The Girişim Fabrikası (Fit Startup Factory) is a technology accelerator program in Istanbul, Turkey that seeks to enable entrepreneurs to build sustainable, high-growth startups. It provides a 6-month program of training, mentoring, and resources to take ideas from concept to launch. The program has supported 18 startups so far, with companies employing 40 people and raising over 1.4 million Turkish Lira in angel investment.

1. Istanbul | Turkey
Enabling entrepreneurs to build sustainable,
high-growth startup companies

2. Girişim Fabrikası (Fit Startup Factory)
is a technology accelerator program designed to enable tech
entrepreneurs in Turkey, Eastern Europe and MENA to create high
potential, sustainable businesses, taking them from the idea stage to
launch.
We seek to close the knowledge and resource gap experienced by promising
young entrepreneurs as they embark on their startup adventure.

3. Opportunity
“ Turkey is in the midst of an uprising. Young
people, united and empowered by technology,
“ “
are pounding at the gates of the old order and
demanding that their country's elites make
room for their new ideas.
Rob Salkowitz
Fast Company, March 2011

4. Who are these entrepreneurs?
Abdullah (28)
Uğur (25)
Dilfer (27)
• Engineers with MSc. degrees
• National Business Plan
Competition Winners
• 1-2 years professional experience
• Using internet technologies to
solve societal and business
issues… in the classroom, on the
design floor, etc.

5. PAINS • Lack of Structured Training
• Insufficient and Opaque Sector Information
• Low Level of Resources in own Networks
What are they looking for?
Feedback and Advise on Business Idea
Learn to build innovative business models
Access to pre-seed financing
Focus on Code & Customers
(rather than office space, legal terms, accounting mumbo-jumbo)
• More PR, More Coverage, More WOM
GAINS • Meet Like-Minded, Like-Motivated Young
Entrepreneurs, i.e. a Startup Community

6. Selection
Our primary focus is on team rather than business plans.
We seek teams who embody the core functions for startup success, while
exhibiting an openness to learn and ability to pivot their idea. We know
that Plan A is almost never the winning formula, so we want
entrepreneurs who can 'Get Out of the Building', test & experiment, and
then move to Plan B based on validated learning.

7. Our Acceleration Process
6 Months to the Finish Line
The Fit Startup Program is built around the assumption that great
entrepreneurs are raised, but game-changing ideas (and likewise
startups) are the collaborative efforts of founders, mentors, and move to
customers. We simply endeavor to create a platform for those market
(1 month)
elements to come and work together.
GF Business Plan Competition
GF Virtual Open Lecture Fit Startup Canvas
develop and validate
bootcamp product & biz
sustainable & investable
Academic Programs (2 weeks) development
business models using an in-
house model canvas* + (4 months)
Social Media, Web Presence badge-driven gamification
process
Partnership Activities & Events
prototype
development
(3 weeks)
* a blend of current entrepreneurial thinking, inspired by the work
of Steve Blank, Alex Osterwalder, Eric Ries, & Ash Maurya

8. Our success is defined by the collaborative skills and know-how of our team,
bridging live experience in startups together with academic entrepreneurship
methodologies and an international network, which we utilize to develop an
intense training and mentoring program in order to catalyze business model
innovation and the formation of sustainable startups.
Jason Lau, Murat Tortopoğlu, İhsan Elgin,
Supervisor & Lecturer Supervisor Director & Entrepreneur

9. Acceleration Services
• Office Space
• Legal & Accounting Consultancy
• Tech Support
• Access to University Resources
• Comprehensive Mentoring Program
– internal mentors on a bi-weekly basis
– external mentor network (local angel investors and VCs, serial entrepreneurs,
experienced developers and corporate representatives) on a needs basis
– external consultants (HR, marketing & branding, etc.) for short, issue-focused
consultations
– Board of Directors monthly for updates

10. Our Ecosystem
Founders
Sponsors
Government
Support
Non-Profit &
Incubators
Angel Investors
Venture Capitalists

11. The Market
Turkish culture is progressively opening up to
entrepreneurship. Following impressive economic growth,
Turkey has developed politically and institutionally,
accommodating itself better to entrepreneurship.
80% of entrepreneurs say
that Turkish culture encourages business.
Entrepreneurs Speak Out
The Nice Côte d’Azur 2011
Entrepreneurship Barometer

12. Turkey 72
50%
million people
under 30
8.8% economic expansion 35 million online
57% increase in e-commerce 13th internet economy
In Europe, 3rd in online engagement engaged
(32.7 hours online per month)
1st in content consumption
(3,706 pages per month) hungry
5th in Facebook penetration
8th in Twitter penetration socially
3rd in Foursquare usage networked

13. Competitors
• Acceleration through Lean Startup Methodology
and Mentor Network
Girişim Fabrikası
• Business Model Innovation through Fit Startup
(Fit Startup Factory) Canvas
• Pre Seed Capital, Legal & Accounting Services
• Focus on Business Plan, not Model
University Incubators • Deliver Incubation Services Only
• Professional Software Development Support
Private Incubators • Seed & Angel Capital
• Focused only on e-commerce
• Strong Network, Ready Customer Base
GSM Operators Incubation
• No Seed Capital Provided
Programs • Lack of Professional Services
• Strong Local and Global Network
• Established processes for selection & mentoring
Other Startup Programs • Some imported formal training programs
• Lack of Physical Space

14. Results: 18 months Angel Investment
Raised (TL)
1,415,000 TL
727
Applications Government Support
Received (TL)
74
Camp Participants
18
530,000 TL
40
People Employed
Selected
Some of our startups:
10 6 2
startups R&D Failed

15. Investment Opportunities
Sponsor the Factory and play an
integral role in the growth of the
program as well as benefiting from
GF’s central position in the Turkish
entrepreneurial ecosystem
Join our Investor Network and
get early networking and investment
opportunities with our dynamic
startups

16. girisimfabrikasi.com
girisimfabrikasi@ozyegin.edu.tr
facebook.com/GirisimFabrikasi
@girisimfabrika
Contact Information