Silicon Valley remains the most ambitious destination for technology startups seeking to scale globally.

Easier access to capital, cloud credits, rapid technology adoption and direct exposure to global corporations have now brought nine startups backed by Türk Telekom Ventures' Pliot accelerator to the Valley as they prepare to take their first international steps.

The pulse of the technology world still beats every morning on the narrow peninsula south of San Francisco. The long-debated question remains unanswered: Why does Silicon Valley's magic never fade? The numbers offer a striking response.

In 2024, Bay Area-based startups attracted 57% of every $100 invested in venture capital across the U.S., securing a total of $90 billion in funding. No other single geography in the world has reached that scale.

In 2025, according to PitchBook data, financing for large private companies surpassed the previous record of $92 billion as venture capital firms rushed toward artificial intelligence giants led by OpenAI and Anthropic.

Easier finance access, cloud infrastructure

A garage, an idea and unlimited ambition. That myth is still alive. But today, the garage door no longer opens only to San Jose; it opens to Seoul, Warsaw, Istanbul and beyond.

Startups that view globalization as a necessity are able to turn Silicon Valley's network and financing power into a genuine growth lever. Those that cannot still find themselves searching for investors on the legendary baggage carousel.

Silicon Valley is home to 49% of America's major technology engineers and 27% of all startup engineers. The region employs 1.8 million technology professionals, accounting for 23% of the total workforce. Average technology salaries stand at $175,000, roughly 40% above the U.S. average.

But the real story is not hidden in the numbers; it lies in the culture. Silicon Valley normalizes failure in a way very few business environments can. Entrepreneurs whose ventures failed are often able to secure their next funding round more easily than first-time founders.

Portfolio value reaches $600 million

TT Ventures General Manager Muhammed Özhan said their goal is to help create new unicorns from Türkiye and emphasized that the company is taking strategic steps to position startups on the global stage.

Özhan noted that 131 startups graduating from the Pilot program have so far received a total of $3.2 million in cash and investment support. Of those, 78 startups have gone on to secure $58 million in funding from domestic and international investors.

He also shared that the combined portfolio value of Pilot alumni exceeded $600 million by the end of 2025.

Pilot startups step onto global stage

The nine startups participating in the Silicon Valley program showcased innovative technologies across multiple industries on a global stage.

Among the standout participants were Refabric, which develops artificial intelligence solutions for the textile industry; Priam AI, focused on security operations technologies; and Homster, a 3D interior design platform.

Other startups included Zuzzuu, which helps companies monetize data; Werover, which develops AI-powered monitoring systems for wind turbines; and Milvus, which provides autonomous mobile robot (AMR) solutions.

The delegation also featured Macellan Super App, a digital wallet marketplace platform; Smart Alpha, which simplifies ultrasound imaging through real-time artificial intelligence; and Pocket E-Sim, which offers secure connectivity solutions through eSIM technologies.

Turkish Airlines begins AI investment strategy with supply chain tech

National flag carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) has made its first artificial intelligence-focused investment, as its venture capital arm added to its portfolio a startup aiming to use AI more effectively in supply chain management.

The move is designed to consolidate procurement processes onto a single digital platform.

The investment by the Turkish Airlines Venture Capital Investment Fund in Vendorside comes as transportation and logistics remain among the sectors most heavily shaped by global competition.

Vendorside digitalizes corporate procurement and supplier management processes through artificial intelligence infrastructure.

The company did not disclose the size of the investment. Vendorside said the funding will be directed toward developing AI agent technologies, strengthening product infrastructure and expanding into international markets.

Procurement managed through single platform

Vendorside enables companies to manage procurement operations ranging from supplier selection and contract management to invoicing and spending analysis through a unified platform.

The company's second product, Orchaside, allows organizations to design their own AI agents and integrate them into corporate workflows.

Vendorside argues that these two products go beyond simply automating existing tasks by enabling businesses to build systems capable of processing, predicting and optimizing operational data.

The company also shared internal performance metrics, suggesting that organizations using the platform achieved procurement cost reductions of up to 40%, shortened transaction times by 30% to 50%, and increased operational efficiency by 25% to 40% through AI-powered workflows. These figures, however, have not been independently verified.

