A New Era in Social Entrepreneurship: Launch Event of the Social Entrepreneurship Project Held in Ankara

The "Supporting Civil Society through Social Entrepreneurship in Türkiye Project" financed by the European Union under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance III. Period (IPA III) was officially launched at an event held in Ankara on 21 July 2026. The main beneficiary of the project is Directorate for EU Affairs, whereas the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Industry and Technology are co-beneficiaries.

The opening remarks were delivered by H.E. Ambassador Aivo Orav, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye; Mr. Bülent Özcan, Director General for Financial Cooperation and Project Implementation at the Directorate for EU Affairs; Mr. Ahmet Şimşek, Director General of Development Agencies at the Ministry of Industry and Technology; Mr. Adem Başar, Director General for Domestic Trade at the Ministry of Trade; and Mr. Barbaros Murat Köse, Director of the Central Finance and Contracts Unit (CFCU).

The speakers underlined the importance of the project in strengthening the capacities of civil society organisations and social enterprises, enhancing their sustainability, and increasing their social impact. The event was also attended by the Ambassadors of Denmark, Croatia, Hungary, Malta, Poland, and Slovenia, as well as the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Croatia.

During the panel entitled "Good Practices and Emerging Models in Türkiye", representatives from the sector shared successful examples and discussed emerging approaches in the field of social entrepreneurship in Türkiye.

The second panel, "How Can We Strengthen the Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Türkiye?", focused on the key challenges facing the ecosystem and explored practical recommendations for its further development.

The event also featured a Social Entrepreneurship Fair, where participants had the opportunity to engage directly with social enterprises, learn about their initiatives, and explore opportunities for collaboration aimed at creating greater social impact.

The project, which will be implemented between 2026 and 2029, aims to enhance the sustainability and social impact of civil society organisations and social economy actors in Türkiye. With a total budget of 6 million euro, the project will provide 4 million euro in grant funding to social economy actors through four Regional Development Agencies (Ankara Development Agency, BAKKA, KUZKA, and ZAFER) as part of its grant component.

Further information about the project is available through its official website and social media channels.