Türkiye is carving out a leading role in artificial intelligence across Eastern and Southeastern Europe, standing as the only country in the region to produce AI unicorns — companies valued at over $1 billion.
According to a report prepared by the venture capital fund Yapay Zeka Fabrikası with contributions from Startups.watch and Endeavor Türkiye, the country is home to 1,188 active AI startups, underscoring the scale of its growing ecosystem.
While Türkiye-based startups are expanding steadily, ventures founded abroad by Turkish entrepreneurs are attracting far greater investment.
The report reveals that diaspora-led AI startups secure average funding amounts nearly 24 times higher than those headquartered in Türkiye. In 2025, the median investment for diaspora ventures reached $2.4 million, compared to just $100,000 for domestic startups.
This global presence has already yielded success stories, with diaspora companies such as Periodic Labs and Fal.ai achieving unicorn status within the past year.
The momentum is also reflected in intellectual property activity. The Turkish Patent and Trademark Office has registered 187 trademarks containing the term “artificial intelligence,” with applications accelerating sharply since 2024. This surge highlights both the commercial and technological appetite for AI innovation.
