Now, more than ever, the world needs entrepreneurs to build the future.
At the Founder Institute, we know times are tough, but we also know that economic downturns are a great time to start a business. This isn't just conjecture - the Founder Institute was started in April of 2009 (during the "Great Recession"), and world-leading companies like Microsoft, Tesla, and Apple also took advantage of cost savings during a recession to launch and get their initial traction.
That's why we are excited to announce today that applications are now open for the Ankara - Turkey 2025 program.
If you could use a structured process and a lifetime of support from Ankara's top investors and entrepreneurs to build something meaningful, then apply to the Ankara - Turkey 2025 Founder Institute today.
We will be hosting several free startup online events in Ankara over the coming weeks, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs from the comfort of your home:
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 3:00am, Apr 29, 2025 (Europe/Istanbul): https://FI.co/e/366745
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 3:00am, May 06, 2025 (Europe/Istanbul): https://FI.co/e/370085
- What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 3:00am, May 08, 2025 (Europe/Istanbul): https://FI.co/e/366580
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Nathan Beckord: 8:00pm, May 12, 2025 (Europe/Istanbul): https://FI.co/e/366358
- Future-proofing CPG Brands: Key Strategies for Sustainable Growth: 5:00pm, May 15, 2025 (Europe/Istanbul): https://FI.co/e/370939
- Lessons Learned Raising from Top Silicon Valley VCs: AMA with Rajeev Behera: 7:00pm, May 29, 2025 (Europe/Istanbul): https://FI.co/e/371182
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 8:00pm, Jun 02, 2025 (Europe/Istanbul): https://FI.co/e/370528
- How to Build Your MVP Using Artificial Intelligence : 8:00pm, Jun 04, 2025 (Europe/Istanbul): https://FI.co/e/371317
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 3:00am, Jun 10, 2025 (Europe/Istanbul): https://FI.co/e/370880
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 8:00pm, Jul 07, 2025 (Europe/Istanbul): https://FI.co/e/370301
Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200+ cities worldwide, the Founder Institute provides high-potential entrepreneurs and teams with the devoted support network and structured growth process needed to get to traction and funding. Participants in the 4-month core program also get access to a lifetime of support through the Founder Institute's industry-leading post-programs.
The Ankara program is led by some of the region's top startup leaders, including Alperen Zeki Gokmen (Product Pioneer , The Brutally Honest), Basak Ozcan (General Manager, Garaj X Tekmer), Beliz Bediz Sinan (Partner, YellowX OU), Ozan Sonmez (Founding Partner, YellowX Innovators).
In addition, some of Ankara's top investors, entrepreneurs, and CEOs will be participating in the program, providing them with expert feedback and evaluation. The list of startup mentors for the Ankara Founder Institute includes:
- Abdulrahman Aljiffry: Partner, 500 Global
- Adam Matalon: Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer, ThermaGEL Innovations
- Adam Berk: Manager, Lean Startup Co.
- Adil Oran: Assoc. Prof. , Abdullah Gül University
- Ahmet Batı: Co-founder, Innology
- Ahmet Saraçoğlu
- Ahmet Bahadır Özdemir: Co-Founder, Airalo
- Ali Halabi: CEO, Volt Lines
- Ali Hilli: Head of CER, Zain Iraq
- Ali Rıza Ersoy: Founder, ION Academy
- Alperen Zeki Gokmen: Product Pioneer, The Brutally Honest
- Altan Küçükçınar: Partner, Diffusion Capital Partners
- Amal Dokhan: Partner MENA, 500 Startups
- Amal Dokhan: CEO , Global Entrepreneurship Network GEN Saudi at GEN Global
- Amin Shanaa: Founder, Startups
- Amin Shanaa, JWAR
- Aral Barkın Arak: General Secretary, TÜGİM - Tüm Girişimci ve İş Mentorları Derneği
- Aras Bilgen: UX Consultant / Trainer, Aras Bilgen
- Arda Askin: Managing Director, StartersHub
- Arın Özkula: General Partner, 500 Startups
- Artun Sukan: Investment Manager, IP Group
- Ata Gür: Co-Founder, Frizbit
- Atil Erken: General Partner, Collective Spark
- Aurelie Guerrieri: CMO, Open Systems
- Aydın Öztunalı: Cofounder, KFD Investment Consulting
- Aykut Hocaoglu: Head of Entrepreneurship Programs and Ecosystem Development, Arcelik Garage
- Aylin Şahin: CEO, Igniters Tech Consulting
- Ayşe Şen: Entrepreneurship Expert, RTTP, Yaşar University
- Ayşegül Özkavukcu: Business Development Manager, Migros Ticaret A.Ş.
