Two AI startups founded by Turkish entrepreneurs, fal.ai and Periodic Labs, have achieved a combined valuation of $5.8 billion in Silicon Valley. Their success highlights the growing influence of Turkish AI entrepreneurship on the global stage.
TL;DR
- fal.ai and Periodic Labs, founded by Turkish entrepreneurs, have achieved significant valuations in Silicon Valley.
- The success of these startups underscores the growing influence of Turkish AI entrepreneurship globally.
- Türk Telekom's support programs are helping Turkish startups gain global traction.
What happened
fal.ai, founded in San Francisco in 2021 by Turkish engineers Burkay Gür and Görkem Yurtseven, provides APIs for deploying AI models that generate images, video, and audio. In December 2025, the company raised $140 million in a Series D funding round backed by investors including Sequoia Capital and Nvidia, lifting its valuation to $4.5 billion. Its customer base includes technology companies such as Perplexity, Canva, and Quora.
Periodic Labs, founded by former Google DeepMind researcher Ekin Doğuş Çubuk and former OpenAI vice president Liam Fedus, combines artificial intelligence with automated robotics laboratories to accelerate materials science research. Although founded only last year, Periodic Labs raised $300 million in seed funding at a $1.3 billion valuation in September 2025. By March 2026, its valuation had reportedly increased more than fivefold to approximately $7 billion, bringing it closer to decacorn status.
Why it matters
The success of fal.ai and Periodic Labs highlights the growing influence of Turkish AI entrepreneurship on the global stage. These startups are not only achieving significant valuations but also attracting major investors and customers, demonstrating the potential of Turkish innovation in the AI sector.
For developers and startup founders, the rise of these companies shows that Turkish entrepreneurs are making significant strides in AI technology. This can inspire more innovation and collaboration within the Turkish AI community and beyond.
For tech investors, the success of fal.ai and Periodic Labs indicates a promising investment opportunity in Turkish AI startups. The increasing valuations and global reach of these companies suggest that the Turkish AI ecosystem is becoming a significant player in the global market.
Key facts
- fal.ai raised $140 million in a Series D funding round, achieving a $4.5 billion valuation.
- Periodic Labs raised $300 million in seed funding, reaching a $1.3 billion valuation, and later increased to approximately $7 billion.
- The Turkish AI ecosystem includes over 1,400 startups, with many founded overseas by Turkish entrepreneurs.
- Türk Telekom's TT Ventures has supported startups through mentoring, cash and investment support, and global networking opportunities.
- The total portfolio value of startups that have graduated from Türk Telekom's Pilot program has exceeded $600 million.
- According to Ipek Çeliksöz, founder of CatalystX Global, 86% of startup investments in the U.S. in the first half of 2026 went to AI startups.
- The number of AI startups founded annually in Türkiye has increased by 137% since 2021.
- As of November 2025, there were 326 AI unicorns globally, with the majority based in North America.
Context
The success of fal.ai and Periodic Labs is part of a broader trend of Turkish AI startups gaining global recognition. According to the 2025 Turkish Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem and Global Impact Report, Turkish AI entrepreneurship has evolved into an international ecosystem, with a significant number of startups founded overseas by Turkish entrepreneurs.
Türk Telekom's support programs, such as TT Ventures and the Pilot program, are playing a crucial role in helping Turkish startups gain global traction. These programs provide mentoring, cash and investment support, and global networking opportunities, enabling startups to scale and attract international investors.
The growing influence of Turkish AI startups is also reflected in the increasing valuations and global reach of these companies. As more Turkish startups achieve significant milestones, the Turkish AI ecosystem is becoming a significant player in the global market, attracting attention from investors and technology companies worldwide.
