Elder-Elektrik Dağıtım Hizmetleri Derneği (Association of Electricity Distribution System Operators)

What Elder-Elektrik Dağıtım Hizmetleri Derneği (Association of Electricity Distribution System Operators) does

Elder (Elektrik Dağıtım Hizmetleri Derneği — Association of Electricity Distribution System Operators) is a Turkish non-profit civil society organization (dernek) founded in 1999 and headquartered in Ankara's Çankaya district. It functions as the sole umbrella association for all 21 privatized electricity distribution companies operating in Turkey, which collectively serve approximately 50.7 million consumers, manage 1,491,396 km of distribution lines, operate 557,438 transformers, distribute 279 TWh of electricity annually, and employ over 100,000 workers. Elder does not develop proprietary technology products but coordinates sector-wide R&D, training, certification, and innovation programs across this $52.4 billion TL (2024) investment base. Core programs include Elder Akademi (workforce training and digital education platform), Elder MYM (professional competence certification center), and the Enerjim Sensin Hızlandırma Programı (startup acceleration run with EPDK and İTÜ ARI Teknokent). Elder also coordinates 34 nationally funded Ar-Ge projects (628 million TL total value), 7 internationally funded projects (~1.5 million EUR Elder share), and the Milli Akıllı Sayaç Sistemleri (MASS) — a National Smart Meter System covering domestically developed meters, communication devices, and central software with brand-independent interoperability. Elder's revenue comes from membership dues paid by the 21 distribution companies, project coordination and management fees, and fee-based training and certification services. The association represents the sector before EPDK, the Ministry of Energy, and international bodies (UNFCCC COP observer since December 2023; partnerships with E.DSO and Eurelectric under an EU Green Deal alignment project running through February 2027).

Name

Elder-Elektrik Dağıtım Hizmetleri Derneği (Association of Electricity Distribution System Operators)

Legal name

Elektrik Dağıtım Hizmetleri Derneği

Website

https://elder.org.tr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Elder is a Turkish non-profit trade association founded in 1999, serving as the sole umbrella organization for Turkey's 21 privatized electricity distribution companies, coordinating sector-wide R&D, training, certification, and policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ankara

HQ country

Türkiye

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership fees from electricity distribution companies: Elder generates revenue through membership fees paid by its 21 electricity distribution company members. As a civil society organization, its primary financial resource is member contributions.
2. Project coordination and management fees (Ar-Ge): Elder coordinates nationally and internationally funded R&D projects. It has coordinated 34 national fund-backed Ar-Ge projects with a total current value of 628 million TL, and 7 international fund-backed projects with Elder share of approximately 1.5 million euros.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Elder is the non-profit civil society umbrella organization (dernek) for all 21 electricity distribution companies operating in Turkey. It coordinates sector-wide R&D projects, provides professional training via Elder Akademi, issues vocational competence certifications via Elder MYM, publishes annual sector reports, runs the Enerjim Sensin startup acceleration program, and represents member interests before regulatory bodies (EPDK), the Ministry of Energy, and international organizations. It generates revenue primarily through membership fees from its 21 distribution company members and project coordination fees for funded R&D initiatives.

Product overview

Elder (Elektrik Dağıtım Hizmetleri Derneği) is a civil society organization serving as the umbrella association for Turkey's 21 electricity distribution companies. Rather than a single product, the organization operates a portfolio of sector-focused initiatives including: Elder MYM for professional qualification certification, Elder Akademi for training and digital education, Elder Yayınları for industry publications and reports, the Enerjim Sensin Hızlandırma Programı for startup acceleration, and coordinated R&D project programs (both nationally and internationally funded). The core offering centers on sector coordination, research publications, professional development, and innovation support rather than a unified software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Elder MYM: Elder Elektrik Dağıtım Hizmetleri Derneği İktisadi İşletmesi Mesleki Yeterlilik Belgelendirme Merkezi - Professional qualification certification center providing vocational qualification certification services for the electricity distribution sector.
• Elder Akademi

Products and services

• Elder Akademi Training and Digital Education Platform Sector-wide training and digital education platform for the electricity distribution workforce, offering training programs, training calendar, instructor network, academy model, and digital education platform accessible to member companies and their employees.
• Elder MYM Professional Qualification Certification Professional qualification certification center (Mesleki Yeterlilik Belgelendirme Merkezi) that issues vocational competency certifications to the electricity distribution sector workforce in compliance with national professional qualification standards.
• Elder Yayınları (Elder Publications) Annual sector reports and international publications covering electricity distribution statistics, investments, infrastructure, loss rates, employment, and sector performance data for the 21 distribution regions in Turkey.
• Enerjim Sensin Hızlandırma Programı (Startup Acceleration Program) Startup acceleration program coordinated with EPDK and İTÜ ARI Teknokent that supports energy-sector entrepreneurs with workspace, mentorship, training, investment, networking, and cash prizes, and connects them with the 21 distribution companies for commercial pilots.
• National Fund-Backed R&D Project Coordination (Ulusal Fonlu Ar-Ge Projeleri) Coordination of nationally funded R&D projects for the electricity distribution sector, including the Milli Akıllı Sayaç Sistemleri (MASS) National Smart Meter System project and other innovation initiatives delivered to member companies.
• International Fund-Backed Project Coordination (Uluslararası Fonlu Projeler) Coordination of internationally funded R&D and policy projects, including the EU-financed 'EU Green Deal: Clean, Affordable and Secure Electricity for All' project with E.DSO and Eurelectric, aligning Turkish distribution companies with European Green Deal standards.

