From Türkiye to Global Markets: Two Entrepreneurship Success Stories with Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

How can three months of international collaboration help entrepreneurs enter new markets, build strategic partnerships and accelerate business growth?

Two Turkish entrepreneurs, two international exchanges, and two inspiring success stories demonstrate the impact of the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) programme.

Facilitated through ARI Teknokent, these exchanges connected emerging Turkish entrepreneurs with experienced international business leaders, transforming market ambitions into concrete opportunities.

 

From Türkiye to Albania — Driving Growth Through Content and Marketing

Furkan Kalkan | Founder of Rooas
Host entrepreneur: Arber Kadia, Founder of Patoko | Albania

Rooas is a user-generated content (UGC) platform that helps brands create authentic, high-performing content. Through the EYE programme, Furkan Kalkan joined Patoko, a fast-growing ride-hailing company in Albania, for a three-month entrepreneurial exchange from June to September 2026.

Working alongside Patoko’s marketing and social media team, Furkan developed advertising creatives and video scripts, managed content production, and analysed campaign performance to support customer acquisition and business growth.

From collaboration to measurable results

• 450+ business leads reached through marketing campaigns.
• 65+ businesses converted into paying monthly partners on the Patoko platform.
• €32,000+ in additional annual revenue generated for the host company.
• 2 new jobs created for the new entrepreneur, as reported in the programme’s results.
• 1 new international market explored, providing valuable insights into Albania’s business environment.

Beyond the numbers, Furkan strengthened his growth marketing and cross-cultural communication skills and gained the confidence to secure a new international client for Rooas soon after the exchange.

For both entrepreneurs, the experience went beyond a conventional business relationship, creating a lasting personal connection and a foundation for future cooperation.

“I came to a country where I knew no one, thinking, 'what do I have to lose?' — and left seeing my business with new eyes, having built a bond that felt like family.”

— Furkan Kalkan, Founder of Rooas

Website: www.rooas.com.tr | www.patoko.com

 

From Market Research to Market Entry — Taking AI-Powered HR Technology to the United States

Furkan Kaya | Co-founder & CEO of İKAN HR
Host entrepreneur: Prof. Dr. Ömer Özbek | United States

İKAN HR develops AI-powered HR analytics solutions that make recruitment and corporate culture processes more data-driven through its products, CV360 and Culture360.

Seeking to move beyond desk research and validate the company's U.S. expansion strategy in the real market, Furkan Kaya joined Prof. Dr. Ömer Özbek for a three-month exchange from July to September 2026.

Together, they worked on U.S. market-entry validation, pilot design, commercial strategy, and investor readiness. Through expert guidance and direct engagement with the U.S. ecosystem, Furkan developed a market-entry framework covering sales, procurement, data privacy, security and contracting.

The exchange included meetings with leading academic institutions and ecosystem stakeholders, including Princeton, Columbia, Brown, Boston University, Harvard Business School, and MIT, as well as a visit to Silicon Valley, where the team met ten San Francisco-based startups.

Turning international connections into business outcomes

• 1 new company established in the United States, based in Brooklyn, New York.
• 5 cooperation agreements signed, including agreements with Harvard Business School and MIT.
• 30 contacts created through the exchange.
• €8,960 in increased turnover for the new entrepreneur and €5,780 for the host entrepreneur, as reported in the programme's results.
• 1 new country added to the new entrepreneur's market coverage, supporting İKAN HR's international expansion.

The exchange also contributed to a joint entrepreneurship centre initiative in Türkiye with the Aspire Institute, founded by Harvard Business School professors. The initiative received approval from the Institute's headquarters, and a dedicated programme module and a minimum viable product (MVP) designed to simulate project impact were developed.

With its investor pitch deck and 24-month financial model adapted for U.S. investors, İKAN HR concluded the exchange with a more structured market-entry strategy and a clear post-exchange action plan.

“Before this programme our U.S. strategy rested on desk research. Three months later we have a company in New York, an approved partnership and a market-entry model validated in the field.”

— Furkan Kaya, Co-founder & CEO of İKAN HR

Website: ikanhr.com

 

One Programme, Two International Growth Journeys

Although their industries and target markets differ, both entrepreneurs demonstrate the value of learning directly from experienced business leaders and engaging with international ecosystems.

Their experiences highlight how the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme can help entrepreneurs:

• Explore new markets and internationalise their businesses.
• Build strategic partnerships and valuable professional networks.
• Strengthen entrepreneurial, commercial and cross-cultural capabilities.
• urn market insights into practical business strategies.
• Create new opportunities for sustainable growth and international cooperation.

At ARI Teknokent, we are proud to support entrepreneurs in connecting with international expertise, exploring new business environments and translating innovative ideas into global opportunities.

Your next international business opportunity could start with an exchange.

Discover the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme

Are you an aspiring or new entrepreneur looking to expand your horizons, learn from an experienced entrepreneur abroad or explore a new market?

Are you an experienced entrepreneur interested in sharing your expertise and gaining fresh perspectives from international talent?

The Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme offers an opportunity to learn, collaborate and grow across borders.

Connect with ARI Teknokent to explore international entrepreneurship exchange opportunities.

Learn internationally. Collaborate globally. Grow together.