and Finance Office (Invest in Turkey) and the strategic partnership of the Ministry of Industry and Technology.

The organization is being carried out by informa TechTarget, a joint venture between Dubai World Trade Centre and Informa, which organizes GITEX events on a global scale.

Presidency Investment and Finance Office Chairman A. Burak Dağlıoğlu noted that Turkey's USD 3 billion investment commitment for data centre and artificial intelligence infrastructure, along with USD 10 billion in resources mobilized from the private sector, demonstrates investor interest.

Dağlıoğlu stated that Turkey's young talent pool and growing entrepreneurship ecosystem constitute an important advantage, and that GITEX Ai Turkey will increase the international visibility of this potential.

GITEX CEO Trixie LohMirmand highlighted Turkey's strategic position between Europe and Asia, noting that the event will contribute to strengthening Turkey and Eurasia's global role in artificial intelligence and digital technologies.

Technology companies from five continents to meet in Istanbul
Technology companies and organizations from different continents will participate in GITEX Ai Turkey 2026. At the event, Colombia and Peru from South America, Nigeria and Tunisia from Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan from the Middle East, Poland and Portugal from Europe, and South Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan and Singapore from Asia will be represented.

Among the participants are global technology companies such as Google Cloud, HPE & NVIDIA, ASUS, Dell Technologies, Huawei, SAP and TrendAI, as well as Turkey-based Trendyol and Andevos, which operates in artificial intelligence and fintech.

Halkbank, an important institution in Turkey's state-owned and SME banking sectors, will participate in the event as Platinum Sponsor.

Google Cloud's cloud and artificial intelligence investment in Turkey
Google Cloud's participation as Cloud Headline Partner in GITEX Ai Turkey also puts the company's cloud infrastructure investments in Turkey on the agenda.

In 2025, Google announced a USD 2 billion investment plan spanning 10 years for establishing a new Google Cloud region in Turkey as part of a partnership with Turkcell.

Google Cloud Turkey Country Manager Alp Önder Güler stated that participation in GITEX Ai Turkey is part of the company's long-term technology investments in Turkey, noting that they focus on making advanced cloud and artificial intelligence technologies available to Turkish institutions.

Production-ready artificial intelligence infrastructure from HPE and NVIDIA
HPE, operating in enterprise infrastructure, and NVIDIA, a leader in artificial intelligence accelerators and computing technologies, will participate in the event as Gold Sponsors.

The two companies are expected to showcase their solutions for developing scalable and production-ready artificial intelligence infrastructure by bringing together enterprise infrastructure and accelerated computing technologies.

HPE Turkey General Manager Yasemin Doğrul stated that under GITEX Ai Turkey, HPE and NVIDIA will share their technologies for transitioning artificial intelligence applications from the development phase to production environments.

Fixcloud, Odoo, Sangfor, Redington and Forcepoint will also participate in the event with their solutions in cloud technologies, enterprise resource planning, cybersecurity, distribution and network security.

Turkey's technopark ecosystem to meet global investors
Another important pillar of GITEX Ai Turkey is Turkey's entrepreneurship and technopark ecosystem.

As part of the event, more than 100 investors from 20 countries are planned to meet with technology start-ups in Turkey. These investors are noted to manage a combined total of approximately USD 50 billion in assets.

ITU ARI Teknopark, Teknopark Ankara, Antalya Teknokent, Giresun Teknopark, Medeniyet Teknopark and YTÜ Yıldız Teknopark are among the technology and innovation centres that will participate in the event.

Giresun Teknopark General Manager Dr. Assoc. Prof. Muhammet Anıl Kaya drew attention to the role of regional technology parks in Turkey's innovation ecosystem, stating that GITEX Ai Turkey will support start-ups' access to international markets, investors and strategic business partners.

GITEX Ai Turkey 2026, bringing together Turkey's investment potential in artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and advanced technology with the international technology ecosystem, aims to establish Istanbul as one of the important centres of Eurasia's technology and artificial intelligence agenda.