- Aysun Demirdogen: Managing Partner, Technology Transfer Professional, Cevelyn
- Aziz Dostgül: Investment Associate, TechONE VC
- Baldan Colak: Founder, Miel PR
- Barış Okur: Co-founder, Quin
- Başak Özcan: General Manager, Garaj X TEKMER
- Bastian Best: CEO, BESTPATENT
- Batuhan Baybali: Startup program leader , FARK LABS
- Beliz Sinan
- Beliz Bediz Sinan: Partner, The Brutally Honest
- Berc Cubukciyan: Senior Manager, Maven Insights and Solutions
- Beril Karabulut: Design Lead, Quin
- Berkay Mollamustafaoglu: General Partner, ScaleX Ventures
- Berna Aksoy: Growth Lead, Talentmelon
- Beybin Esen: COO, Kimola
- Billur Buse Elmas: Partner, Elmas Consulting
- Birce Ciravoğlu: CEO Office Director, Papara
- Bora Yılmaz
- Bora Sürmeli: Senior Agricultural Finance Specialist, The World Bank
- Bulent Yilmaz: Founder, Liberro
- Bulent Buyuksayar: Managing Director , SmartStarts
- Bülent Çaka: Vice President, ScaleX
- Burak Çevik: Co-Founder / UX Designer, ITUX - Atölye
- Burak Keskik: Technology Transfer Office Manager, Teknopark Istanbul
- Burak Dayioglu: Angel Investor
- Burcu Coşkun Şengül: Co-founder, Kuixo
- Buryan Turan: CEO, SIMULARGE
- Çağrı Yüzbaşıoğlü: Founder, ISSD
- Can Algül: Co-Founder & CEO, Pubinno
- Carla Tanas: Owner, Industry Disruptors - Game Changers
- Carlo Asta: Business Designer, H-Farm
- Cedric Tawil, Montreal International
- Celal Vatansever: Head of Open Innovation, Arcelik Garage
- Ceren Sungu Kalpaklıoğlu: Founder, Pabbler
- Demirhan Buyukozcu: Co-Founder, V-count
- Demirhan Erim: Co-Founder & CEO, ulouder
- Denis Oakley: Director, Denis Oakley & Co
- Deniz Satiroglu: VC Associate, StartersHub
- Dilek Dayinlarli: Founder, Scale-x
- Dinçer Sözütok: Cofounder, Onlock
- Dogan Taskent: Innovation Manager, Atabay Ilac
- Don Samoil: Managing Partner, Trusted Scale
- Dr. Semih Kumluk: AI Leader, PwC
- Dr. Ismail Arı: Director of TTO and Entrepreneurship Center, Özyegin University
- Duran Cesur: Investor, Vinci Venture Capital
- Duygu Kutluoğlu Kılıç: Co-Founder, CEO, FineDine
- Ebin Elavathingal: Director, MERSTRA Foundation / Next Market
- Elena Pallotta: Strategy and Innovation Culture , H-Farm
- Elif Gedikli: Portfolio Manager, Teknoloji Yatırım
- Emin Okutan: Co-Founder and CEO, Viveka
- Emir Uzunoglu: Manager, Responsible Solutions Limited
- Emre Fadıllıoğlu: Co-founder and CEO, App Samurai
- Emre Taş: CEO, Alictus
- Enad Kanaan: Co-Founder, The BrainChain
- Erdem Lafçı: Cofounder , Apps
- Eren Bali: Chairman & Co-founder, Udemy
- Eren Bali: Founder, Udemy, Carbon Health
- Eren Merzeci: Business Development Manager, Çalık Enerji A.Ş.
