Founded in 2017 by Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder of Chobani, one of America’s fastest-growing companies, the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative brought together the entrepreneurship ecosystem to develop innovative and sustainable solutions that would facilitate people’s lives in the aftermath of earthquakes and contribute to disaster management.

During March 18th and 19th, the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative organized two different programs to bring together the entrepreneurship ecosystem. On the first day of the program, Hamdi Ulukaya addressed the participants via live video connection while meeting with the startups they have been collaborating with since 2017.

During his speech, Hamdi Ulukaya acknowledged the shared grief that followed the major earthquake disaster Turkey faced. He extended his condolences to all participants who have relatives, family, or acquaintances in the earthquake-affected areas and expressed his wishes for patience to those who suffered losses.Emphasizing his belief in the transformative power of the private sector, Hamdi Ulukaya stated that he initiated the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative in 2017 with the vision that businesses have the power to make society better. He emphasized that the most fundamental duty of the business world during such periods is to contribute to long-lasting solutions.

Highlighting that he does not only talk about providing financial assistance to those affected by disasters, but also about how the entrepreneurial world can rapidly generate solutions to new problems, Hamdi Ulukaya stated that entrepreneurship is an essential field for developing a sustainable development plan in disaster areas. He said, “The responsibility of a company or the business world is not just about making money by selling products and services. If you continue to create social benefits in times of difficulty, not only when the economy or your own performance is good, it means that it is ingrained in the DNA of your company. I believe that one of the most important features that distinguishes us from other programs is our giving back and anti-CEO culture. Therefore, together, we will add significant value to the definition of entrepreneurship in Turkey, and we will work together to provide the most sustainable solutions to this land and its people.”

Entrepreneurs Gathered for Disaster Management Projects

On the first day of the program, discussions were held on Future Innovation Trends, Public Support Mechanisms, Disaster Technologies, and Managing Startups in Post-Pandemic Ecosystems. These discussions involved the startups that the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative has been collaborating with since 2017.

On the second day, a Disaster Workshop was conducted, moderated by Prof. Dr. Erhan Erkut, who is actively working on entrepreneurship and competency development in Turkey. Prof. Dr. Erkut shared what can be done with a focus on entrepreneurship for disaster management, drawing lessons from the earthquake centered in Kahramanmaraş and discussing what can be done in all stages of a disaster based on these lessons. In this gathering of startup founders and managers from all over Turkey, participants who are actively working in the earthquake-affected region shared the problems they encountered in the disaster area and presented project proposals for solutions.

During the Disaster Workshop, project proposals were not limited to the affected region only but included solutions that could be implemented in disasters worldwide. Participants voted on the project proposals and worked in teams to develop these projects.

Known for his healthy and accessible food brand Chobani in the United States, Hamdi Ulukaya also stands out for his social responsibility. After the earthquake centered in Kahramanmaraş, he took action in the business world by organizing donation campaigns for those affected by the earthquake. With the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative, he aims to open doors to the world for young people and develop concepts such as social impact and anti-CEO culture in the entrepreneurship world. The Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative, which aims to elevate Turkish startups to a higher level, has shaped itself based on Hamdi Ulukaya’s mission to create global brands from every corner of Anatolia.

To date, the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative has received a total of 99,692 applications, and a total of 282 entrepreneurs have received entrepreneurship support in Turkey and the United States, with 70% of them expanding globally. The supported startups have grown an average of 400%, with 70% of the participating companies starting to export and 26% establishing companies in the United States. The Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative grants everyone an equal right to dream, regardless of criteria such as foreign language skills or educational level, and places importance on having at least half of the participants being women. Hamdi Ulukaya aims to spread entrepreneurship to all of Anatolia through this project and foster entrepreneur leaders who are sensitive to social problems.

Established in 2017 with a $5 million investment by Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder of Chobani, one of America’s fastest-growing companies, the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative has been supporting entrepreneurs in Turkey. To date, it has provided entrepreneurial support to a total of 282 young individuals from 56 different cities in Turkey and the United States. 70% of the participants in the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative Startup Support Program have expanded to international markets, while 60% of the Entrepreneurial Candidates have started their first companies, and the participants have received investments of over $3 million.

