Maven Insights helps shape GCC and Saudi market entry discussions at Built in Izmir
With investors, founders, and ecosystem leaders across Türkiye and the Middle East, Built in İzmir 2026 created a focused platform for regional business dialogue. As Global Partner, Maven Insights contributed to the event’s market access and cross-border growth agenda.
Held on 28 April at IzQ Entrepreneurship Center, Built in Izmir 2026 provided an in-person platform for market access, investor dialogue, and cross-border expansion, bringing Türkiye’s startup and business ecosystem into direct conversation with investors, market operators, and ecosystem leaders from across the Middle East.
The program centered on a critical question: how can Turkish companies translate regional interest into credible, execution-ready market entry? More than 100 participants attended the event, with dedicated market sessions focused on Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, and Lebanon helping companies navigate opportunities and challenges across the region.
A program built around market signals
The event opened with remarks from Elif Bengi Özdemir (CEO of Venture Vibe), Gokhan Celebi (Managing Partner at Venture Vibe), Tuba Kesen Umar (General Manager at IzQ), and Dr. Faruk Güler (Chairman of YABİSAK). It then transitioned into a series of Middle East-focused masterclasses led by ecosystem leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, and Lebanon.
Designed to reflect real market dynamics, the sessions gave companies a clearer understanding of how each ecosystem operates, what investors prioritize, and where expansion requires differentiated commercial and operating models. For Turkish companies pursuing international growth, market entry was framed not simply as a geographic move, but as a question of business readiness and strategic alignment.
The B2B format enabled participants to engage in direct, high-value conversations. Turkish companies held targeted discussions with regional stakeholders, testing assumptions around market entry, gauging investor appetite, and exploring partnership opportunities that could support future expansion plans.
A regional perspective from Maven Insights
As Global Partner, Maven Insights played an important role in shaping discussions around market entry and growing across the GCC region.
Khalid AlKhudairi, Senior Partner at Maven Insights, joined from Saudi Arabia as a featured ecosystem leader, sharing perspectives on investor expectations, market dynamics, and the realities of cross-border expansion. Berç Çubukciyan, Partner at Maven Insights, moderated the panel on entering the Middle East market, steering the conversation toward practical considerations around market entry, execution priorities, and scalability.
With offices and clients across the region, Maven Insights drew on its regional experience to offer a practical perspective on market entry grounded in local business realities. The discussions highlighted the importance of commercial clarity, local relevance, and operational scalability for companies looking to expand successfully into new markets.
The lens on Saudi Arabia
During the event, Saudi Arabia was a key focus market, reflecting the Kingdom’s position as the GCC’s largest economy and the scale of opportunities being created through its rapidly evolving business environment.
Building on its track record in Saudi Arabia, Maven Insights emphasized that achieving growth in the Kingdom requires more than market interest alone. Success depends on understanding investor expectations, sector priorities, partnership models, and the execution requirements needed to scale sustainably.
In the words of AlKhudairi, “Saudi Arabia offers significant opportunities for companies with the right value proposition, but the market rewards commitment and strong execution.”
The Türkiye and Saudi business corridor
Built in Izmir 2026 took place against a backdrop of strengthening economic and commercial ties between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, a relationship that has become one of the most dynamic trade corridors connecting the Gulf and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Bilateral trade between the two countries reached an estimated $8 billion in 2024, up significantly from the slowdown seen around 2020, with Turkish exports to Saudi Arabia alone rising to approximately $4 billion last year.
The growing interest among Turkish companies in the Saudi market is according to government statistics being driven by demand for machinery, vehicles, electrical equipment, construction materials, furniture, food products, and consumer goods. At the same time, more Turkish firms are targeting opportunities linked to Saudi Arabia’s giga-projects and broader infrastructure investment agenda.
“The opportunity is clear and the momentum is there,” said AlKhudairi. “The priority now lies in translating these into structured, high-impact business pathways.”
“As more Turkish companies turn toward Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC, Maven Insights continues to support this next phase of engagement by enabling organizations to enter markets with clarity, contextual relevance, and execution frameworks designed to extend beyond initial conversations.”
