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Rasmal Ventures has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bilişim Vadisi one of Türkiye’s largest technology development zones to strengthen the startup and innovation ecosystem across the two markets. The agreement was signed at GITEX Türkiye in Istanbul according to a statement from the Qatar-based firm. It establishes a three-year framework for cooperation with Bilişim Vadisi and its flagship entrepreneurship hub Terminal Istanbul. The partnership will focus on joint innovation programmes investor and B2B matchmaking knowledge exchange capacity-building and the two-way flow of startups experts and networks between Türkiye and the Gulf.
According to the statement Bilişim Vadisi’s Terminal Istanbul campus is rising from the former Atatürk Airport site and is being developed to host more than 10 000 technology companies. The announcement described the partnership as a direct expression of Rasmal Ventures’ strategy to act as the bridge between Gulf capital and the innovation emerging across MENA Türkiye and Asia. Rasmal Ventures is Qatar’s first institutionally backed investment firm and is trusted by sovereign wealth funds including the Qatar Investment Authority.
Soumaya Ben Beya Dridje Partner at Rasmal Ventures said “Türkiye is one of the most exciting startup stories in the world right now and the Gulf holds one of the largest pools of patient capital anywhere.” She added “This partnership with Bilişim Vadisi lets us connect the two at ecosystem scale giving Turkish founders a real bridge into GCC markets and capital and our region access to some of the best engineering talent in the world.” Dridje noted that the approach reflects exactly how the firm works by validating market access before committing capital.
Rasmal Ventures has increasingly targeted technology startups in East Asia Turkey and the GCC as Silicon Valley valuations have risen according to an assessment the firm shared earlier this year. In an interview with AGBI Dridje observed that scouting had highlighted the best tech coming from East Asia and exceptional entrepreneurial talent emerging from Turkey. The firm established under the Qatar Financial Centre in 2023 has executed investments that connect Asian innovation with Middle East opportunities including a commitment to the AI-driven logistics company NEXX announced in September 2025.
The three-year term of the memorandum provides a structured platform for sustained engagement that builds on growing interest from Gulf investors in the Turkish startup scene. Terminal Istanbul is positioned to serve as a key facility supporting these cross-border connections through its planned scale and focus on technology companies. Rasmal Ventures maintains a sector-agnostic mandate with particular competencies in fintech logistics AI and adjacent areas.
Industry data indicates that Türkiye’s engineering talent and industrial base have drawn increased attention from GCC-based capital in recent years. The collaboration outlined in the statement aims to create managed channels for Turkish companies into Gulf markets while offering Gulf investors access to regional innovation. Rasmal Ventures has stated that its hands-on approach includes practical support for portfolio companies seeking to establish operations across the GCC.
