The inaugural Female Founders Türkiye Awards Ceremony was held at the AKM Theatre Hall with the aim of amplifying the visibility of women’s leadership, entrepreneurship, and inspiring success stories from Türkiye on a global scale. The evening celebrated the creativity, courage, and societal contributions of women, honoring 21 outstanding female leaders across categories such as Academia, Business, Culture & Arts, Leadership & Social Impact, Sustainability, Türkiye Sigorta Sports, Türk Telekom Technology, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, and Jury Special Awards.
Green Transformation Award Presented to Prof. Dr. Karaosmanoğlu
Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu, faculty member at Istanbul Technical University’s Department of Chemical Engineering and President of the Sustainable Production and Consumption Association (SÜT-D), was among the distinguished women recognized in the Sustainability category. As Editorial Board Chair and columnist for Lubricant World magazine, Prof. Dr. Karaosmanoğlu is known not only for her academic contributions to sustainability but also for her impactful role in guiding numerous green transformation projects within the Turkish industry.
Awarded in the “Green Transformation Project” category by Female Founders, Prof. Dr. Karaosmanoğlu has led pioneering initiatives that promote environmental awareness, circular economy, and green innovation. This award was presented to Prof. Karaosmanoğlu for bridging science with practice by building strong connections between environmental awareness, clean production, and circular economy; guiding institutions with innovative projects; encouraging individuals to become active participants in a sustainable lifestyle; and transforming “Green Transformation” from a concept into a way of living. Through her scientific expertise, civil society engagement, and published columns, she has successfully disseminated sustainability culture and consciousness to broader audiences in collaboration with the industry. Her recognition with this award is seen as a source of pride for the sector.
In a brief statement to our magazine, Prof. Dr. Karaosmanoğlu shared her thoughts on the award: “The introduction of the Female Founders initiative to Türkiye this year marks a highly valuable and effective step toward making women’s leadership more visible. I was especially honored by the caliber and reputation of the jury members. Having mostly served on juries in the past, being on the receiving end this time – and being recognized under such a meaningful title – is deeply significant for me. Seeing my efforts and contributions to sustainability acknowledged in this way is a great source of satisfaction and motivation. I will continue working to share my knowledge and experience for the benefit of our sector on this journey toward sustainability.”
Dr. Arın Saydam, Chair of the Board at Bersay Communication Consultancy, emphasized the role of women in societal transformation during his speech at the ceremony, recalling Atatürk’s words: “Everything in the world is the work of women.” He noted that Female Founders Türkiye was launched to highlight the resilient, flexible, and creative power of women.
Muhammed Atilla Sevim, Editor-in-Chief of Inc. Türkiye, described Female Founders Türkiye not merely as an award program but as a movement celebrating the economic and cultural contributions of women. He expressed pride in bringing this powerful model from the United States to Türkiye.
Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu’s achievement reflects not only her academic and environmental contributions but also her visionary efforts to embed sustainability awareness across industry, public institutions, and society. As Lubricant World, we congratulate her and proudly affirm that she will continue to inspire us on our journey of sectoral transformation.
Female Founders Türkiye Award Winners
Türkiye Sigorta Sports Category
- Female Athlete of the Year: Buse Naz Çakıroğlu – National Boxer
- Inspiring Woman in Sports: Zeynep Sönmez – Professional Tennis Player
- Female Leader in Sports: Eda Erdem Dündar – Captain of the Turkish National Women’s Volleyball Team & Fenerbahçe Medicana Women’s Volleyball Team
Türk Telekom Technology, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Category
- Female Entrepreneur of the Year: Özgecan Üstgül – Founder, MYTH AI Pattern & Design Technology
- Most Innovative Product/Service: Asude Altıntaş – Co-Founder & CEO, Twin Science & Robotics
- Transformation Through Technology: Dr. Zehra Çataltepe – CEO & Co-Founder, TAZI AI
Culture & Arts Category
- Preserving Cultural Heritage: Nevra Serezli – Actress & Voice Artist
- Achievement in Creative Industries: Zeynep Atakan – Film Producer
Academia Category
- Academic Woman of the Year: Zehra Sayers – Emeritus Professor
- Female Leader in Academia: Dr. Gülsün Sağlamer – Chair, ITU ARI Teknokent
- Rising Star in Academia: Elif Nur Fırat Karalar – Faculty Member, Koç University
Leadership & Social Impact Category
- Leader in Social Benefit: Melis Abacıoğlu – Founder & CEO, Wellbess
- Equality & Inclusion: Zeliha Ünaldı – Deputy Country Director, UN Women Türkiye
Sustainability Category
- Female Leader in Sustainability: Sevda Alkan – Social Sustainability Manager, UN Global Compact Türkiye
- Green Transformation Project: Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu – Faculty Member, ITU & President, SÜT-D
- Social & Economic Sustainability: Aslı Aksoy – Founder, Elibelinde Agriculture
Business Category
- Female CEO of the Year: Nilhan Onal Gökçetekin – CEO, Hepsiburada
- Inspiring Business Model: Selin Kurnaz – Co-Founder & CEO, Massive Bio
Jury Special Awards
- Sevilay Öztürk – National Paralympic Swimmer
- Şahika Ercümen – National Free Diver
- The Brave Women of the Sumud Fleet
Jury Members
The Female Founders Türkiye Awards jury consisted of distinguished individuals who have made a difference in their fields and actively support women’s leadership:
- Arın Saydam – Chair, Bersay Communication Consultancy
- Ebru Baybara – Social Entrepreneur & Chef
- Ebru Özdemir – Chair, Limak Holding
- Esra Miller – MCC, Leadership Coach & Certified Coaching Trainer
- Gizem Moral – CEO, Pupa Consulting & Growth Partner, Revo Capital
- Hakan Çelik – Journalist
- Melike Nur Çınar – Deputy General Manager, Türkiye Sigorta
- Münteha Adalı – Social Impact Strategist, Entrepreneur & Investor
- Özlem Süer – Fashion Designer & Academic
- Dr. Osman Müftüoğlu – Internal Medicine Specialist
- Zeynep Özden – Deputy General Manager, Marketing & Customer Experience, Türk Telekom
