Women entrepreneurs, investors, and public sector leaders came together in Istanbul to strengthen women’s leadership in Türkiye’s investment ecosystem.

Organized under our foundation’s “Women in Innovation” Program, the Investment Ecosystem Gathering convened women entrepreneurs, investors, fund managers, and public representatives. The event brought together a wide range of participants, including our Chair of the Board of Trustees Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar, Head of the Presidency Investment and Finance Office Burak Dağlıoğlu, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Muhammed Kasım Gönüllü, as well as investors, venture capital fund managers, angel investors, academics, and numerous guests. Discussions focused on the future of Türkiye’s investment ecosystem, with a strong emphasis on empowering women entrepreneurs, improving access to finance, and fostering sustainable collaborations.

Strong Focus on Women’s Entrepreneurship in Opening Remarks

In her opening speech, Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar underlined the critical role of women’s entrepreneurship in sustainable development, stating:
“The strength of the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem lies in collaborations that bring together the knowledge, experience, and resources of diverse stakeholders. It is essential to ensure that women entrepreneurs take a stronger place in this ecosystem, gain better access to financing, and build new partnerships. Today, our program has evolved beyond a competition into a powerful ecosystem connecting women entrepreneurs, investors, and institutions. Women’s role in economic life is no longer just a matter of social policy—it is a key pillar of Türkiye’s sustainable development vision.”

Sharing key figures, Erdoğan Bayraktar noted that Türkiye has around 1.2 million women entrepreneurs, making up 18% of the total, while women founders account for approximately 20% of newly established companies. Although these figures remain below global averages, she emphasized that the upward trend signals a strong transformation. She also highlighted that funds with at least one woman on the investment team are 60% more likely to invest in women entrepreneurs.

Pointing to the importance of mentorship, strong networks, and effective investment mechanisms, Erdoğan Bayraktar expressed her hope that the gathering would pave the way for new collaborations and investments.

Cumhurbaşkanlığı Yatırım ve Finans Ofisi Başkanı Burak Dağlıoğlu, Türkiye’de kadın girişimciliğinin giderek güçlendiğine dikkat çekerek, “Kadın girişimcilerin oranı %18’in üzerine çıkmış durumda ve bu artış önemli bir ivmeye işaret ediyor. Teknoloji yatırımlarında son yıllarda ciddi bir hareketlilik söz konusu; 2020’den bu yana erken aşama yatırımlar 5 milyar doların üzerine çıktı. Türkiye’de bugün 7 unicorn bulunuyor ve bunların 3’ünde kadın kurucular yer alıyor. Kadınların yatırım ekosistemindeki varlığı yalnızca girişimci olarak değil, fon yöneticisi olarak da artıyor. Bu dönüşüm, ekosistemin daha kapsayıcı ve güçlü bir yapıya kavuşmasını sağlıyor.” dedi.

Burak Dağlıoğlu highlighted the growing strength of women’s entrepreneurship in Türkiye, noting that the share of women entrepreneurs has surpassed 18%, signaling significant momentum. He also pointed to increased activity in technology investments, with early-stage investments exceeding $5 billion since 2020. Türkiye is now home to seven unicorns, three of which have women founders. He added that women’s presence in the ecosystem is growing not only as entrepreneurs but also as fund managers, contributing to a more inclusive and resilient structure.

Deputy Minister Muhammed Kasım Gönüllü emphasized the importance of women’s participation in technology and production processes:
“The path to making our country a high-tech producer with global competitiveness lies in increasing women’s active participation in production. We are implementing comprehensive support programs to boost women’s presence 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 see women’s entrepreneurship not only as an urban phenomenon but also as a key driver of Anatolia’s development.”

Panel Highlights: Investment Trends and Women’s Role

The event featured three main panels where experts discussed the investment ecosystem, future opportunities, and the role of women entrepreneurs.

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

Moderator Prof. Dr. Burcu Özsoy, President of TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center, highlighted three major global shifts: the rise of technology-driven investments, the restructuring of risk architecture, and countries’ efforts to strengthen their positions in global value chains.

Dr. Kaan Masatçı, Director of Financial Investments at the Presidency Investment and Finance Office, emphasized the rapid maturation of Türkiye’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, noting that investors are making more strategic, data-driven decisions. He stressed the importance of public-private cooperation in removing barriers for women entrepreneurs.
Sadullah Uzun, Director General for National Technologies and AI, highlighted the growing impact of AI on the investment landscape, noting that:
“Artificial intelligence and digital technologies are not only helping to reduce risks but also creating new areas of opportunity. Türkiye has strong potential in this field, supported by its rapid adaptability and human-centered agility—often reflected in its strong ‘human intelligence and reflex.’ The country is particularly strong in application development, with its entrepreneurship ecosystem, mobile app capabilities, and gaming sector further reinforcing this potential.”