Hamdi Ulukaya, who is known for the healthy and accessible food brand Chobani in the United States, also stands out for his social responsibility. With the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative, he not only opens doors for young people but also aims to promote concepts such as social impact and an anti-CEO culture in the entrepreneurial world.

Participants of the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative, who have established their first companies or accessed various investments for their existing ventures after the training sessions held in Turkey and New York, are actively engaged in the entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Berkay Şamiloğlu, the founder of Tion Health, and Kerem Deveci, the founder of Deveci Tech, both startups from the Ulukaya Initiative 2019, have achieved a significant milestone by being selected among the most talented 30 young individuals in Turkey as part of Forbes Magazine’s annual “30 under 30” list.

Kerem, the founder of Deveci Tech, which generates electricity on transportation lines using vertical wind turbines, and Berkay, the founder of Tion Health, which produces AI-supported wearable sensors for diagnosing heart rhythm disorders, are congratulated for their achievements.

ForFarming, one of the startups from the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative 2019, has achieved a significant milestone by receiving its second investment at a valuation of 12 million Turkish Lira. By offering AI-supported and IoT-based vertical farming solutions for indoor environments, ForFarming enables year-round cultivation of pesticide-free, fresh, and healthy produce. With the new investment led by Tarvenn Ventures, ForFarming aims to become a technology pioneer in smart soilless agriculture in the global market.

Within a period of less than a year, ForFarming has increased its company valuation by ninefold, successfully concluding its second investment round with a valuation of 12 million Turkish Lira and an investment of 2.4 million Turkish Lira. Co-founders Levent and Ebru Atlas expressed their gratitude to the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative, stating, “Thanks to the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative, we have learned the importance of connecting with the right people in the right market and adapting our product to the US market. The Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative has expanded our perspective.”

We congratulate the ForFarming team on this achievement!

During the 4th batch of the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative, they received 5,426 startup applications from all over Anatolia. After the Target Setting Meeting in Istanbul, six startups have been invited to the New York program.

• Alya: Designs educational materials made from natural materials suitable for children’s development. (www.alya.io)
• Dormio: Designs a simple and comfortable product to improve sleep quality for people with sleep apnea. (www.dormio.com.tr)
• Fazla Gıda: A digital waste management platform that works to minimize food waste. (www.fazlagida.com)
• Juphy: A next-generation customer communication platform that consolidates all communication channels of brands into a single channel. (www.juphy.com)
• Ollang: A service platform that provides high-quality translation quickly and at a low cost. (www.ollang.com)
• Sertifier: A platform that presents education and experience data in the form of skill-focused smart certificates. (www.sertifier.com)

We wish all the participants who join us success in their endeavors.

During the second week of the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative 2018 New York program, participants of the Ulukaya Initiative 2018 Startup Support Program gave presentations at the Demo Day held at New York University, introducing their companies to invited guests consisting of mentors and investors.

3D3 Technology, which develops and produces 3D printers, Biolive, which produces biomaterials from olive pits, MIPS, which enables home sperm testing with its developed device, Lazika, which produces high-quality Turkish tea in its purest form without any machine contact, Yalçın Enerji, which generates electricity with solar shades, and Çiftçiden Eve, which aims to deliver organic products from the field to the table, shared their 3-week HUG experiences, progress in their companies, and their needs with the attending guests.

Following the startup presentations, an interview with Hamdi Ulukaya and Selçuk Şirin about entrepreneurship and the HUG took place, and the event concluded with a musical performance by The Secret Trio.

Sevil İke Sala, a participant of the HUG17 Entrepreneurial Candidate Support Program, spoke as a panelist at the “Rising Power of Women in Rural Areas” event held at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women on March 20, 2018. Sala, who supports women in Hakkari economically through her initiative, shared her entrepreneurial story with the guests through her textile workshop.

Sala, who established a textile workshop in Hakkari, offers locally produced handmade products by the women of the region for sale worldwide. At the panel held at the United Nations, she stated, “My greatest dream is to promote gender equality worldwide. I want to contribute to a future where girls in rural areas are not deprived of their right to education and where women can make their own decisions. With this aim, I am planning to establish several workshops in Turkey to enable more women to have a presence in the economic field.”

The panel, jointly organized by the Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative and the Bridge to Türkiye Fund (BTF) / Bridge to Turkey Foundation, discussed the importance of involving women living in rural areas in social life through education and entrepreneurship.