GITEX Ai Türkiye is set to bring global tech leaders to Istanbul as Türkiye’s ICT market surges toward US$58 billion by 2031. The country’s digital economy is currently valued at $38 billion in 2026, and it has become a central player in Eurasia’s fast-growing intelligence sector.

This year, Türkiye allocated $3 billion to data centre and AI investments. In addition, the government is seeking $10 billion in private funding. The goal is to build one gigawatt of data capacity by 2030.

Meanwhile, talent development remains a key priority. In June 2026, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced plans to train 10,000 advanced AI specialists. Alongside this, 100,000 AI application professionals will be trained under the country’s AI Action Plan.

Furthermore, Türkiye’s startup ecosystem raised $559 million in the first quarter of 2026. This marks a sevenfold increase compared to the same period last year. As a result, the country now hosts 114 technoparks, over 13,000 startups, and more than 1,700 R&D and design centres.

Against this backdrop, GITEX Ai Türkiye 2026 will take place on 9-10 September at Istanbul Expo Centre. It is described as the nation’s most international AI and tech event. The two-day gathering will bring together over 300 enterprise and startup exhibitors. Investors, policymakers, and tech executives from around the world will also attend.

The event is hosted by the Investment and Finance Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, known as Invest in Türkiye. It is organised in partnership with Türkiye’s Ministry of Industry and Technology. Additionally, the flagship event is powered by GITEX and organised by inD, a joint venture between Dubai World Trade Centre and Informa.

According to A. Burak Dağlıoğlu, President of Invest in Türkiye, the $3 billion infrastructure commitment reflects growing investor confidence. He noted that the $10 billion mobilised from the private sector strengthens this position further. He also highlighted the country’s young, digitally native workforce as a key advantage.

Similarly, Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of GITEX, described Türkiye as a bridge between East and West. She said the event will help transform the country into a cross-border corridor for AI and digital excellence.

Notably, exhibitors are travelling from across five continents to attend. Countries represented include Colombia, Peru, Nigeria, Tunisia, the UAE, Jordan, Poland, Portugal, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Singapore. Major global companies confirmed to participate include Google Cloud, HPE, NVIDIA, ASUS, Dell Technologies, Huawei, SAP, and TrendAI. Regional firms such as Trendyol and Andevos will also be present. Halkbank has joined as Platinum Sponsor.

Google Cloud’s participation follows its 2025 announcement of a new cloud region in Türkiye. This is part of a 10-year, $2 billion investment made alongside Turkcell. According to Alp Önder Güler, Country Manager for Google Cloud Türkiye, the company remains focused on enabling organisations to succeed in the agentic AI era.

Meanwhile, HPE and NVIDIA are joining as gold sponsors. Together, they aim to deliver production-ready AI solutions across the region. Other participating companies include fixcloud, Odoo, Sangfor, Redington, and Forcepoint. Yasemin Dogrul, HPE Türkiye Managing Director, said the collaboration will help enterprises build secure, scalable AI infrastructure.

In addition, the event will connect startups with major investors. More than 100 investors from 20 countries, managing $50 billion in assets, are expected to attend. They will meet with startups incubated at Türkiye’s technoparks.

Several innovation hubs are also taking part. These include Tech Talk Partners UMV, ITU ARI Teknokent, Teknopark Ankara, Antalya Teknokent, Giresun Teknopark, Medeniyet Teknopark, and YTU Yildiz Teknopark.

Dr. Muhammet Anıl Kaya, General Manager of Giresun Teknopark, said regional technology parks play a vital role in the country’s innovation ecosystem. He explained that these hubs help extend digital transformation beyond major cities, giving local startups access to global markets and investors.

Overall, GITEX Ai Türkiye highlights Türkiye’s growing role in the global AI economy. More details are available at www.gitexturkiye.com.

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