Six months from idea to first prototype, with no equity taken
Tohum Pre-Incubation Programme
Office space, mentoring and a prototype budget of up to 150,000 TRY for teams at idea or early prototype stage.
View DetailsStartup accelerator and incubator – Ankara
Let your idea sprout and your startup grow
From pre-incubation to a first investment of up to 3,000,000 TRY, from 60+ mentors to corporate pilots, we accompany technology startups through their first three years. Autumn cohort applications are open.
- 1,8 bn ₺
- Total investment raised by alumni
- 68%
- Startups still active after 24 months
Who we are
The founder's partner for the first three years
Çimlen Girişim Merkezi is an independent incubator and accelerator founded in Ankara in 2017. Each cohort admits a limited number of startups; we combine capital, office space, mentors and corporate connections in one programme. We measure success by the founder's first customer, first revenue and first investment.
- Only 10-12 startups are selected each cohort
- Transparent, standard investment terms
- 60+ active mentors and a network of 40 investors
Alumni network
12+ alumni startups
Startups that graduated from the Tohum, Filiz and Dal programmes. Filter by sector, cohort, programme and amount of investment raised; contact the startup that interests you directly.
SulayıkAgriculture and food
KasaverseFintech
NabızcaHealth technology
Ayrık EnerjiEnergy and climate
PaketyolLogistics and mobility
HeceleEducation technologySulayıkAgriculture and foodKasaverseFintechNabızcaHealth technologyAyrık EnerjiEnergy and climatePaketyolLogistics and mobilityHeceleEducation technology
KalıpzekaManufacturing and industry
RumenbiyoAgriculture and food
YolcubirLogistics and mobility
Sera360Agriculture and food
HukuknotSoftware and AI
AtıkdöngüEnergy and climateKalıpzekaManufacturing and industryRumenbiyoAgriculture and foodYolcubirLogistics and mobilitySera360Agriculture and foodHukuknotSoftware and AIAtıkdöngüEnergy and climateProgrammes
A programme for every stage
12 weeks, 3,000,000 TRY investment and a Demo Day
Filiz Accelerator Programme
A 12-week intensive programme for startups with an MVP: investment, bootcamps, mentoring and an investor pitch.
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Series A preparation for revenue-generating startups
Dal Growth Programme
A 16-week growth, enterprise sales and investor access programme for startups with recurring monthly revenue.
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60+ founders, investors and industry specialists
Mentor Network
One-to-one mentor sessions matched by expertise in sales, finance, law, product and exports.
View Details1,200 m² of working space and a hardware workshop
Prototype Workshop and Co-working Space
Hot desks, fixed desks and private offices; 3D printers, an electronics lab and laser cutting for hardware startups.
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From incorporation to shareholder agreements, from grant applications to e-invoicing
Legal, Financial and Grant Support
Ready templates and expert support for company formation, shareholder agreements, IP registration and TÜBİTAK/KOSGEB…
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Featured
Are you ready to apply?
The eight-question readiness test shows which programme suits your startup and what to focus on before applying.
Cohort flow
From application to Demo Day
- 01
Apply
Send the online form and your pitch deck; first screening is completed within 10 working days.
- 02
Panel interview
A 20-minute pitch to a panel of mentors and investors.
- 03
Programme
Weekly bootcamps, mentor sessions and first-customer targets.
- 04
Demo Day
A final pitch in front of investors and corporate partners.
Calendar
Demo Day and bootcamp calendar
31OctCommunityOpen Office DayGet to know the co-working space, the workshop and the programme team up close.- 3NovWebinarCohort Application Information Webinar 18:30 · Online (Zoom)
- 6NovBootcampBootcamp Week 1: Customer Discovery and Problem Validation 10:00 · Çimlen Ümitköy Hub, Workshop Hall
- 10NovWorkshopFounder Law Workshop: Shareholder Agreement and Vesting 14:00 · Çimlen Ümitköy Hub, Meeting Hall
- 13NovBootcampBootcamp Week 2: Product-Market Fit and Metrics 10:00 · Çimlen Ümitköy Hub, Workshop Hall
Mentor network
Mentors with field experience
Our mentor network of founders who built their own startups, angel investors and industry specialists. Filter by area of expertise, years of experience and whether they invest; request an introductory meeting.
