Türkiye Targets 13 Unicorns and $1 Billion in VC Funding by 2027

Türkiye wants 13 homegrown unicorns and $1 billion in annual venture capital investment by 2027, doubling the current $500 million yearly volume, according to the 2027 Presidential Annual Program reported by Hürriyet Daily News.

The plan, first reported by Hürriyet Daily News, sets two headline targets. The first raises yearly venture capital deployment from $500 million to $1 billion. The second grows the roster of Turkish unicorns — branded "Turcorns" — to a total of 13. Ankara says the goals serve three aims: better access to financing, stronger domestic innovation capacity, and a sharper competitive edge for Turkish technology abroad.

How does Ankara plan to double the capital?

The program relies on layered funding instruments rather than a single fund. The state will issue venture capital fund calls, build fund-of-funds mechanisms, and deploy co-investment instruments so that tech startups can reach the capital they need.

Ankara also plans new calls for proposals under an investment-based support program. These calls are designed to speed up the growth of early-stage high-tech firms, the stage where Turkish startups have historically struggled to raise follow-on money.

What is TÜBİTAK's role?

Türkiye's Scientific and Technological Research Council (TÜBİTAK) provides the pipeline. Its entrepreneurship support programs drew 2,844 applications between January and September, according to the report. That application volume signals demand from founders that exceeds current funding capacity — one reason the 2027 program doubles the capital target.

Who gets in through the Tech Visa?

The Tech Visa program is the talent arm of the strategy. It targets remote professionals, global investors and skilled talent, and works to integrate them into the domestic ecosystem.

The numbers so far, per Hürriyet Daily News:

• 634 tech startup applications received
• 135 approvals granted
• Roughly 60 new tech startups established and operating in Türkiye

The 2027 program calls for faster promotion of the visa, which suggests Ankara sees foreign founders as a growth lever rather than a side channel.

What does EU money add?

European Union instruments already run in parallel with the national program, and the figures show real scale.

The Competitive Sectors Program, implemented under the EU's Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, has delivered 43 projects with a combined budget of $291.2 million during the IPA-II period. Those projects strengthened domestic research and digital infrastructure.

Türkiye also widened its footprint in the Digital Europe Program:

• 118 Turkish institutions secured $16 million in funding
• The money flowed across 21 projects
• The European Digital Innovation Hubs granted $8.4 million to eight consortia

What changes for badged startups?

Startups awarded an official tech startup badge will gain priority access to support, incentives and public procurement. Their products will also enter the State Supply Office catalog, a move aimed at boosting commercialization and branding.

That procurement channel matters. A state catalog listing gives young firms a reference customer and a revenue line that private buyers treat as validation.

What is at stake by 2027?

The program ties money, talent and market access into one framework: $1 billion in annual venture capital, 13 Turcorns, accelerated visas, EU-funded infrastructure and a state buying channel for badged startups. If the targets hold, Türkiye would double its startup capital base and formalize the pipeline from TÜBİTAK support through to unicorn status within three years.