About Program

Sabancı ARF Almost Ready to Fly is a 20-week acceleration program to support early-stage entrepreneurs on their journey from their current stage to commercialization. Sabancı ARF Almost Ready to Fly is a Hacı Ömer Sabancı Holding A.Ş. brand and program.

Our Group employees and incorporated external entrepreneurs can apply.

(a) To participate in the process as an intra-community entrepreneur, working for the Group or one of its affiliated organizations* is compulsory, and at least one of the two types of calls by the program must be answered: Idea/MVP Call and Team Member Call.

*Except for Akbank, Aklease, Akyatırım, Akportföy, Sabancı Vakfı ve SSM employees

(b) Early-stage (MVP, prototype, lab-scale, or customer validation stage) incorporated entrepreneurs who have a product can be involved in the process.

Being over eighteen is important for the incorporation and further stages. On the other hand, we can consider your previous experiences when evaluating the growth potential of applicants' start-ups.

There is no fee to participate in Sabancı ARF Almost Ready to Fly.

Open call for intra-community entrepreneurs with a product/service solution, idea or a field-tested MVP (minimum viable product) related to the focus areas.

Sabancı Holding issues a call for focus areas two times in a year. The call is only suitable for the employees of the Group or one of its affiliated organizations*. Intra-community Application Form must be filled out on www.sabanciarf.com . After the evaluation of the applications, the chosen ideas are announced on the same platform.

*Except for Akbank, Aklease, Akyatırım, Akportföy, Sabancı Vakfı ve SSM employees

It is a call for intra-community entrepreneurs who do not have a proposed idea, or no idea proposal has been selected but who want to be a part of a different idea team and who trust their entrepreneurial competencies. We want to include all our employees, who have an idea or not, into the system.

Chosen ideas for Sabancı ARF are announced on Sabancı Social to be seen by all Sabancı Group members. Through this call, those who want to be part of the team with selected ideas/MVPs can apply. After team formations, there is no distinction in management or other rights between the persons who suggested the idea or joined the team afterward.

The intra-community entrepreneur who presents the selected concept to the program may send the team member call to the colleague. Team Member Application Form must be filled out on Sabancı Social and only the chosen team members can participate in the team.

In the teaming phase, a 3-step evaluation methodology is used. Innovation Interest and Knowledge, Character Analysis, Teaming Workshop. Applicants will be expected to fill out various online questionnaires to carry out the analysis properly.

(a) Intra-Community Entrepreneur: There will be no harm in applying to the Idea/MVP call alone, and a team will be formed with the Team Member Call.

(b) Incorporated entrepreneur: While evaluating the applications, the competencies and qualifications of the founding partners and the team members are considered. Applying alone can be a disadvantage in your difficult entrepreneurial journey.

If you are not a community employee, your start-up is expected to be incorporated.

No, we will support any idea/product/service that aligns with the application criteria and the focus areas we have disclosed.

Yes, you can apply. On the other hand, we strongly recommend that the founding team have the skills to create their products rather than outsourcing. For most start-ups, this often means a technical founder is needed.

We especially welcome the participation of these start-ups if they are compatible with our focus areas. If you share the areas that you have already improved, we can evaluate your case better. We recommend that you fill out the application form with all the details so that we can clearly describe the areas of support for your commercialization and growth steps.

Yes, you can apply. Please specify this information in the relevant part of the application form.

Yes, you can apply. Please specify this information in the relevant part of the application form.

Funding is simply one component of Sabancı ARF Almost Ready to Fly as an acceleration program. In addition to financing, you can review the support we offer and the process to explore how you can benefit from the program.

(a) Intra-Community Entrepreneur: A team is formed with the Team Member Call for the projects of those who propose ideas to the program. In this call, the selected idea/MVP proposal is announced on Sabancı Social with details. As we constantly say, “Idea has no use without putting it into practice.” As Sabancı ARF, we strive to give you with all the support you need to put your concept into action and commercialize it. The value will be created once it is commercialized.
While it is less probable that you came up with an idea concentrated around a problem area on your own, we boost your chances of putting it into action.

(b) Incorporated Entrepreneur: Application forms are evaluated by the jury who signed a confidentiality agreement.

Internal and external entrepreneurs can apply for Sabancı ARF Almost Ready to Fly with multiple ideas in different rounds; there is no limit.
However, we want a selected entrepreneur to focus on a single idea within the same round. Our aim is to commercialize the idea, and we believe this can only happen with a holistic focus and dedication.

Internal and external entrepreneurs can apply for Sabancı ARFAlmost Ready to Fly with multiple ideas in different rounds, there is no limit.

The planning process is ongoing. When the dates are set, the information will be available on ourwebsite. Please continue to follow us.