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TÜBİTAK BiGG Investment (1812): 2026 Sector Priorities for High-Tech Founders
Written by Başak Yüksel, Project and TURQUALITY® Specialist
Reviewed by Ahmet Ersoy, Co-Founder
- Related service TÜBİTAK Consulting
- The basics TÜBİTAK grants
Contents4 sections
In TÜBİTAK BiGG Investment (1812) projects, sector priorities are the strategic areas that directly affect your panel score. BiGG (Bireysel Genç Girişim, the Individual Young Entrepreneurship programme) is run by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK). Implementing organisations announce the thematic areas with each acceleration programme call, and an idea placed in the right theme can overtake rivals of equal technical quality. This guide sets out which areas stand out for high-tech founders and the steps that strengthen an application.
Regional ecosystems: what 1812 BiGG Investment means in İzmir
İzmir is one of Türkiye’s leading start-up hubs, with incubation centres and technoparks at İYTE (İzmir Institute of Technology), Dokuz Eylül University and Ege University. That ecosystem gives BiGG the infrastructure it needs to work well in the region: a network of implementing organisations, a pool of mentors and prototyping labs.
Two sector strengths give İzmir a regional edge. The first is AgTech, built on the Aegean’s farming base, where climate-smart irrigation, precision agriculture and supply chain software lead the cluster. The second is renewable energy, drawing on the region’s solar infrastructure and wind potential. Before you apply, we check with you whether your area matches the themes in the implementing organisation’s call.
TÜBİTAK BiGG Investment: 2026 priority themes
The programme does not fund every technology idea; the idea has to fall within the announced thematic areas. These are the themes that stand out in 2026:
- Smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0: digital twins, predictive maintenance, autonomous production systems.
- Sustainable agriculture and food: climate-adapted agritech and food safety software.
- Digital health and well-being: AI-based diagnostics, medical devices, personalised medicine.
- Green transformation and the circular economy: zero-waste processes, renewable energy management systems, carbon monitoring tools.
What matters is landing in the right sub-theme. For a health project, your business plan should show whether “Digital Health” or “Personalised Medicine” fits better, and partnerships with university hospitals or industry should back up that choice.
Writing the sector case into your BiGG business plan
The most common mistake high-tech founders make is writing the business plan as an academic paper and neglecting commercial reality. The BiGG panel wants answers to two questions: will the product work technically, and will it sell?
A strong file covers:
- Target market size and a defined customer segment
- Competitor analysis and your point of difference
- Business model: how, to whom and through which channel you will sell
- A technology description that clearly shows fit with the priority theme
Current call guides and sector restriction lists are on the official TÜBİTAK TEYDEB BiGG page.
TÜBİTAK 1812 BiGG Investment: key support parameters
| Parameter | What it shows | What it gives the founder |
|---|---|---|
| Support limit | TRY 1,350,000 (investment in return for 3% equity; 1812 BiGG Investment 2026-2) | Eases the early-stage capital burden |
| Priority theme score | Extra points for sector fit | Meaningfully improves the chance of approval |
| Training and mentoring | Support from the implementing organisation | Early validation of the business model |
| Incorporation support | Help setting up the company after the grant | Corporate identity and investor confidence |
| Project duration | Up to 18 months (Phase 2) | Planned progress from prototype to market launch |
Why the PRODİS process needs professional management
Applications are not won on the idea alone. The technical file must go into PRODİS (TÜBİTAK’s project submission and monitoring system) complete, pre-panel revision requests need on-time answers and the reviewer visit needs preparation. A slip at any of these points can put even a strong project at risk.
For a full picture of TÜBİTAK grant and incentive programmes, see our Grant and Incentive Consulting service.
Contact us and let FIX run your application process.
Frequently asked questions
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Do sector priorities change the investment amount in TÜBİTAK BiGG Investment (1812)?No. The investment amount depends on the call, not the sector: in the 1812 BiGG Investment…
No. The investment amount depends on the call, not the sector: in the 1812 BiGG Investment 2026-2 call it is TRY 1,350,000 in return for 3% equity. Projects that fit the priority themes do, however, earn extra points in the panel evaluation, which improves their chance of selection.
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Which implementing organisations run BiGG in İzmir?In İzmir, the main implementing organisations include the İYTE Technology Transfer Office, DEÜ…
In İzmir, the main implementing organisations include the İYTE Technology Transfer Office, DEÜ Teknopark and Ege University Teknokent. Wherever you are, you apply through an implementing organisation that has an agreement with TÜBİTAK.
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Can an AgTech project fit the green transformation theme?Yes. Climate-adapted irrigation, or farm technology that cuts the carbon footprint, can sit…
Yes. Climate-adapted irrigation, or farm technology that cuts the carbon footprint, can sit under both Sustainable Agriculture and Green Transformation. Document that fit clearly in the business plan.
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What do projects rejected at panel stage usually have in common?The most common reasons for rejection are an unclear business model, no competitor analysis and…
The most common reasons for rejection are an unclear business model, no competitor analysis and no documented fit with the priority themes. Academic files that ignore market reality face the same risk.
Based in Ankara, FIX runs every stage of the TÜBİTAK 1812 BiGG Investment application, from the technical file and PRODİS entries to reviewer visit preparation and revisions. Contact our team and follow your approval process in Ankara without leaving your desk, wherever your technopark is.