- Erhan Ertan: Cofounder, Neurocess
- Evren Bükülmez: Manager, TTGV
- Ferdi Cildiz: Senior Product Designer, Community Gaming
- Ferhat Demir: QGroup, QGroup
- Fevzi Gökaliler: Export Marketing Manager, Pınar
- Franklin Kamnang Ngansop: Cofounder , Vitamin C&S Coaching
- Gonca Gulser: Co-founder, Quin AI
- Gülcan Ergün: Co-founder, GESPRO
- Gülce Horatacı: Investment Manager, StartersHub
- GULSAH CAKIR: Founder, X Mind Studio
- Gülşah Gulser: Co-Founder, Quin AI
- Gunce Onur: Founder, The New Rising
- Gurol Uzenc: Manager, Cube Incubation
- Hakan Boğazpınar: Co-founder, VENN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN CONSULTANCY
- Hakan Erten: Founder, Nova Nora Danışmanlık A.Ş.
- Hakan Cetinkaya: Founder, 112 Company
- Halime Dilan Akbaş: Chief Innovation & Culture Officer, Viveka
- Hasan Basri Tosun: Cofounder, Sensgreen
- Hicham Lamrani: Founder, You are in
- Hilal Kara: Co-founder, PATENT EFFECT
- Hüseyin Aslan: Co-founder, Kapsam Denetim
- Hüseyin Güler: Innovation Orchestrator, KEAS
- Ibrahim Faza: GM, JordanStart
- İffet İyigün Meydanlı: FOUNDER, M2I CONSULTANCY
- İlker Köksal: Author, Founder's FAQ
- İlknur İlkyaz Gül: General Manager, Driventure
- Jimmy J.P. Snoek: Co-Founder & CEO, Tykn
- Kaan Eren: Investment Manager, 500 Startups
- Kadir Ceran: Founder & Managing Director, KiRi Advanced Research & Consultancy
- Kamer Kemerkaya
- Kemal Apaydın
- Kemal Aygör: Senior Licensing Manager, VESTEL
- Kerem Erikçi
- Kerem Çalışkan
- Kerem Gürbilek: Venture Capital Senior Analyst, Logo Ventures
- Khalid Maliki: Co-Founder & Managing Director, Tykn
- Koray Bahar: Founder & CEO, FigoPara
- Kuntay Aktaş: CEO, BTech
- Kutlu Kazanci, Creative Destruction Lab
- Kutluhan Hakan: Founder, TicketO Mobility
- Leyla Taghizade: Founder, Reseptron
- Mark Searle: Lecturer and Industry Fellow, University of California, Berkeley
- Mehmet Akgün: Founder, Mobixa
- Mehmet Gulez: Innovation Leader - Associated Partner, EY
- Mehmet Memecan: Founder & CEO, Tarfin
- Mehru Ozturk: General Manager, Entrepreneurship Foundation
- Melda Polat: Co-Founder, M2I Danışmanlık
- Merih Alphan Karadeniz
- M. Erşad Zor: Head of Data, StartupCentrum
- Merthan Öztürk
- Mert Hilmi Iseri: Board Member, Academy for Global Citizenship
- Merve Akgün: Vice President, Diffusion Capital Partners
- Mike Vladimer: Mentor, University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business & Alchemist Accelerator
- Miraç Bal: CEO, Talentmondo
- Misa Nikolic: CEO, Resonator – Creative Tech Hub
- Mohammad Kilany: Co-founder, MindRockets
- Murat Tortopoğlu: Consultant, yaraticiyikim.com
- Murat Topçu
- Mustafa Dalci: Founder, Userspots
- Mustafa Üşenmez
- Mustafa Savaş: Founder, Kimola
- Mustafa Cakir: Co-founder, PATENT EFFECT
- Mustafa Tamer: Manager, Treet Buba
