Chance to turn your dreams into reality

Would you like to experience the idea - team - startup - success journey in an end-to-end program?

Events

Entrepreneurs

Universities

Cities

Ideathons
Accelerator Program
Grand Finale

1^st Stage

You can enroll in the program by participating in one of the ideathons. Ideathons are 48-hour-long events and the teams that are qualified to continue the program will be chosen by a jury at the end of the event. Throughout the event, there will be numerous mentors and 3 core lectures: Business Model Canvas, Design Thinking, Pitching.

2^nd Stage

Teams will be assigned to mentors that are experienced in their respective industries and the 3 staged, 3-month-long accelerator program will start. During program, entrepreneurs will get mentorship on Customer Acquisition, Global Thinking and Key Partners, and Business Plan and MVP. Teams that follow their mentors' instructions, work hard and finish strong will survive in the program.

3^rd Stage

Teams will get the chance to meet ecosystem leaders and investors, and get valuable & professional feedback. Front-runners will get the chance to pitch on stage. Every team that completes the program will receive continued support and they will keep their consistent development as integral parts of the University4Society family.

2021 Marathons Continue!

You can join the largest entrepreneurship ecosystem by registering to one of our 2021 marathons. Pick the most suitable event and register for free!

Graduated Startup Stories

Uniqgene creates the most ideal sports and nutritional habits in your daily life with gene testing for athletes and those who want to eat healthily. Reaching its customers with 3 different products, the initiative stands out with its solutions for professional athletes. The initiative, which received crowdfunding and support from Izmir Institute of Technology Technopark, aims to shed light on sports and healthy living with gene technology with the support of famous Turkish basketball player and angel investor Sinan Güler.

Meet the Music, which brings people together in the unifying power of music, attracts great attention from its users with its daily 1.2 million message record and the Google Play Store category winner. The mobile app is matching people who are listening to the same music at the same time. The team, who started to work on this app at the bootcamp of University4Society, is heading to create the biggest dating app in Turkey. They have more than 200.000 users right now!

Providing customer insight for companies, Clico is seriously different from its competitors with the technology they developed. Verifying their technology in their work for Big Chefs, Setur and Mamak Municipality, the team continues to work for companies to improve themselves with the support of ITU Çekirdek and Mettü Bigg with digital user feedback.

Aiming to increase efficiency in digital advertising, Alcago offers a new advertising experience for both companies and users in its application. The team, which established a special bond between the user and the brand with its interactive ads and personalized user coupons, received their first investments with a lot of support. Products in Turkey after the market continue to work to move globally.

With the business idea they developed and validated with their mentors, team signed term sheets with 6 big national & international brands including Koton, LCW, Mavi. After receiving seed investment from an investor they met in Grand Finale, team continues discussing partnership with one of the largest technology firms in the world in order to expand globally.

After numerous customer interviews and product validations, team found a market in Kocaeli, Turkey and started their pilot operations. After University4Society program, they received support from E-Tohum, İzmit Young Entrepreneurs Center, Kocaeli University Technopolis and ITU Çekirdek. Team went to Egypt, sponsored by World Youth Forum to continue their global market research.

The team was having problems regarding their lean product and from the time between the accelerator and the grand finale, they reached 1.000.000₺ in revenue. Sponsored by University4Society, they were accepted to Draper University Hero Training entrepreneurship program in Silicon Valley, where they will begin their global growth plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this event a right fit for me?

If entrepreneurship is a growing interest of you, the answer is probably yes. Ideathons are mostly half technical (software, hardware, design) people and half business (marketing, sales, business development) people. Doesn't matter if you are a serial entrepreneur or a first-timer; if business idea development, execution and networking with like-minded people interests you, this event is perfect for you.
Do I need to participate in all 3 days?

Event continues from Friday evening to Sunday evening: a full 48 hours. You are expected to be present and keep working with your team. Main reason for this is to conserve the co-working atmosphere. However, as long as your team members are okay with you leaving for a period of time, you can leave. Participation to Lectures and Final Pitching is mandatory.
How can I participate?

On our website, navigate to Entrepreneurs & First-Timers page, scroll down to Ideathons and find a suitable ideathon for you to apply.
Do I need a team?

Every participant is expected to be in a team. You can bring in your own crew or form a team with available participants on the spot.
What about accomodation and food during the event?

Since ideathon will be a 48-hour-long event, you won't need accomodation. There will be reserved areas for quick naps. Food will be served by the organization team every day (Friday 1 meal, Saturday 3 meals, Sunday 2 meals) for free.
Do I need to pitch a business idea to participate?

No, you can participate without pitching a business idea. Those participants are expected to join the teams of entrepreneurs whose business ideas are chosen to continue.
What should I bring with me?

You can bring your laptop, mobile phone, self-care products and any other stuff you think you may need during a 48-hour-long stay. Most importantly, you should bring your full energy with you!
How can I prepare before the event?

You can study different kinds of business models and up-and-coming startups. If you are going to pitch a business idea, it is a good idea to practice your presentation. To make sure you have full grasp of the ideathon's concept, you can take a look at the related sections on our website and contact the organization team.
What kinds of business ideas are allowed to be pitched?

Business ideas that are tech-related and have room to grow during the ideathon are allowed to be pitched.
Can I pitch more than 1 business idea?

No, every entrepreneur can only pitch 1 business idea.
I have an existing startup, can I participate with it?

Main goal of University4Society is to develop entrepreneurs and grow a fresh business model with the correct methods. If you believe that your startup needs a change of methods in the right way and apply the basics from ground up, you can participate.
How can I prevent my business idea from being stolen?

Short answer: you can't. Long answer: you shouldn't, because the value you will add to your business idea during the ideathon with the help of your mentors and team members is far superior to the chance that it gets stolen. "One can steal ideas, but no one can steal execution or passion".
What happens if my business idea is not chosen?

Main goal of the business idea voting at the beginning of the ideathon is to let participants choose which business ideas should continue. If your business idea is not chosen, you can join a team and continue the ideathon. Main purpose of the event is to learn and apply the core principals rather than turning a certain business idea into reality. This is why, even though your business idea is not chosen, you can still benefit so much from the event.
What is the expected stage of development in the end?

There are 3 main things you should have handled by the time you pitch to the jury: Customer Validation (did you talk to your customer segment?), Prototyping (did you present your business idea in any sort of a prototype?) and Business Modelling (did your business model reach sufficient maturity?). Other than that, a passionate and well-formed team will be an advantage.
Do you expect the teams to continue their journey after the event?

Since University4Society is an end-to-end program, you will have a long way to go if you are qualified for the next stage once the ideathon is done. So yes, teams are expected to continue their journey after the ideathon, with the help of University4Society.