Garanti BBVA’s Woman Entrepreneur of Türkiye Competition Celebrates Its 19th Year
Winners in five categories were announced at a gala ceremony on April 28, with Gurvita founder Bahar Şamhili Tanju named Woman Entrepreneur of Türkiye. The competition, organized by Garanti BBVA in partnership with Ekonomist magazine and KAGİDER, has received more than 50,000 applications since its launch in 2007.
Alongside the overall winner, prizes were awarded to Bahar Alan (Novavera) as Woman Entrepreneur Making a Sustainable Difference in Her Region, Hülya Tomak (Blueit) as Promising Woman Entrepreneur in Technology, İpek Tüysüzoğlu (Yugen) as Woman Social Impact Entrepreneur, and Sıla Elevli, who accepted the Woman Cooperative award on behalf of the Tekfındık Women’s Enterprise and Business Cooperative.
Garanti BBVA CEO Mahmut Akten said the bank has taken a holistic approach to women’s entrepreneurship built around four pillars: financing, training, market access, and encouragement. Over the past five years, financing provided to women entrepreneurs has exceeded TRY 350 billion, while the Türkiye Women Entrepreneur Academy has reached 6,000 women entrepreneurs and the Women in Trade platform has helped connect them with new markets. Akten noted that the competition began with just 103 applications in 2007 and has since become a brand in its own right within the entrepreneurship ecosystem. “We believe that women’s equal participation in the economy is not only a matter of equality but also a powerful driver of development,” he said, adding that the bank also aims to connect women entrepreneurs with global networks and contribute to international success stories.
KAGİDER Chair Esra Bezircioğlu said the competition has evolved beyond an awards program into a platform that makes women’s potential visible and inspires others. Ekonomist editor-in-chief Talip Yılmaz noted that the share of women-led ventures in Türkiye’s entrepreneurship ecosystem has grown from 3–4% to around 18% over the life of the initiative, with women entrepreneurs now active in fields such as e-commerce, gaming, technology, and various branches of science, alongside more traditional sectors.
About the winners
Gurvita develops high-value-added food products such as bone broth, combining traditional production methods with modern consumer habits and selling both domestically and internationally. Novavera produces high-quality olive oil using sustainable farming practices, contributing to local development while representing Türkiye in international markets. Blueit offers technology-based solutions designed to raise awareness of water consumption and management. Yugen produces alternative leather from natural waste such as pomegranate peel, offering an innovative model in the circular economy. The Tekfındık cooperative modernizes hazelnut farming through data-driven and sustainable production methods, strengthening the participation of women producers in the local economy.