Acceleration Programs That Grow Start-ups

In Turkey, the entrepreneurial ecosystem is growing stronger every day thanks to open innovation and acceleration programs offered by corporate companies, universities, and technoparks. These supports, offered across a wide spectrum from the idea stage to commercialization and expansion into global markets, make it easier for entrepreneurs to access finance, a strong mentorship network, and technical infrastructure. The new era programs, shaped around strategic focus areas ranging from artificial intelligence to deep tech, and from sustainability to health and fintech, not only ensure the growth of start-ups but also accelerate the transformation processes of corporations.
Corporations are no longer just supporters; they have transformed into strategic partners that take on the role of the first customer, develop joint innovation projects, and invest directly through the funds they establish. Thanks to PoC (Proof of Concept) studies and commercialization-focused collaboration models, start-ups have the chance to validate their products in the field, while companies integrate innovative solutions into their structures. In our news feature, we investigated the 2027 targets and new supports of 14 institutions that are growing the ecosystem.

SHAPING THE FUTURE OF INSURANCE
Allianz Turkey, through the HackZone by Allianz program, is working with seven start-ups selected from nearly 100 applications in its sixth term in the fields of financial consultancy, digital health, communication centers, and AI agents. Start-ups are offered 500,000 TL in financial support, access to API infrastructure, mentorship with the participation of senior executives, training, and networking opportunities with investors. Fahri Kaan Toker, Deputy General Manager of Operations at Allianz Turkey, explains the main goal of the program: “Our goal is not just to prepare for the future, but to shape the future of insurance today together with our ecosystem.”

GROWING CORPORATE COLLABORATIONS
Tech Istanbul supports start-ups according to their development stages with the NOVA, Pre-Incubation, and Growth programs. While over 145 volunteer mentors and more than 75 support services are provided in the Pre-Incubation program, PoC and commercial collaboration opportunities are created with IMM (Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality) and its affiliates within the scope of Growth. Having supported 826 start-ups to date, Tech Istanbul brings together 223 start-ups with IMM units and affiliates and has successfully completed 82 PoCs.
Tech Istanbul Director Hatice Ertüzün Kutlu explains the goal for the upcoming period: “In the upcoming period, we aim to transform Tech Istanbul into a stronger platform that enables start-ups to open up from Istanbul to the world. Next year, we will launch a new program specifically focusing on access to global investors.”

NEW SUPPORT PROGRAMS ARE COMING
The Entrepreneurship Foundation (GİRVAK) focuses on technology-based, scalable entrepreneurs who generate social benefit. Agri-food, health, education technologies, climate solutions, and disaster technologies are among the priority areas. The foundation, which aims to develop the potential of young people through the Fellow Program, offers mentorship, experience sharing, a strong network, and opportunities to meet with investors. Impact-oriented start-ups are supported through Founder One. Mehru Öztürk, General Manager of the Entrepreneurship Foundation, says: “In the upcoming period, we are closely monitoring areas with high transformation potential such as agri-food technologies, artificial intelligence, health, sustainability, and climate technologies. Alongside the Fellow Program, we aim to include and support over 100 entrepreneurs in our programs through our initiatives focused on the different needs of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

MENTORSHIP FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
Mercedes-Benz’s She’s Mentoring program supports women entrepreneurs working in the fields of sustainability, social benefit, green technologies, mobility, and innovation. Entrepreneurs accepted into the program are offered one-on-one mentorship from business leaders, strategic business development training, market access through a global network, guidance to financial resources, and media visibility.
Ezgi Yıldız Kefeli, Group Manager of Automobile Marketing and Corporate Communications at Mercedes-Benz, says that they aim to focus on women entrepreneurs in the fields of artificial intelligence, clean technology, and deep-tech in the upcoming period. Kefeli says, “In 2027, we aim to further expand the impact area of our program, include at least 35 new women entrepreneurs in the process, and support them as the leaders of the future.”

FOCUSING ON SUSTAINABILITY
Sabancı University supports technology-oriented early-stage start-ups, particularly in advanced materials, health, and sustainability, through the SUCool program. The program, which offers training, mentorship, academic accumulation, and prototyping opportunities, prepares start-ups for incorporation and TÜBİTAK BİGG investment. Access to investment opportunities is provided through Inovent and J-Start GSYF, while pilot applications and commercial collaboration opportunities are developed with international networks. Naci Kahraman, Leader of Sabancı University Startup Programs, says, “Maintaining our deep tech focus, we will continue to focus on advanced materials, health technologies, and sustainable technologies. In 2027, we aim to support at least 100 new start-up teams.”

TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION
Koç University Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center supports technology start-ups from the idea stage to the growth process with its KUICK, KSTART, R2E, and KWOKS programs. Artificial intelligence, health, life sciences, and climate technologies are among the prominent areas. Start-ups are offered access to the academic and business network, mentorship, training, investor meetings, and business development opportunities with companies. The center’s group manager, Cenan Çivi, conveys the priorities for the upcoming period as follows: “We plan to focus on areas that will shape the technological transformation of sectors in the upcoming period, including artificial intelligence, health technologies, life sciences, sustainability, and climate technologies. We aim to work with over 100 entrepreneurs across all these programs.”

PRIORITY ON SCALABLE SOLUTIONS
Albaraka Garaj supports scalable start-ups in fields such as artificial intelligence, SaaS, sustainability, and data technologies, with fintech being the primary focus. It offers mentorship, training, technical expertise, grant support, investor access, and corporate connections to start-ups that have achieved product-market fit and started sales. The program aims for start-ups to gain customers through pilot studies and develop commercial collaborations. Hasan Sami Bayansar, General Manager of Insha Ventures, explains the priorities for the upcoming period: “Areas we closely monitor include deep-tech, sustainability, data technologies, financial technologies, and next-generation corporate solutions, with artificial intelligence at the forefront. In 2027, we aim to include 12 start-ups directly in our acceleration program.”

INNOVATION MOVE IN RETAIL
Migros UP supports start-ups developing innovative solutions in the fields of retail, agriculture and food technologies, customer experience, and sustainability. Entrepreneurs and Migros experts work together in a three-month MVP development process using the Scrum approach. In successful projects, Migros takes on the role of the first customer, while start-ups are offered commercialization, technical infrastructure, mentorship, business network, and investment opportunities. Ethem Kamanlı, Director of Migros Group Program Management Office and Business Development, says that in the upcoming period, they aim to strengthen their work towards start-ups developing innovative products and business models in the food and agriculture sector by evaluating new product innovation opportunities in retail. Kamanlı says, “In 2027, our focus will be on developing deeper and more sustainable collaborations with start-ups that align with Migros’s strategic priorities.”

TRANSFORMING IDEAS INTO BUSINESS MODELS
CCN Holding’s WeShape Entrepreneurship Program supports university students in a process extending from the idea stage to business plan development and meeting with the entrepreneurial ecosystem. In the program, which is open to fields such as health technologies, artificial intelligence, deep-tech, education, agricultural technologies, and sustainability, participants receive training in business models, finance, law, branding, and investor presentations. Teams paired with expert mentors develop their ideas over an eight-month process and connect with the business world. WeShape, which aims to strengthen the connections of its alumni with the business world, aims to increase expert support, corporate collaborations, and international network access in the new term. Berfin Çeçen Şenol, Member of the Board of Directors of CCN Holding, states that in the third term, they aim to strengthen the ongoing impact in WeShape’s program focus areas. Explaining their 2027 approach, Şenol says: “In the third term, our focus is not just to grow numerically, but to preserve the inclusivity we have achieved in access while growing the development distance each participant covers throughout WeShape and the impact created after the program.”

GLOBAL SUPPORT FOR START-UPS
Entertech Istanbul Technopark supports start-ups in health, fintech, artificial intelligence, gaming, software, sustainability, and agri-food technologies. Offering mentorship, training, intellectual property consultancy, access to funds, and investor matching, the institution also facilitates start-ups’ opening to international markets with its offices in Amsterdam and London.
Entertech General Manager Assoc. Prof. Muhammed Kasapoğlu says, “In the upcoming period, it is aimed that start-ups at different development stages are more strongly connected to investment, internationalization, and market access channels.” The institution plans to accept at least 100 entrepreneurs into pre-incubation programs and a total of 25-30 new start-ups into the investment preparation program over two terms in 2027.

PROGRAMS WILL EXPAND
Bilkent CYBERPARK offers acceleration and business development support to start-ups in the fields of artificial intelligence, deep technology, energy, software, and sustainability. Within the scope of the programs, mentorship, customer and product validation, investment preparation, and international market access opportunities are provided. With BİGG MARKA, 104 start-ups have been incorporated and gained access to over 30 million TL in grants and investment support, while 20 start-ups in Deep Tech Ankara receive more than 60 hours of training and mentorship.
Bilkent CYBERPARK General Manager Faruk İnaltekin says, “In the upcoming period, we will strengthen our programs towards the needs of entrepreneurs, particularly in artificial intelligence, sustainability, and deep technology.” CYBERPARK plans to reach more entrepreneurs in 2027 by expanding its open innovation, acceleration, and business development programs.

