Tülin Akın

Founder of Agricultural Marketing Tabit / Social Entrepreneurship Expert / GIS Mentor

Tülin Akın earned her undergraduate degree in Agricultural Marketing from Akdeniz University and later completed her studies at Anadolu University’s Faculty of Business Administration. In 2012, she obtained a Micro MBA degree from Boğaziçi University, and in 2022, she further enhanced her leadership skills by completing Leadership for System Change training at Harvard University.

Her entrepreneurial journey began in 2004, while she was still a student, with the launch of Tarimsalpazarlama.com, one of Turkey’s pioneering platforms in agricultural communication, e-learning, and e-commerce. In 2007, she won first place in the E-Export category of the Export Stars Program and played a key role in developing farmer credit cards by partnering with banks to provide financial resources to farmers. As part of this initiative, she visited approximately 12,000 villages to educate farmers on financial solutions. She also collaborated with Vodafone to establish the Farmers’ Club, providing specialized agricultural early warning systems, services, and information to 1.4 million farmers and their families.

Furthermore, she led the development of a customized farmer computer software supported by Intel, creating an accessible platform where farmers could ask experts agricultural-related questions. Passionate about social responsibility, she initiated various awareness campaigns on water conservation in rural areas and prevention of tractor accidents. Her commitment to education and mentorship is evident in her roles as a Change Consultant and Social Entrepreneurship Mentor at Özyeğin University, and as a mentor in programs such as Türk Telekom Emerging Entrepreneurship and Boğaziçi University Entrepreneurship Mentorship Program.

Her remarkable contributions to agricultural innovation and social entrepreneurship have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards. She received the Agricultural Trade Development Award from the Turkish Agriculturalists Association (2012), was named Turkey’s Changemaker by the Sabancı Foundation (2013), and was honored with the JCI – TOYP Global Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award in Entrepreneurship (2013). Additionally, she was awarded the Anita Borg Institute International Social Impact Award (2013) and the Garanti – KAGİDER Woman Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2013). In 2014, she was nominated for the Nobel Prize by the United Nations.

As the co-founder of TABİT Agricultural Informatics and Communication Technologies and Agricultural Marketing, Tülin Akın also pioneered the establishment of one of the world’s first smart villages in Aydın, Turkey, in collaboration with Vodafone. She has received several global recognitions, including the Schwab Foundation’s World’s Best Social Entrepreneur Award (2018) at the World Economic Forum and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Goalkeepers Award (2018). Additionally, she actively participates in United Nations 2030 Sustainability Goals initiatives, InBusiness Sustainability, and Bloomberg’s Breakthrough Leaders Community.

Tülin Akın

HİSAR SCHOOL

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