Türkiye is expanding its support structure for startups throughout their journey — from first contact with the ecosystem and company formation, to sustainable growth and ultimately global expansion, Türkiye’s Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir has said.
Innovation-friendly regulation, developed in close dialogue with founders and investors, allows new business models to emerge, grow and compete, he stressed at the Take Off Istanbul Startup Summit in Istanbul on Wednesday.
The two-day event is organised by the Turkish Industry and Technology Ministry and Türkiye’s Investment and Finance Office, with Anadolu Agency serving as the global communication partner.
The event features numerous speeches from officials and experts on several topics, including fintech, connectivity, the space economy, innovation, and emerging markets.
“We are aligning our policies and projects with this vision. We are investing heavily to equip (the) young generation with the skills of the future,” Kacir noted.
He highlighted that Türkiye-based gaming studios have created global hits enjoyed by hundreds of millions of players, and that beyond gaming, high-growth Turkish startups in grocery delivery, fintech and AI are shaping user experience and setting new standards across Europe, the Middle East and beyond.
Until 2019, no Turkish technology startup had achieved unicorn status — a valuation of $1 billion or more — but Türkiye now has seven unicorns, “which we refer to as turcorns,” the minister said.
Türkiye’s R&D figures
