Number of AI startups in Türkiye rises above 500

ISTANBUL

The number of artificial intelligence startups featured on the Türkiye Artificial Intelligence Initiative (TRAI) map surpassed 500 for the first time in its latest update, underscoring the rapid growth of the country’s tech ecosystem.

According to TRAI’s October 2026 update, 43 new startups were added to the map while 21 companies that had ceased operations or no longer maintained an active web presence were removed. As a result, the total number of AI startups on the platform increased to 504 from 482 in April 2026.

Many of the newly added companies are recent entrants to the market. Of the 41 startups with known founding dates, 25 were established in 2025 or 2026.

While Istanbul remained the primary hub, new startups from Ankara, İzmir, Bursa, Antalya, Samsun, Bolu and Gebze were also included. The update additionally featured companies founded by Turkish entrepreneurs and headquartered in cities such as New York, Dubai and Amsterdam.

Agentic AI remained the fastest-growing segment, with 10 new startups added, while LegalTech and HR Tech also expanded with solutions focused on legal services, recruitment and workforce management.

AI infrastructure and operations emerged as another growing area, with new startups offering GPU infrastructure and tools to help organizations manage and monitor AI deployment.