Online project applications for TÜBİTAK’s “Public Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem 2026” call will close on August 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Türkiye time. Projects that complete the online submission on time will have until August 11, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. to finish their electronic signature procedures.
Why was the call launched?
The program aims to help Türkiye’s research and technology ecosystem develop artificial intelligence solutions for concrete needs identified by public institutions. It is being conducted under TÜBİTAK’s 1007 Program for Supporting Research and Development Projects of Public Institutions. The Presidency of Cyber Security participates in the process as the customer institution.
The call was designed in three stages. Public institutions first submitted their needs. Technical requirement documents were then prepared for the prioritized needs and published on June 12. In the final stage, companies, public research and development units and eligible consortiums are expected to submit project proposals responding directly to those requirements.
Which institutions are covered?
The list published by TÜBİTAK includes needs from the Constitutional Court, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, the Ministry of National Education, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Revenue Administration and the Public Oversight, Accounting and Auditing Standards Authority. Separate technical requirement documents have been prepared for each institution.
This structure creates room for artificial intelligence projects across a broad range of public services, including education, environmental management, agriculture, taxation and auditing. Applicants are expected to propose an implementable solution that directly addresses the technical requirements published by the institution they select.
Who can apply?
According to the call documents, private companies or public research and development units working in artificial intelligence may serve as the Project Managing Organization. Depending on the nature of the technology to be developed, universities may also join a consortium as Project Executing Organizations. The model is intended to combine academic expertise, product development capability and public-sector implementation experience in the same project.
The total call budget was announced as TL 15 million. Project-specific conditions, duration, budget limits and technical obligations must still be checked in the relevant call and requirement documents. Applications are submitted online through TÜBİTAK’s ARDEB Project Application System.
What are the key deadlines?
The online project application must be completed in the system by August 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Türkiye time. Projects that finish this stage before the deadline will be able to complete their electronic signature procedures until August 11, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. TÜBİTAK has advised applicants to complete both approval and signature steps before the stated deadlines.
The call is significant because it seeks to move public-sector artificial intelligence projects beyond laboratory research and prototypes toward solutions built around real institutional needs. With the online deadline arriving today, companies, research units and university teams preparing applications have reached the most time-sensitive stage of the process.
What should teams check before submitting?
Project objectives, methods, work packages and expected outputs should be aligned with the technical requirements published by the selected institution. The call is not a general artificial intelligence idea competition; it seeks research and development projects designed around documented public-sector needs. Applicants should therefore use the relevant requirement document when preparing the proposed architecture and success criteria.
The online submission deadline and the electronic signature deadline are separate. Completing the project record by August 6 is mandatory, while the additional signature period does not extend the time for a new online application. Teams should also allow time for document, authorization or system-related issues.