FOCUSING ON DEEP TECHNOLOGY
Boğaziçi University Technopark, on the other hand, supports deep technology start-ups in the fields of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, health, green technologies, fintech, and gaming. Offering workspace, laboratory access, mentorship, and training in its incubation programs, the institution also supports the commercialization processes of start-ups through investment preparation and corporate collaborations. Boğaziçi University Technopark General Manager Dr. Cem Duran, stating that they aim to accelerate the transformation of academic research into start-ups, says, “We are launching the Deep Technology Garage program especially for academics and PhD students. Our goal here is to shorten the time from patent application to incorporation of academic work.” The Technopark aims to include 15-20 qualified teams in the program in 2027. Planning to increase its capacity with the commissioning of the Etiler Campus, the institution aims to reach a total of 400 R&D and incubation companies.

WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT TO OVER 500
METU TECHNOPARK supports start-ups in the fields of artificial intelligence, deep technology, health, education technologies, gaming, robotics, and sustainability with programs aimed at different stages. With structures such as ATOM, ETKİM, METU STARS, and GO, it offers training, mentorship, prototyping, workspace, investor connections, and international market access opportunities.
Helin Bacınoğlu, Assistant Specialist at METU TECHNOPARK, says, “In the upcoming period, we aim to strengthen our program structure, which differentiates from the idea stage to the growth stage, by directing entrepreneurs to more accurate programs according to their needs and levels.” The institution plans to bring new technology teams in fields such as education, health, sports, and defense into the ecosystem. Its 2027 target is to provide support to over 500 start-ups across the programs.

SUPPORTS PROVIDED BY 14 INSTITUTIONS TO ENTREPRENEURS

• Albaraka Garaj: Offers mentorship, training, technical expertise, grant support, investor access, corporate connections, and pilot study opportunities to start-ups that have achieved product-market fit.
• Allianz Turkey: Offers 500,000 TL financial support, API access, mentorship, training, and investor connections to start-ups through the HackZone program.
• Bilkent CYBERPARK: Provides mentorship, customer and product validation, investment preparation, grant, and global market access support through programs such as BİGG MARKA and Deep Tech Ankara.
• Boğaziçi University Technopark: Offers workspace, laboratory access, mentorship, training, investment preparation, and corporate collaboration through the Incubation and Deep Technology Garage programs.
• CCN Holding: Provides business model, finance, law, and investor presentation training to university students through the WeShape program and connects them with expert mentors and the business world.
• Entertech Istanbul Technopark: Offers mentorship, training, intellectual property consultancy, fund access, investor matching, and support for opening up to international markets through its Amsterdam/London offices.
• Entrepreneurship Foundation (GİRVAK): Offers mentorship, network, experience sharing, and investor access to gender and impact-oriented start-ups through the Fellow Program and Founder One.
• ITU Çekirdek: Provides mentorship, corporate/investor partnerships, PoC and pilot applications, and investment support through a 25 million dollar fund with ITU ARI Technopark and ARI FON.
• Koç University Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center: Provides academic/business network access, mentorship, training, investor meetings, and business development support with companies through the KUICK, KSTART, R2E, and KWOKS programs.
• Mercedes-Benz: Provides one-on-one mentorship, strategic training, global network, and financial resource guidance to women entrepreneurs within the scope of the She’s Mentoring program.
• Migros UP: Provides commercialization, technical infrastructure, mentorship, business network, and investment opportunities by taking on the role of the first customer during the three-month MVP development process.
• METU Technopark: Provides training, mentorship, prototyping, workspace, investor connections, and international market access through the ATOM, ETKİM, METU STARS, GO, and YFY programs.
• Sabancı University: Offers training, mentorship, academic accumulation, prototyping, and investment and TÜBİTAK BİGG preparation through the SUCool program and Inovent/J-Start GSYF.
• Tech Istanbul: Provides mentorship, support services, and PoC and commercial collaboration opportunities with IMM and its affiliates through the NOVA, Pre-Incubation, and Growth programs.

*Institutions are listed in alphabetical order.