“Women in Innovation” Investment Ecosystem Meeting Held

Women entrepreneurs, investors, and public representatives gathered in Istanbul to strengthen women’s leadership in Turkey’s investment ecosystem.

The Investment Ecosystem Meeting, organized within the scope of our Foundation’s “Women in Innovation” Program, brought together women entrepreneurs, investors, fund managers, and public representatives. The program took place with the participation of our Board of Trustees Chair Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar, President of the Presidency’s Investment and Finance Office Burak Dağlıoğlu, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Muhammed Kasım Gönüllü, as well as public representatives, investors, venture capital fund managers, angel investors, academics, and numerous guests. During the meeting, which addressed the future of Turkey’s investment ecosystem, key topics included empowering women entrepreneurs, increasing their access to finance, and developing sustainable collaborations.

Emphasis on Women’s Entrepreneurship in Opening Speeches

Our Board of Trustees Chair Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar highlighted the critical importance of empowering women’s entrepreneurship for sustainable development, stating, “The strength of the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem arises from collaborations where different stakeholders can bring together their knowledge, experience, and opportunities. It is crucial for women entrepreneurs to have a stronger presence in this ecosystem, to increase their access to finance, and to establish new collaborations. Today, our program has gone beyond a competition to become a powerful ecosystem that brings together women entrepreneurs, investors, and institutions. The role of women in economic life is no longer just a social policy issue, but also an important part of Turkey’s sustainable development vision.”

Erdoğan Bayraktar also shared data on women’s entrepreneurship, stating that there are approximately 1.2 million women entrepreneurs in Turkey, with women entrepreneurs accounting for 18% of the total, and the rate of women founders in newly established companies being around 20%. Erdoğan Bayraktar noted that these rates are still below international averages but the increasing trend indicates a strong transformation, adding, “Increasing diversity on the investment side directly affects equal opportunities. Funds with at least one woman on their investment team are 60% more likely to invest in women entrepreneurs. Our program, launched in 2015, has gone beyond a competition to become a powerful ecosystem that brings together women entrepreneurs, investors, and institutions.”

Erdoğan Bayraktar pointed out the critical role of mentorship, strong networks, and appropriate investment mechanisms in the entrepreneurial journey, expressing her hope that this meeting would pave the way for new collaborations and investments.

President of the Presidency’s Investment and Finance Office Burak Dağlıoğlu emphasized the growing strength of women’s entrepreneurship in Turkey, stating, “The rate of women entrepreneurs has risen above 18%, and this increase indicates significant momentum. There has been considerable activity in technology investments in recent years; early-stage investments have exceeded 5 billion dollars since 2020. Today, Turkey has 7 unicorns, and 3 of them have women founders. The presence of women in the investment ecosystem is increasing not only as entrepreneurs but also as fund managers. This transformation ensures that the ecosystem becomes more inclusive and robust.”

Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Muhammed Kasım Gönüllü highlighted the role of women in technology and production processes, stating, “The path to making our country a high-tech producer that competes globally lies in the more active participation of women in production processes. We are implementing comprehensive support programs to increase women’s involvement in R&D, innovation, and entrepreneurship. To date, we have provided billions of liras in support to hundreds of thousands of women researchers and entrepreneurs. We do not view women’s entrepreneurship as limited to large cities; we consider it one of the fundamental elements for the development of Anatolia.”

Investment and Women Entrepreneurs Panel in Turkey

The investment ecosystem in Turkey, future opportunities, and the role of women entrepreneurs were comprehensively discussed in the final panel. Three main panels were held during the event, where investors and entrepreneurs shared important insights on new trends, risks, and opportunities.

Panel 1 – Where is the Investment Ecosystem Heading? Risk Architecture, Future Scenarios, and Global Scale

• Prof. Dr. Burcu Özsoy, President of TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center, who moderated the panel, emphasized:
  “Three major transformations are taking place in the global investment world: the technology-centric investment wave, the reshaping of risk architecture, and countries’ efforts to gain stronger positions in the global value chain. Investment is no longer just a financial matter; it has become directly linked to technology policies, the data economy, and strategic sectors.”
• Dr. Kaan Masatçı, Head of Financial Investments Unit at the Presidency’s Investment and Finance Office, emphasized that Turkey’s entrepreneurship ecosystem is rapidly maturing:
  “Investors are now making more strategic and data-driven decisions. Collaboration between the state and the private sector is critical to remove barriers for women entrepreneurs. Turkey is no longer a low-cost labor country; instead, it has a high productivity advantage. Turkey’s potential to be a production and export base is strong, and this aspect should be better communicated to investors.”

• Serdar Gürbüz, General Manager of Turkish Technology, pointed out that one of Turkey’s most important advantages in the field of technology is its rapid adaptation capability, stating, “It is not possible to see such rapid transformation in many parts of the world. Turkey’s ability to adapt quickly to change and its agile structure are among the most important factors that make us stand out, especially in the age of artificial intelligence.”

Panel 2 – New Dynamics of Investment: Valuation and Missed Markets

• Damla Turan, Deputy General Manager of the Ministry of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Turkey, who moderated the panel, emphasized:
  “By addressing entrepreneurship and human capital together in the industrial and technological fields, we aim to evaluate the changing dynamics of investment from a multidimensional perspective.”
• Technology Investor Hande Enes addressed the invisible barriers women entrepreneurs face when seeking investment:
  “Different business models and innovative approaches increase investor confidence. Women entrepreneurs can make a difference in new markets. The ecosystem in Turkey has undergone a significant transformation. While previously models from abroad were applied, we have now reached a structure that produces and exports our own intellect. This cycle has been completed with exits. We are now in a new phase and can build a stronger structure through regional collaborations.”
• Selma Bahçıvanoğlu, Managing Partner at Simya VC, discussed the risks and opportunities in early-stage investments:
  “Women investors offer a long-term perspective on the sustainability of ventures. This provides a great advantage in evaluating missed market opportunities.”

Panel 3 – Transformation at the Decision Table: Women Investors and Angel Capital

• Our Board Member Gülden Nacar, who moderated the panel, emphasized:
  “To increase the rate of women investors, it is not enough to merely identify the problem; it is also necessary to discuss concrete and implementable ways to change this situation. Because lasting transformation in the ecosystem is possible not through well-intentioned rhetoric, but through mechanisms that enable women to participate in this field more securely, accessibly, and sustainably.”
• Gizem Moral, Partner at Revo Capital, shared the difference women entrepreneurs make in leadership and team management:
  “Women investors increase the success rate of ventures by offering different perspectives in decision-making processes.”
• Murat Onuk, Vice Chairman of the Board and General Manager of ARZ Portföy, shared his observations on risk perception and valuation criteria:
  “The long-term and inclusive perspective of women investors plays a critical role, especially in early-stage ventures.”

Contribution to Women’s Entrepreneurship

The event aimed to increase women entrepreneurs’ access to finance, strengthen collaborations, and enhance their visibility in the investment ecosystem. Participants emphasized that women’s entrepreneurship in Turkey plays a critical role in economic development and sustainability.

KADEM will continue to support women’s more active role in the entrepreneurship ecosystem and strengthen technology and innovation-oriented projects through similar events.