Girisimcilik Vakfi

What Girisimcilik Vakfi does

Girişimcilik Vakfı (GIRVAK) is a Turkish non-profit foundation (Vakfı) established in 2014 and headquartered in Istanbul's Esentepe, Beşiktaş district. Founded by business leaders who believed entrepreneurship was the key to Turkey's transformation, GIRVAK works to create and spread an entrepreneurship culture across Turkey. The foundation operates a portfolio of human-delivered programs — Youth Programs (Fellow, launched 2014; Challanger, launched 2020), Impact Programs (climate and society, since 2016), Talent Development Programs, Community Programs, Corporate Entrepreneurship Programs, and Giveback Gala/Alumni engagement — serving aspiring entrepreneurs, university students and recent graduates, young tech talent, corporations seeking internal innovation capacity, and broader ecosystem stakeholders including NGOs, academia, government, and investors.

Name

Girisimcilik Vakfi

Legal name

Türkiye Girişimcilik Vakfı

Website

https://girisimcilikvakfi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Girişimcilik Vakfı (GIRVAK) is a Turkish non-profit foundation, established in 2014 and headquartered in Istanbul, that runs free youth entrepreneurship, talent development, impact, and corporate innovation programs across Turkey, serving students, aspiring entrepreneurs, corporations, and ecosystem stakeholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Development Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM), Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Venture Creation Centers (EDAHAHAH)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship education programs
• Youth talent development
• Startup ecosystem support
• Corporate innovation programs
• Social impact entrepreneurship

Headquarters

HQ city

Istanbul

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Türkiye Girişimcilik Vakfı (GİRVAK) operates free entrepreneurship development programs for Turkish youth and aspiring entrepreneurs, including the Fellow and Challenger youth programs, talent development tracks in tech/AI/fintech, impact programs focused on sustainability, corporate in-house entrepreneurship programs, and an alumni Giveback community. The foundation facilitates networking, mentorship matching, startup idea development, and has mobilized $31 million in investment across its programs.

Product overview

Girisimcilik Vakfi (GİRVAK) is Turkey's Entrepreneurship Foundation, operating as a non-profit organization that supports entrepreneurship culture rather than offering a technology product. The foundation runs multiple interconnected programs: Youth Programs (Fellow and Challanger tracks) develop young entrepreneurs; Impact Programs focus on sustainability; Talent Development Programs build technology and entrepreneurship skills; Community Programs facilitate networking; Corporate Entrepreneurship Programs help organizations innovate internally; and Giveback programs enable alumni to contribute back to the ecosystem. The foundation also publishes talent whitepapers and manages scholarship funds. All programs collectively engaged 9000 participants, received 1.4 million applications, and facilitated 500+ startup ideas with $31 million in investment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Giveback: Program focused on alumni giving back and community engagement, including Giveback Gala events
• Fellow Program
• Challanger Program
• Giveback Gala

Products and services

• Youth Programs (Gençlik Programları) - Fellow & Challenger tracks Free entrepreneurship development programs for Turkish university students and young people (ages 18-25), with 403 Fellows trained since 2014 (50% women) and 221 Challengers since 2020, designed to develop entrepreneurial competencies, mindset, and startup founding skills.
• Impact Programs (Etki Programları) Sustainability-focused programs with 21 projects engaging 1,500 young people (40% women) addressing climate and societal impact through sustainable business collaborations.
• Talent Development Programs (Yetenek Geliştirme Programları)

