In partnership with HSBC, WWF, and Hackquarters, the Sustainable Growth Program ended on July 1st with an online event. The program, which started with the speeches of Kaan Akın (Hackquarters), Selim Kervancı (HSBC), and Aslı Pasinli (WWF), continued with panels by alumni startups Agcurate, Anadolu Meraları, Atık Nakit, Hagelson, Laska, and Ottan.

Hackquarters Founder and CEO Kaan Akın stated in his opening speech that the Sustainable Growth Program received 222 applications in two years, 11 startups participated, and supported and cooperated with 25 startups. He added that they focused on Climate Action, one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, and talked about the achievements of last year's graduates.

In the opening speeches, HSBC Turkey's CEO Selim Kervancı emphasized that it is essential for them to work with entrepreneurs who support climate change. While talking about the actions HSBC is taking to tackle global warming, he added, "As HSBC, we aim to spread the use of clean technologies and raise awareness in this area to prevent our world from getting warmer." 

Lastly, WWF-Türkiye General Manager Aslı Pasinli mentioned that many of the world's problems could be solved with entrepreneurs and the innovations they create and share the uplifting news that awareness surrounding sustainability has increased in Turkey actions are being taken at the level of the Ministries.

The closing event continued with the graduate startups;

Ottan: For a sustainable future, Ottan develops and produces high-quality and long-lasting materials by the upcycling green waste in the circular economy model. With Ottan Materials, companies can pay for eco-products in more than five industries, such as furniture, houseware, and building.

Agcurate: Agcurate delivers accurate and periodical information for agri-businesses suffering a lack of rural agricultural intelligence, connecting agri-businesses with reliable and rich rural data and analytics.

Anadolu Meraları: Anadolu Meraları is an initiative that promotes regenerative agriculture and creates models for alternative markets and supply chains that make a bridge between economy and ecology by promoting practices that enrich the soil higher nutritional and monetary value to the end product. AM localizes proven regenerative farming techniques and recruits local farmers and young individuals, making rural communities attractive and viable living environments, thus reshaping rural life and unleashing potential in Turkey.

Atık Nakit: Atık Nakit combines the sources that generate recyclable wastes in homes and businesses and the recycling tools that collect these wastes. On the other hand, it makes waste management more sustainable and less costly with the occupancy sensor and the IoT-based brilliant waste container working with the press inside.

Hagelson: Hagelson, with its unique project and technology, produces plastic raw materials from recycling waste carpets. Thus, problems like waste carpets made during the production process and removing wastes during floor covering with rugs are eradicated.

Laska: Laska is a high-tech company that upcycles end-of-life tires with innovative, environmentally friendly, and sustainable production approaches. Laska obtains two high-added value products from waste tires with our patentable technology and the circular economy approach we adopt: carbon black and biofuel.

The panel ended with a Q&A by the graduate startups, who talked about the benefits of the program and the developments it provided, along with the partnerships and investments they received.

For more information check out our event.