Market expected to reach $40 billion by 2035

Behind these claims lies a rapidly expanding market reality. The global AI-powered procurement market reached an estimated $3.32 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to $39.2 billion by 2035.

The sector is expected to expand at an annual growth rate of nearly 28%, signaling that corporate interest in procurement technologies is no longer simply a trend, but part of a broader structural transformation.

Simplifying complex systems

Major global technology companies are also accelerating investments in this field.

IBM last year launched a suite of advanced AI agents designed for procurement operations, while SAP and Nvidia formed a strategic partnership to strengthen supply chain risk analysis capabilities.

Against this backdrop, Vendorside's emergence from Türkiye stands out both in terms of timing and strategic focus.

Founder Mehmet Taha Doğruyol said the company's ambition is to become "one of the globally recognized technology companies emerging from Türkiye in the fields of procurement-tech and enterprise AI."

Vitisino wins JA StartUp Türkiye 2026

The final of the JA StartUp Türkiye 2026 program, organized by the Young Achievement Education Foundation with the support of the MetLife Foundation, took place at MetLife's headquarters in Istanbul.

Vitisino, a startup that transforms grape byproducts into functional food ingredients through controlled fermentation, won first place in the competition.

Step For Life, which developed sensor-equipped smart socks for diabetes patients, finished second, while Dermaroutine, offering personalized skin care protocols tailored to individual skin types, ranked third.

Targeting university students aged 19 to 30, the program provided participants with a comprehensive entrepreneurship curriculum covering business model development, financial planning, prototyping, intellectual property and digital marketing.

Teams advancing through the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds presented their projects before a jury during the grand finale.

Vitisino to represent Türkiye in Europe

By winning the competition, the Vitisino team earned the right to represent Türkiye at the Gen-E European Entrepreneurship Festival, which will be held in Riga, the capital of Latvia.

Hande Baloğlu Toker, board member of the Young Achievement Education Foundation, said the program enables young participants not only to generate ideas but also to develop the strategic and operational capabilities needed to turn those ideas into viable businesses.

She added that she believes the Vitisino team can achieve significant success at the European level.

Deniz Yurtseven, general manager of MetLife Pension and Life, emphasized that entrepreneurship, much like the insurance sector, requires foresight, analysis and sustainability.

He said the MetLife Foundation-supported initiative encourages young entrepreneurs to build resilient and sustainable business models.

Founded in 1999, the Young Achievement Education Foundation develops entrepreneurship programs for various age groups ranging from primary school students to university participants, aiming to build stronger links between education and the business world.

Applications open for $3.5 million ENHANCER PRO grant program

Designed under the vision of "Improving Entrepreneurship Capacities for Sustainable Socio-Economic Integration," the ENHANCER PRO program aims to boost women's participation in the workforce and stimulate local economies through a 3 million euro (nearly $3.5 million) grant initiative.

The application process has officially begun for the ENHANCER PRO Entrepreneurship Grant Program, implemented with European Union funding and carried out by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in cooperation with the Turkish Ministry of Industry and Technology's Directorate General of Development Agencies.

With a total budget of 3 million euros, the program seeks to support entrepreneurs in establishing businesses and creating sustainable employment opportunities.

Entrepreneurs across 18 provinces eligible

The program is open not only to citizens of Türkiye, but also to Syrians under temporary protection and individuals under international protection status.

The grants will cover entrepreneurs living in 18 provinces: Adana, Adıyaman, Ankara, Bursa, Elazığ, Gaziantep, Hatay, Istanbul, İzmir, Kahramanmaraş, Kayseri, Kilis, Kocaeli, Konya, Malatya, Mersin, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa.

Pınar Yapanoğlu, portfolio manager at ICMPD Türkiye, emphasized the significance of the initiative.

"Since 2020, under the ENHANCER project, we have provided grant support and capacity-building training to thousands of entrepreneurs, as well as hundreds of SMEs and cooperatives," Yapanoğlu noted.

"Through ENHANCER PRO, we are taking these efforts further to contribute to employment and economic empowerment in Türkiye. We especially attach importance to expanding entrepreneurship models that support women's participation in the workforce," she added.