ALARKO-ENTREPRENEURSHIP PIONEERS-2025 PERIOD BEGINS

Alarko fully supports women entrepreneurs

Pioneers of Entrepreneurship Launches Its Expanded New Phase

Launched by Alarko Holding to empower women entrepreneurs and foster inclusive economic growth, the Pioneers of Entrepreneurship Program is set to continue in 2025 with an expanded vision and refreshed training content.   Reaching entrepreneurs across Turkey, the program will continue to empower women through enhanced modules, expanded field training, inspiring meetups, podcasts, and increased grant support for a greater number of participants in the upcoming term.

For 70 years, Alarko Holding has embraced diversity and equal opportunity as fundamental pillars of its corporate culture, consistently making a meaningful impact through projects that prioritize economic and social development. Reflecting Alarko Holding’s inclusive and sustainability-driven approach to social impact, the Pioneers of Entrepreneurship Program continues to engage with current and future women entrepreneurs in 2025, offering enriched content and an expanding sphere of influence.
 
Pioneers of Entrepreneurship, implemented by Alarko Holding in collaboration with the Habitat Association since 2023, aims to foster sustainable and inclusive economic growth by supporting women’s entrepreneurship.   To date, the program has reached approximately 1700 women from all over Turkey. In the new period, the program aims to unite knowledge, experience, networking opportunities, and access to financing under one roof through updated training modules, inspiring meetups titled "From Dream to Success", podcasts, and expanded grant support designed to reach a greater number of women entrepreneurs. Since its launch, the program has garnered strong interest from aspiring and active women entrepreneurs, distinguishing itself through its structured efforts to build a lasting Pioneers of Entrepreneurship ecosystem that extends beyond training and grant support.  

Ümit N. Yıldız, CEO of Alarko Group of Companies, commented on the program: “We believe that the full and equal participation of women in economic life is not only a matter of social justice, but also a cornerstone of sustainable development, innovation, and prosperity. Through our Pioneers of Entrepreneurship Program, we provide an ecosystem that offers active and aspiring women entrepreneurs access to knowledge, experience, and networks that deliver strategic advantages. Beyond training, mentoring, and grant support, we empower women to achieve a more visible, resilient, and sustainable presence in economic life. In our third year, we aim to extend our training to more women, increase the number of entrepreneurs we support through grants, and foster a greater number of qualified, sustainable business models that create meaningful impact in society.”

Alarko fully supports women entrepreneurs

As a key pillar of Alarko Holding’s commitment to gender equality, the Pioneers of Entrepreneurship Program will offer both theoretical and practical training to women entrepreneurs in critical areas such as AI-powered digital marketing, design thinking, financial literacy, branding, and cooperative development. The training sessions, delivered through both online and in-person formats, are designed to span a total of 20 hours each semester. With a target of 1,500 women participating this year, the program is set to provide training access to over 3,000 women within three years.

The program also offers mentoring support to women entrepreneurs. At the end of the year, women entrepreneurs who successfully complete the training program have the opportunity to present their business plans before a jury of industry leaders, marking a significant milestone on their journey from dream to reality.  Following the jury evaluation, participants who distinguish themselves with their business ideas and presentations receive financial support to advance their initiatives to the next level. Within the project, entrepreneurs awarded grant support also benefit from Alarko’s assistance in media visibility, providing women entrepreneurs with a stronger and more confident foundation as they enter the business world. 

Grant support for more women entrepreneurs in 2025

As part of the 2025 grant call and schedule, women entrepreneurs engaged in manufacturing, agricultural production, services, and digital production are invited to apply for the support program, which is organized through an open call. After the application process, 40 women entrepreneurs who successfully complete the training and pass the technical screening will present their projects to the jury following a 10-hour intensive acceleration program. Grant support will be awarded to 20 women entrepreneurs chosen through the jury’s evaluation.   Women’s cooperatives, businesses registered with chambers of artisans and craftsmen, joint stock companies, and limited liability companies are all eligible to apply for the program.

Inspiring meetups, podcast series, and more...

The "From Dream to Success" Inspiring Meetups and podcasts, newly introduced to the program this year and scheduled to take place in various cities across Turkey, will feature prominent figures from the Turkish business and entrepreneurship communities alongside women entrepreneurs who have received grant support through the program.   At these stages, which will explore the keys to success on the entrepreneurial journey, the program aims to engage a broader audience of women entrepreneurs it supports. 

Record participation, high impact in 2024

Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Pioneers of Entrepreneurship Project makes tangible contributions toward advancing gender equality and addressing economic and social inequalities. By fostering women’s equal and meaningful participation in the workforce, the project aspires to serve as a cornerstone of an inclusive and equitable development strategy. It also underscores that sustainable development is a multidimensional, collective effort that fosters strong collaboration and partnerships among diverse stakeholders, including the public sector, private enterprises, and civil society organizations. The Pioneers of Entrepreneurship Project also leads the way in promoting solidarity-based, sustainable business models.  

As of 2024, the number of women participating in the training programs has risen to 1,700. Additionally, 15 women entrepreneurs from various provinces—including Istanbul, Hatay, Diyarbakır, Denizli, Ankara, and Rize—working in sectors such as health, products with geographical indication, technology, manufacturing, tourism, and sustainable furniture production, have been awarded grants.  The project’s social impact reports reveal a powerful social transformation effect, demonstrating that for every TL 1 invested, TL 2.61 of social value is generated.