Turkey & Eurasia Business — 2026-09-02
Türkiye’s tech sector is preparing for a major global showcase with the inaugural GITEX Ai Türkiye event in Istanbul, highlighting the country's $58 billion technology market. Meanwhile, the Turkish economy expanded by 2.3% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2026, demonstrating resilience despite tight monetary policy and geopolitical headwinds.
Turkey & Eurasia Business — 2026-09-02
Key Highlights
Inaugural GITEX Ai Türkiye Set for September 9-10 The Istanbul Expo Centre is set to host the launch edition of GITEX Ai Türkiye on September 9–10, 2026. The event aims to bridge startup ecosystems across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, positioning Türkiye as a central hub for the global technology and AI network. The initiative highlights Türkiye’s rapidly growing AI economy and its $58 billion technology market, bringing together rising startups, investors, and technology powerhouses to pursue new markets and forge partnerships.
Q2 GDP Growth at 2.3% Official data released on Monday showed that Türkiye’s economy grew by 2.3% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2026. Gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 1.1% quarter-over-quarter. This moderate expansion occurred despite a sharp slowdown in domestic demand driven by tight monetary policy and regional geopolitical tensions, including the conflict involving Iran.
Mobile Gaming Boom Fuels Unicorn Hopes The Turkish mobile game industry is experiencing rapid revenue growth and attracting increased investment. Three of Türkiye’s eight unicorns are currently in the gaming sector, and the industry boom is fueling hopes for another $1 billion valuation startup. This sector continues to be a key driver of the country's startup ecosystem momentum.
Analysis
The most significant business development this week is the convergence of macroeconomic resilience and sector-specific dynamism. While the 2.3% Q2 GDP growth indicates that the Turkish economy is absorbing the impact of tight monetary policies, the specific strength of the tech and gaming sectors suggests a structural shift toward high-value digital exports. The upcoming GITEX Ai Türkiye event serves not just as a conference, but as a strategic mechanism to channel international capital into these high-growth areas, leveraging Türkiye's geographic position as a bridge between European and Asian markets.
What to Watch
Data-Heavy September Roadmap Investors and policymakers are bracing for a data-heavy September, which will include key economic indicators and the release of a new economic road map. These figures will be critical in assessing whether the central bank's current monetary stance can sustain the recent growth trajectory without stifling domestic demand further.
Tech Visa Program Impact The Türkiye Tech Visa program continues to attract foreign talent, with 492 applications received and 47 foreign startups establishing local operations. Monitoring the conversion rate of these applications into successful local entities will be key to understanding the long-term impact of this talent attraction strategy on the Istanbul startup ecosystem.
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