A 25-Billion-Lira Funding Ladder
The state is building two funds. One for research, one for growth. Türkiye’s AI Action Plan describes a financing ladder running from basic research to startup scaling. The first rung is the National AI Research Fund: at least 10 billion lira to support projects, with a target of moving at least 40 percent of them to pilot or prototype stage. The second rung is the AI Growth Fund: 15 billion lira in size, aiming to contribute to Series A/B rounds for at least 20 startups.
There is also a multiplier target. For every unit of public money, at least two units of private capital are to be mobilised. So the state is not putting money in alone. It is calling private capital alongside.
What the Number Says
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- Two funds, two different stages
- The fund does not give money alone
- Eligible expenses are broadly defined
Three structures sit inside the 25 billion.
Two funds, two different stages
The Research Fund feeds the early stage. Basic research, applied projects, mission-oriented calls. The Growth Fund accelerates matured startups. The distinction matters. The same money does not do the same job at every stage. Early on, risk is high and amounts are small. At growth stage, amounts are large and risk is more measured.
The fund does not give money alone
Every project supported by the Research Fund receives a package. It includes a compute credit allocation. It also includes priority access to the National Data Library. So support comes in three parts: money, computing power, data. Without all three together, projects stall.
Eligible expenses are broadly defined
The eligible cost list is notable. Personnel and cloud expenses are there. So are data acquisition, anonymisation and labelling. Even model operations appear on the list. These are the real cost lines of AI projects. Most classic R&D support schemes do not cover them. That is the difference.
What the Headline Misses
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- The two-stage structure allows movement
- The private capital multiplier defines the fund’s character
- The fund will work through three mechanisms
Three details get overlooked.
The two-stage structure allows movement
The Research Fund has two stages: seed and breakthrough. Flexible transition is possible between short exploratory projects and larger-scale ones. So you can enter with a small idea. If it works, you grow it. This differs from the one-shot large application logic. It is the fund-side counterpart of pilot thinking.
The private capital multiplier defines the fund’s character
The multiplier target reveals what kind of fund this is. It will not invest alone. Projects that have found an investor move ahead. So a fund application is also an investor persuasion process. These are not separate jobs.
The fund will work through three mechanisms
The Growth Fund runs three ways. First, public and private investors co-investing on equal terms. Second, indirect channelling through investments in venture capital funds. Third, debt and guarantee support for startups. So direct investment is not the only route.
What a Business Should Do
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- Cost: application effort, a process running months
- First step: identify which rung you are on
- Next step: prepare the investor side too
This ladder is not for everyone. But who it is for is clear.
Cost: application effort, a process running months
A fund application is serious preparation. Project definition, budget, team, output plan. Preparation takes weeks. Evaluation takes months. So a fund is not the answer to an urgent cash need. It is an instrument of planned growth. There are other doors for cash pressure.
First step: identify which rung you are on
At idea stage, the Research Fund’s seed track looks at you. With a working product and first customers, the Growth Fund. In between, the breakthrough projects. An application to the wrong rung gets rejected even with a good project. Choosing the right rung is half the application.
Next step: prepare the investor side too
Because of the multiplier target, the fund will prioritise projects bringing private capital along. Run investor conversations in parallel with the fund application. Each strengthens the other. Fund interest persuades investors. Investor interest persuades the fund.
A 25-billion-lira ladder is being built. It is open to everyone, but no rung gets skipped.