Türkiye comes to fore as ‘regional hub for entrepreneurship’ with decisive policies

Türkiye is implementing policies to attract global capital and talent in tech startups as a regional hub for entrepreneurship, the head of Türkiye’s Investment and Finance Office told Anadolu.

Ahmet Burak Daglioglu, speaking on the sidelines of an GITEX AI Europe 2026 event in Berlin, stated that the Emirati summit is hosting one of the world’s largest tech gatherings, where Turkish firms are showcasing their offerings under the national pavilion.

Daglioglu stated that Türkiye will host the GITEX AI fair in September, where the Berlin event acts as a preliminary for the Turkish event, as they are preparing for the major gathering in collaboration with the Industry and Technology Ministry.

“We will present Türkiye’s strong infrastructure and its future goals to participants from all around the world on the main stage, inviting them to tech events in Türkiye, while launching the Turkish branch of the GITEX brand,” he said. “We aim to bring together artificial intelligence (AI) and tech entrepreneurs in Türkiye with potential investors and customers on global platforms, and to attract more global investors to the country.”

He noted that many tech entrepreneurs from a wide range of area like Eastern Europe, Central Asia, North Africa, Pakistan and Bangladesh are choosing Türkiye to grow and invest in.

“Under Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s program to cultivate investments, we are promoting our country as a powerhouse for global investments, and one of the most important priorities under the scheme is tech startups, as they are being supported via a series of decisive policies to attract investors, capital, and global talent in the coming period,” he said.

Daglioglu noted that the country’s premier tech event, TEKNOFEST, hosting millions, “holds a top-tier position in the world,” operating in a different segment from GITEX, while the global event focuses more on an AI business platform to be attended by commercial tech startups.

“We will see powerful global firms, corporate entities, tech entrepreneurs, and international investors in AI at our September event, which is expected to be a turning point for the Turkish ecosystem,” he said.

Daglioglu stated that Türkiye offers a flexible and attractive working environment for tech firms compared to Europe, where bureaucratic processes are much more rigid, urging Turkish-origin entrepreneurs across the continent, particularly in Germany and the UK, to consider Türkiye as a growth market.

“Our industrial diversity, speed and flexibility set Türkiye apart. These are vital for technologies based on hardware and physical equipment,” he noted. “While entrepreneurs in Europe reportedly face massive challenges when seeking to manufacture or commercialize their tech products, we in Türkiye emphasize our industrial diversity to all tech entrepreneurs, regardless of nationality, telling them they can grow by expanding from here to the global market.”

Daglioglu announced that investment funds focused on Türkiye rose by $2 billion in recent years, which will be deployed in the next three to five years, addressing the critical need for funding.

More than 800 participants from 80 countries, meanwhile, are showcasing their offerings at GITEX AI Europe 2026 from June 30 to July 1. Türkiye is represented by a pavilion under the Investment and Finance Office.

Turkish companies boast a strong presence at the event, bringing together domestic firms developing AI-powered e-commerce, predictive analytics, weather intelligence and digital transformation solutions with international investors and stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem.

Firms and institutions representing Türkiye are Appcent, B2Metric, Buluttan, Creentech, Evrim X, FeyoTech, GuardPot, GURIS, Hipicon, ITU ARI Teknokent and Yedir App.

*Writing by Emir Yildirim in Istanbul