Ayşe Nehir DalkılıçB2B yazılım kurucu ortağı, 2023'te satıldı
Tolga ErkmenEski kurumsal girişim sermayesi yöneticisi
Dr. Gülsüm KaraaslanAraştırma enstitüsü yapay zekâ laboratuvarı yöneticisi
Barış ÖnderElektronik kart üretim tesisi kurucusu
Meltem Sarıgül, AttorneyGirişim ve teknoloji hukuku avukatı
Cenk YıldırımerMakine üreticisi eski ihracat direktörü
Derya AksoyluTüketici uygulaması kurucusu (3 milyon indirme)
Kaan TezcanMobil oyun stüdyosu eski ürün direktörüFounder tools
Dilution Calculator
Calculate the investor's share and your founder share after investment from the investment amount, pre-money valuation and option pool.
Our alumni say
From seed to sapling
We entered the programme selling devices and left with a subscription model. Our mentors sat at the same table as farmers and tested the price together. Two months after Demo Day we closed our round.
Çimlen made us choose our channel: accountants. In the weekly bootcamp we had to present our metrics every Friday; that discipline became part of our company culture.
It is not easy to find mentors who know why the hospital sales cycle takes so long. In the Dal programme we rebuilt both our sales process and our capital plan.
Tohum gave us not only a desk and budget but the courage to pilot in our first three schools. By the end we had a clear MVP plan and our grant application ready.
We ran our first pilot through Çimlen with its corporate partner. An introduction that would have taken months outside the programme happened in two weeks. The only drawback was how short the programme was.
Founder's guide
Practical notes for founders
Investment and Finance
Pre-seed Pitch Deck: The 10 Slides an Investor Looks for in the First 90 Seconds
An early-stage investor screens a deck in about a minute and a half. Here are the questions to answer in that…
Read MoreLegal and Grants
Founder Agreements and Vesting: Six Things to Do on Day One
The issue that wastes the most time in an investment round is founder equity left unresolved at the start. A…
Read MoreProduct and Growth
How Do You Measure Product-Market Fit? Five Metrics for the Early Stage
Product-market fit is not a feeling but a measurable state. The five metrics we track in the Filiz programme…
Read MorePartners
Corporate partners and investor network
- Pusula Katılım Bankası
- Doruk Enerji Dağıtım
- Yelken Girişim Ortakları
- Karadut Gıda Grubu
- Ilgaz Sağlık Grubu
- Başar Perakende
- Alpay Teknoloji Yatırım
- Selçuk Otomotiv Yan Sanayi
FAQ
What founders ask most
Who can apply?
Any team solving a technology-based problem with at least one full-time founder can apply. Tohum expects an idea or prototype, Filiz a working MVP and Dal recurring revenue. Incorporation is not required to apply; a company must be formed for the Filiz investment.
How much equity do you take in the Filiz programme?
We take about 7% equity for the 3,000,000 TRY investment, paid in two tranches. No equity is taken in the Tohum and Dal programmes. Details are published on the Programme Model page.
Is there an application fee?
No. The application and the panel interview are free. Desks and mentor support are also free for programme participants.
When are applications concluded?
First screening is concluded within 10 working days. Shortlisted teams are invited to a panel interview; the final decision is communicated within 5 working days after the interview.
Do I have to move to Ankara to join the programme?
No. The weekly bootcamps and mentor sessions are held both in person and online. However, we expect at least one founder to be present at Demo Day and the monthly community meetings. You can also use our Istanbul, Izmir and Eskişehir touchpoints.
Can foreign founders apply?
Yes. Foreign founders can apply provided the company is formed in Turkey and at least one founder is in Turkey during the programme. An English bootcamp track is available.
Applications for the new cohort are open
Apply now for the programme that fits you from idea stage to growth stage, or book an information session.