Serdar Gürbüz, General Manager of Turkish Technology, emphasized that one of Türkiye’s key strengths in the tech sector is its ability to adapt rapidly, stating:
“It’s rare to see such fast transformation elsewhere in the world. Türkiye’s capacity to quickly adjust to change, combined with its agile structure, is one of the factors that sets us apart—especially in the age of artificial intelligence.”

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

• Deputy Director General of the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Industry and Technology, Damla Turan, who moderated the panel, emphasized the following:
“We aim to evaluate the changing dynamics of investment from a multidimensional perspective by addressing entrepreneurship and human capital together in the fields of industry and technology.”

• Technology investor Hande Enes touched upon the invisible barriers faced by women entrepreneurs when seeking investment:
  “Diverse business models and innovative approaches increase investor confidence. Women entrepreneurs can make a difference in new markets. The ecosystem in Türkiye has undergone a significant transformation. While previously models adopted from abroad were implemented, we have now evolved into a structure that produces and exports its own ideas. With exits, this cycle has been completed. We are now in a new phase and can build a stronger structure through regional collaborations.”
• Selma Bahçıvanoğlu, Managing Partner at Simya VC, shared insights on the risks and opportunities in early-stage investments:
  “Women investors offer a long-term perspective on the sustainability of ventures. This provides a major advantage in identifying and capitalizing on missed market opportunities.”

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

• Our Board Member Gülden Nacar, who moderated the panel, highlighted the following:
“To increase the proportion of women investors, it is not enough to simply identify the problem; it is also necessary to discuss concrete and actionable ways to change this picture. Lasting transformation in the ecosystem is possible not through well-intentioned discourse alone, but through mechanisms that enable women to participate in this field in a safer, more accessible, and sustainable way.”

• Gizem Moral, Partner at Revo Capital, shared insights on the differences women entrepreneurs bring to leadership and team management:
  “Women investors contribute diverse perspectives to decision-making processes, increasing the likelihood of success for ventures.”

• Murat Onuk, Vice Chairman of the Board and General Manager of ARZ Portfolio Management, shared his observations on risk perception and valuation criteria:
  “The long-term and inclusive perspective of women investors plays a critical role, particularly 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 within the investment ecosystem. Participants emphasized that women’s entrepreneurship plays a critical role in Türkiye’s economic development and sustainability.

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

KADEM support for women who say, ‘I have an idea’

 

KADEM Board of Trustees Chair Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar: ‘Supporting women’s entrepreneurship is not merely a development goal, but also a fundamental condition for social justice and sustainable prosperity.’

The winners of the Women in Innovation Project, run by the Women and Democracy Foundation (KADEM), which defends the right of all women to a safe, dignified and just life, have been announced. The winners received a total of £1.5 million in prize money.

 

This year’s 9th ‘Women in Innovation Project’ Entrepreneurship Camp and Awards Ceremony was attended by Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, KADEM Board of Trustees Chair Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar, KADEM Board of Directors Chair Av. Dr. Canan Sarı, along with numerous guests, mentors and entrepreneurs.

At the Women in Innovation Project Entrepreneurship Camp, entrepreneurs have the opportunity to work with mentors, investors, industrialists and the KADEM project team; they participate in Entrepreneur-Investor Meetings, development and motivation meetings. KADEM, which provides sustainable education and mentoring support to women entrepreneurs across Turkey, also encourages women entrepreneurs to enter new markets.

Speaking at the opening of the Awards Ceremony held at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Ataşehir, Istanbul, Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır began his speech by saying, ‘Behind the great strides that transform individuals and societies lie the traces of women’s minds and labour.’

‘The minds, labour and sweat of Turkish women are behind our pioneering technologies.’

 

 

Minister Kacır continued: “When we look at our ancient history, we observe the active and effective role women played in the transformation of social life in every civilisation we established. We know that the foundations established by women were not merely charitable institutions, but rather the most important bearers of the social and societal needs of their time. Today, too, the traces of women’s intellect and labour can be found behind the great strides that transform individuals and societies…

Women, who make up 34.2 per cent of our R&D human resources, are making achievements that will enable our National Technology Initiative in a wide range of fields, from artificial intelligence to cyber security, from financial technologies to green transformation. The intellect, labour, and sweat of Turkish women are present in our world-leading unmanned aerial vehicles, our domestic and national automobile, our polar science expeditions, and our space endeavours.”