Quantifiable outcome

• Coordinated 34 national fund-backed Ar-Ge projects worth 628 million TL and 7 international fund-backed projects with Elder share of ~1.5 million euros
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• E.DSO (European Distribution System Operators Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Elder is collaborating with E.DSO under the EU-funded project 'EU Green Deal in the Light of: Clean, Affordable and Secure Electricity for All'. Elder proposed matching Turkish electricity distribution companies with E.DSO member firms for joint projects. The project runs until February 2027 with 21 Turkish distribution companies as participants. Charles Esser, E.DSO Secretary General, met with Elder's team to discuss sector alignment with the European Green Deal.
• EurelectriccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Elder is collaborating with Eurelectric under the same EU-funded 'EU Green Deal in the Light of: Clean, Affordable and Secure Electricity for All' project. Elder's Secretary General Fakir Hüseyin Erdoğan met with Eurelectric Secretary General Kristian Ruby in Brussels to discuss Turkey's electricity distribution sector's alignment with the European Green Deal and explore cooperation opportunities.
• Schneider ElectricminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Schneider Electric sponsored and co-organized the 'İnovasyon Günleri: Dijital Şebekeler' (Innovation Days: Digital Grids) event with Elder. All electricity distribution companies participated in this event focused on smart grid technologies and digital transformation.
• TÜRKSMD (Türkiye Akıllı Şebekeler ve Smart Grid Derneği)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 October 2023TÜRKSMD partnered with Elder, EPDK, and Enerji Uzmanları Derneği to organize the II. Ar-Ge Eğitimi ve Yaygınlaştırma Çalıştayı (R&D Training and Dissemination Workshop) held October 26-28, 2023.
• Enerji Uzmanları Derneği (Energy Experts Association)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 October 2023Enerji Uzmanları Derneği partnered with Elder, EPDK, and TÜRKSMD to organize the II. Ar-Ge Eğitimi ve Yaygınlaştırma Çalıştayı, providing training sessions on Ar-Ge project development for distribution companies.
• İTÜ ARI TeknokentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023İTÜ ARI Teknokent is Elder's key partner in the Enerjim Sensin Hızlandırma Programı acceleration program, which was initiated by Elder and EPDK in 2018 and has been run with İTÜ ARI Teknokent since 2021. İTÜ ARI Teknokent provides workspace, mentorship, training, investment, and networking support to energy startups selected through the program. Elder and EPDK provide 3.1 million TL in cash prizes, with Big Bang Startup Challenge offering an additional 1 million TL Elder Special Award.
• EPDK (Energy Market Regulatory Authority / Enerji Piyasası Düzenleme Kurumu)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPDK is the energy regulator and Elder's primary government partner. Together they co-coordinate the Enerjim Sensin acceleration program, co-organize Ar-Ge dissemination workshops, and collaborate on sector regulation and development. EPDK Ar-Ge Commission Chairman Serkan Doğan participates in Elder's events and project evaluations.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• ENTSO-E (European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity): Association of European transmission system operators for electricity, focused on high-voltage transmission rather than distribution. It is an adjacent institutional peer to Elder, relevant because of parallel EU-facing coordination and decarbonization mandate.
• CEER (Council of European Energy Regulators): European body of independent national energy regulators including EPDK-type functions. Relevant adjacent peer given Elder's close working relationship with EPDK and its consultation role in regulation, though CEER serves regulators themselves rather than operators.
• Enerji Uzmanları Derneği: Turkish Energy Experts Association involved in training and certification adjacent to Elder's mandate. Elder collaborates with it on the Ar-Ge Eğitimi ve Yaygınlaştırma Çalıştayı workshops alongside EPDK and TÜRKSMD, making it an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.
• CIGRE (International Council on Large Electric Systems): Global non-profit organization for power-system expertise spanning generation, transmission, and distribution. Comparable to Elder in being a member-driven civil society body focused on electricity infrastructure knowledge sharing and technical standards.

Direct peers

• E.DSO (European Distribution System Operators Association): The European-level umbrella association for distribution system operators, structurally identical to Elder's role for Turkey. Elder is currently collaborating with E.DSO under the EU-funded 'Clean, Affordable and Secure Energy for All' project, making it the closest functional and operational peer.
• Energy Networks Association (UK): Trade association representing UK electricity and gas transmission and distribution network operators, performing a national-sector coordination function analogous to Elder's role for Turkey's 21 distribution companies, including R&D coordination, policy advocacy, and technical standards.

Broad incumbents

• Eurelectric: Pan-European electricity industry association covering generation, distribution, and supply, broader than Elder's distribution-only mandate. Elder is in active cooperation with Eurelectric through the EU Green Deal alignment project, mirroring how Eurelectric interfaces with national associations across Europe.

Regional players

• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA): U.S. trade association for rural electric cooperatives providing member services, advocacy, and training to distribution utilities. Comparable to Elder as a member-driven industry body coordinating a network of distribution entities across a national footprint.
• American Public Power Association (APPA): U.S.-based association for community-owned, state, and public-sector electric utilities, performing national-sector representation, training, and advocacy for distribution utilities analogous to Elder's role but serving U.S. public power rather than Turkish privatized distribution.

Emerging players

• TÜRKSMD (Türkiye Akıllı Şebekeler ve Smart Grid Derneği): Turkish Smart Grids Association focused specifically on smart-grid and clean-energy technology adoption; Elder co-organizes R&D dissemination workshops with TÜRKSMD, making it a partial-overlap peer operating inside the same Turkish electricity sector ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ElderBilgi
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Elder_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elder-elektrik-da-t-m-hizmetleri-derne-i-
• Instagraminstagram.com/elder_bilgi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Elder-Elektrik Dağıtım Hizmetleri Derneği (Association of Electricity Distribution System Operators)