Quantifiable outcome

• 9,000 young participants trained since 2014 with 54% women, of whom 52% founded startups and 85% contribute to the entrepreneurship ecosystem
• +5 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Google TurkeycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoogle Turkey is listed as a key supporter of the foundation, contributing to technology-focused programs and talent development initiatives. The partnership supports the foundation's mission to develop tech-based entrepreneurship skills among Turkish youth.
• TSKB (Türkiye Sınai Kalkınma Bankası)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTSKB (Turkish Industrial Development Bank) supports the foundation's programs as a corporate partner, contributing to entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives.
• Ünlü CosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerÜnlü Co is listed as a supporter contributing to the foundation's programs and initiatives.
• Odea BanksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOdea Bank supports the foundation's programs as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.
• BoeingsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoeing supports the foundation as part of its engagement with the Turkish aviation, aerospace, and broader innovation ecosystem.
• Nurol HoldingsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNurol Holding contributes to the foundation's programs as a corporate supporter.
• SOCAR TürkiyesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOCAR Turkey supports the foundation's entrepreneurship programs as part of its commitment to social impact and talent development.
• Ford OtosansupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFord Otosan supports the foundation's programs, contributing to talent development and innovation initiatives in Turkey's automotive and mobility sector.
• Marjinal Porter NovellisupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarjinal Porter Novelli supports the foundation's communications and brand strategy efforts.
• IC HoldingsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIC Holding is listed as a supporting partner contributing to the foundation's programs.
• 43 Ecosystem Partners (8 NGOs, 3 academic institutions, 22 private sector, 9 public institutions)coreOthersThe foundation has partnered with 43 organizations across 40 projects, including 8 NGOs, 3 academic institutions, 22 private sector representatives, and 9 public institutions. These partnerships span the full range of the foundation's programs from youth education to impact initiatives.

Scale indicators26 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Endeavor Turkey: Endeavor Turkey selects and supports high-impact entrepreneurs in Turkey, providing mentorship, networks, and access to global resources — directly comparable as a non-profit entrepreneurship support organization operating in the same Turkish ecosystem.
• Habitat Association: Turkish non-profit supporting youth development, social entrepreneurship, and digital literacy — comparable in mission and non-profit foundation structure, with overlapping youth-and-entrepreneurship programming.
• Impact Hub Istanbul: Part of the global Impact Hub network, Impact Hub Istanbul runs an entrepreneurship incubator, co-working space, and impact-focused startup programs — directly comparable as a community-based entrepreneurship support platform in Turkey.
• Etohum (now bizz.me / Fongogo): Early Turkish startup ecosystem platform that ran early-stage startup idea competitions and entrepreneurship education programs — historically comparable as a Turkish entrepreneurship education and ecosystem-building organization.

Broad incumbents

• TÜSİAD (Turkish Industry and Business Association): Turkey's leading business association running entrepreneurship, innovation, and digital transformation programs as part of a broader industry advocacy mandate — comparable as a large-scale entrepreneurship ecosystem player but with much wider scope.
• TOBB (Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey): Turkey's national chamber and commodity exchanges body, which administers entrepreneurship support programs and SME development initiatives — comparable as a national-level entrepreneurship ecosystem enabler, though broader in scope.

Regional players

• MIT Enterprise Forum Turkey: Turkey chapter of MIT Enterprise Forum, running entrepreneurship competitions, mentorship, and accelerator-style programs — comparable as a Turkey-focused entrepreneurship support organization using international brand affiliation.
• Keiretsu Forum Turkey: Turkey chapter of global Keiretsu angel investor network, providing early-stage capital and mentorship to Turkish startups — comparable as part of the Turkish entrepreneurship ecosystem with overlapping mentor and investor networks.
• İTÜ ARI Teknokent (ITU Technology Development Zone): Leading Turkish university-based technology park and startup incubator providing workspace, mentorship, and corporate connectivity — comparable as a Turkey-based entrepreneurship infrastructure player that channels talent into the tech ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Startupbootcamp Istanbul: Global accelerator program operating in Istanbul, providing seed funding and mentorship to early-stage startups — comparable as a Turkey-based entrepreneurship accelerator, though focused on venture-style outcomes rather than foundation-driven education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bayrak-asuman-5673a6
• Xx.com/girvak
• Facebookfacebook.com/girisimcilikvakfi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments6 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Girisimcilik Vakfi