Women are playing an active role in Turkey’s development process.

 

 

In her opening speech, Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar, Chair of the KADEM Board of Trustees, emphasised that women’s participation in production empowers not only society and the economy, but also women themselves. “Much of the injustice experienced by women stems from economic inequality around the world. Producing, demonstrating economic viability, and showcasing one’s talents empower women not only financially but also psychologically and emotionally.”

Recalling that, according to 2023 data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), the proportion of “women entrepreneurs”, i.e. women who have started their own business or are self-employed, is around 18 per cent across Turkey, Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar said:

‘The Women in Innovation Project is one of the strongest reflections of KADEM’s vision for women… I see this project as a transformative movement that incorporates women’s entrepreneurship in Turkey into the country’s development story. Every year, more women are boldly sharing their ideas through this project, turning them into strong business models and taking an active role in Turkey’s development process.’

Emphasising that they accompany women entrepreneurs who generate solution-oriented knowledge through an education programme that intertwines theory and practice, KADEM Board Chair Av. Dr. Canan Sarı stated:

When establishing KADEM, our greatest ideal was to reveal the value that women’s ideas and products could bring to humanity and to remove all obstacles preventing their participation in socio-economic life. And this ideal has always given us strength. Through the projects we have carried out to date, our national and international activities, our discourse and educational efforts, we have made significant progress along this path. The Women in Innovation Project is one of the strongest reflections of this vision… We see it as our responsibility to encourage women’s entrepreneurship for sustainable growth and to support women entrepreneurs, particularly those with technology and innovation-focused projects.”

Support for women who say ‘I have an idea’ through the Entrepreneurship Camp

The Women in Innovation Project, which has been running since 2015, aims to increase women’s effective participation in production and employment processes by supporting women entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas. Within this scope, 30 women entrepreneurs accepted into the programme had the opportunity to develop their business ideas during a week-long training and mentoring camp.

During the camp, the entrepreneurs received comprehensive training on topics such as business model development, preparing investor presentations, financial planning, marketing and communication strategies, accompanied by expert trainers and mentors in their field. At the end of the programme, the participants presented their projects to a jury.

A total of 1.5 million TL in prizes for the winners

Following the presentations, six projects selected in two categories by the jury were awarded a total of 1.5 million TL in prizes. The awards were presented to the winning entrepreneurs at a ceremony.

To date, 2,670 female entrepreneurs have applied to the programme, which received 250 applications in 2025 alone; 235 women have earned the right to participate in camps organised by KADEM.

Approved as a ‘GUIDED PROJECT’ by the Istanbul Development Agency in its 8th period, which began last year, ‘Women in Innovation’, led by KADEM and supported by the Istanbul Development Agency (ISTKA), has contributed to the realisation of the business ideas of hundreds of women entrepreneurs to date. ‘Women in Innovation’ aims to unlock women’s innovative potential and lead the way in empowering women in economic, social, and technological fields throughout this journey from idea to product.

Awards in the Pre-Incubation and Incubation Categories:

• 1st Award: 350,000 TL
• 2nd Award: 250 bin TL
• 3rd Award: 150 bin TL

Winners in the ‘Incubation’ category of the Women in Innovation Project:

Incubation First Prize: Müjgan Öykü Şahin – ‘Kami’

Kami, a community-focused, AI-powered story and comic book platform that aims to bring Turkey’s stories to the world and replicate the same success in other countries, is Turkey’s largest story community with over 2 million users.

The platform offers writers and illustrators a digital economy where they can earn income from their works. It hosts over 400,000 original pieces of content; these stories are connected with publishers, brands, and production companies to be transformed into new films, series, and books.

Second Place Incubation Award: Fatmanur Poyraz Ekinci – ‘Beetech’

 

Varrovex, a product of Beetech, which develops innovative biotechnological solutions to protect bee health, is a natural protection method derived from the bees’ own beneficial bacteria.

Supported by TÜBİTAK, Varrovex is effective against parasites without leaving chemical residues and strengthens the bees’ immunity with its probiotic effect. It has been tested on 1,000 hives and a patent application has been filed. The award-winning Varrovex aims to export to Greece and Brazil by 2027.

Third Place Incubation Award: Handan Doğan – ‘Collaxir’

 

Collaxir is a biotechnology venture that processes fish and poultry waste using a zero-waste method to develop collagen particles suitable for human consumption, valuable by-products, and proven health products that contribute to skin, joint, and overall cellular health. Collagen is a protein that provides flexibility and strength to tissues such as skin, bones, cartilage, and tendons in the body.