- Mustafa Tamer: CEO, BUBA Treet
- Nadine Badreddine: Program Business Advisor, Modus Capital
- Neslihan Burgaz: Head of Business Development, Trendyol
- Nicat Manafov: E-Commerce Professional and Consultant, Etib.org.az
- Nidal Qanadilo: Managing Partner, ARC Capital
- Okan Arıcan: Senior Counsel, BTS&Partners
- Omer Dogan Dincer: Head of Finance, KolayIK
- Onur Yurtsever: Founder & CEO, Smart Advice
- Oren Simanian: Founder and General Partner, Colosseum Sport
- Orkhan Rzayev: Founder & CEO, Eleven Kings Game
- Orkun Ozbatur: Director & Founder, FI Benelux & Amazon
- Osman Ertürk ÖZEL: Founder, Manager, ÖZEL Attorney Consultancy
- Ozan Sonmez: Partner, The Brutally Honest
- Özge Görür Orbay: Founder, Ideacoaching
- Özgür Deniz Önür: Founder, Invidyo
- Özgür Mutlu Oz: Manager - UX/UI Design, Arçelik Group
- Prof. Dr. Ayhan Olcay: Co-founder, InnowayRG
- Prof. Dr. Zehra Çataltepe: CEO, TAZI AI
- Reine Abbas: Founder & CEO, Spica Tech S.A.L
- Rosen Dimov: CEO, Phasegrowth
- Sahar El Zaloua: Consultant in Entrepreneurship , Founder Institute - Turkey
- Sahin Boydas: Sahin Boydas - CEO, MovieLaLa (Istanbul FI), Gusto
- Sahin Caglayan: CEO, Reengen
- Samican Tandoğdu: Co-Founder, Synnada
- Sarp Bilecen
- Sarp UZER: Founder, Sarp
- Sarper Celenk: Managing Director, Vegas Food Project
- Selcuk Alimdar: General Manager, Founding Partner , bindHR
- Selen Senturk: Studio Manager, SHERPA
- Selim Satıcı
- Selim Cenkel: Founder, Marsel Delights
- Selin Orçunsel
- Selma Bahcivanoglu: Managing Director, Simya VC
- Semi Hakim: CEO, Kok Projekt
- Serdal Temel: Co-founder, SORANUS
- Sertaç Yakın: Investor, Connected2.me
- Shashank Aiisvari: Founder, Aiisvari
- Shirley Kaston: Co-Founder & CFO, Kok Projekt
- Sure Köse Ulutaş: Founder, Talentmelon
- Tarkan Anlar: Founder, CEO, Scotty
- Tuğçe Akbulut: Conscious Designer & Curator, Cross Change
- Tuna Orbay: Cofounder, BarakaTech
- Ufuk Polat: Founder, Deplike
- Umutcan Duman: Co-founder, Evreka
- Vladimir Pletyukhin: Founder and Creative Director, Launch Deck
- Volkan Erturk, Picus Security
- Yağmur Çubukçu: Venture Capital Analyst, Maxis
- Yashar Kardar: Business Development, Quin
- Yilmaz Odaci: Project Manager , Habitat
- Zafer Elcik: Co-founder, Otsimo
- Zeynep Derece: Founder, DRC Company
- And many more to be announced.
Since 2009, the Founder Institute has helped over 7,500 Alumni raise over $1.85BN funding, get into seed-accelerators, generate traction, recruit a team, build a product, transition from employee to entrepreneur, and more (see the FI 10 Year Impact Report here).
Join us in Ankara and help build the future.
Apply to the Ankara - Turkey 2025 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.
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