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Global investment funds managing $500 billion gathered in Türkiye this week, meeting technology founders at the GO! GLOBAL Türkiye Summit held in Istanbul on Nov. 10–12.
The event aimed to connect international venture capital with Türkiye’s expanding startup ecosystem through a structured matchmaking model.
Hosted by the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), the Türkiye-U.S. Business Council (TAIK), and Endeavor Türkiye, a global nonprofit organization that supports high-impact entrepreneurs, the summit brought together over 800 business leaders, investors, and executives from leading global technology companies. Representatives from Khosla Ventures, General Atlantic, Princeville Capital, and Golden Gate Ventures attended, along with senior figures from Google, DeepMind, and Uber.
DEIK President Nail Olpak said the global economic environment has made innovation more central to growth.
He noted that supply chain disruptions and higher trade barriers are reshaping international investment patterns. "Innovation, especially in digital ecosystems, will determine economic growth now and in the future," Olpak said.
He added that the summit supports Türkiye’s broader goal of strengthening its position in the global innovation economy.
TAIK Chairman Murat Ozyegin underlined that Türkiye has moved beyond being viewed as an emerging market.
"Türkiye is no longer a market waiting to be discovered," he said, describing it instead as "a proven destination for global capital seeking local innovation and scale."
Ozyegin highlighted several large recent transactions, including a $500 million investment in Insider led by General Atlantic and a $700 million investment in Trendyol Go. He also pointed to deals involving Midas, TOM Bank, and DGPay as part of a broader trend of sustained investor interest.
Hande Cilingir, head of TAIK’s Digital Working Group and CEO of Insider, emphasized that investment outcomes depend on performance and strategy.
"This year, investors representing $500 billion in funds are in Türkiye," she said. "Turning this capital into investment depends on the performance of our entrepreneurs. We aim to build partnerships based on strategy, not chance."
She said the matchmaking model used at the summit helps accelerate engagement between founders and global capital.
Endeavor Türkiye Chairman Emre Kurttepeli said the organization encourages entrepreneurs to adopt an international outlook from the outset. "We support founders to think globally from day one," he said.
Kurttepeli noted that Turkish startups have attracted $416 million in investment this year and said the target is to exceed that total.
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