Winners in the ‘Pre-Incubation’ category:

Pre-Incubation First Prize: Sümeyra Savaş – ‘SalmSense’

 

SalmSense is a rapid diagnostic system that can detect salmonella, a common bacterial disease affecting the intestinal tract in food, within minutes. By directly measuring food in liquid form, it produces results 100 times faster than existing laboratory tests. This means that, without the need for analyses that take more than a day in food production chains, verifiable results can be obtained in the field within 30 minutes.

Second Place in the Pre-Incubation Category: Pelin İlhan – ‘PA Biotechnology’

PA Biotechnology, which works on animal-free testing methods, creates models in cell culture environments. Its core product, the “skin irritation test”, is used to test product safety in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical and medical device industries. Produced locally in Turkey by PA Biotechnology, the test offers a price advantage over its competitors and easy access for customers in Turkey. It also offers testing services for customers without laboratory facilities.

Third Place in the Pre-Incubation Category: Esma Erdem – ‘Esm Energy’

 

The Optimizer project is a domestic technology that minimises losses and maximises efficiency in solar energy. It is a power optimisation device and monitoring system that enhances system performance by individually controlling each solar panel in the field, while remaining unaffected by faults and shading.

The Women and Democracy Foundation (KADEM) project, “Women in Innovation Program,” attracted significant interest from visitors at TEKNOFEST Istanbul 2025.

“Women in Innovation” was launched to ensure women actively participate in innovation processes, evaluate their ideas, and strengthen their entrepreneurial spirit. Entrepreneurship camps, idea competitions, and training programs organized within the scope of the project contribute to women developing their innovative projects.

Visibility and Interaction at TEKNOFEST

KADEM brought the project to a wide audience with its booth at TEKNOFEST. Visitors accessed interactive content via QR codes to learn more about the project. Visual materials, texts, and presentations attracted significant interest, with young people particularly drawn to the potential of women in technology and entrepreneurship.

 

Opening the Door to New Opportunities

The project aims to strengthen the economic and social capacities of women entrepreneurs by facilitating their access to mentorship, investment opportunities, and support mechanisms. Its visibility at TEKNOFEST also raised awareness about women’s participation in technology and innovation.

KADEM’s “Women in Innovation Program” project was an important step in making the voices of women entrepreneurs heard at TEKNOFEST, one of Turkey’s largest technology and innovation platforms.

The Women and Democracy Foundation (KADEM) brings together graduates of its Women in Innovation project, which it has been running since 2015 to support women’s entrepreneurship, with inspiring success stories.

Following the opening speeches, the “Alumni Gathering,” where women who have achieved significant success in entrepreneurship and innovation will share their experiences, will continue with the “Inspirational Speakers” panel at 10:00 a.m. The panel will be moderated by Esra Soylu, KADEM Entrepreneurship Advisor and co-founder of RoofStacks & GoArt. The panelists are Dr. Asiye Karakullukçu, founder & CEO of Aksense; Duygu Aktaş, Senior Commercial Social Projects Coordinator at Hepsiburada; and Hayrunnisa Pektaş Sarı, co-founder & COO of Macellan.

The program will continue with a mentor meeting at 11:40 a.m. This will be followed by a Dialogue – Experience Sharing Session at 2:30 p.m. as part of the project supporting women entrepreneurs. Finalists from the Women in Innovation project, Başak Demir with her Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Helimore initiative, Dr. Kübra Kablan Tuğlu with her For Physician initiative, and Zülal Tannur, Founder and CEO of From Your Eyes Artificial Intelligence and Software Technologies Trade Inc., will share their entrepreneurial stories.

The “2024 Women Graduates in Innovation Meeting” will conclude with a candle-making workshop at 4:00 PM.
Since 2015, KADEM has been implementing the Women in Innovation project with the aim of enhancing the skills of women entrepreneurs who say “I have an idea” and transforming them into ventures with high potential for creating qualified employment.

To date, seven training camps have been organized as part of the program. A total of 2,350 women entrepreneurs have applied to the project over the course of seven periods. The number of women entrepreneurs selected to participate in the Women in Innovation training camps is 204.

Program name: Women Graduates in Innovation Meeting
Date and Time: April 20, 2024, Saturday
Location: Sheraton Grand Istanbul, Ataşehir

Program Schedule:

09:30 – 10:00: Registration – Cocktail Reception
10:00 – 11:10: Opening Speeches and Inspirational Panel
11:10 AM – 11:40 AM: Coffee Break
11:40 AM – 1:30 PM: Mentor Meeting: Coffee on Us
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM: Lunch
2:30 PM – 3:40 PM: Dialogue and Experience Sharing Session