Türkiye - Building Markets
Launched 2016

Building Markets is uniquely positioned to support the growth of refugee-led businesses in Türkiye. The organization has developed an extensive network of Syrian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), published ground-breaking research that has brought visibility to their operations and economic contributions, and designed tailored services to facilitate their access to new opportunities.

Building Markets works closely with local partners to implement its programs.

  • 3,172

    Businesses
    Verified

  • 1,589

    Businesses
    Trained

  • $ 28,204,498

    Contracts
    Facilitated

  • 6,685

    Jobs
    Created

Country Context

Türkiye

Population: 82.3 million (2018, World Bank)

Languages: Turkish (official)

Monetary unit: Turkish Lira

Main Exports:  apparel, food, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment

GNI per capita: $10,280 (2018, World Bank)

ODA received: 6.2 billion (OECD)

Human Development Index ranking: 64/189 (2017, UNDP)

Estimated GDP growth: 7.4% (2017, CIA Factbook)

Syria 

Population: 16.9 million (2018, World Bank)

Languages: Arabic (official)

Monetary unit: Syrian Pound

Main Exports:  crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, textiles, meat and live animals, wheat

Human Development Index ranking: 155/189 (2017, UNDP)

Estimated GDP growth: -36.5% (2014, CIA Factbook)

Our Products & Services in Türkiye

  • Business Verification
  • Local Business Directory
  • Training and Mentorship
  • Matchmaking
  • Tender Distribution
  • Market Research

Bringing Visibility to Local Firms

We have collected more than 300,000 data points on registered Syrian SMEs in Türkiye. Services include:

  • Verification of companies through in-person and virtual surveys to identify growth constraints and capabilities.
  • Creating tailored businesses profiles on our matchmaking platform: entrepreneurs.buidingmarkets.org

Training & Mentorship

Our training services rely on internal and external experts and are informed by our data collected directly from SMEs on their self-identified needs. Our services have reached 100s of SMEs and over 1,000 entrepreneurs. Training is offered through:

  • In-person group, virtual, and individual sessions covering business areas such as procurement, sales and marketing, financial management, and introduction to exporting.
  • Our online training platform, which offers SMEs access to technical knowledge, business resources, and supplements our in-person services.

Connecting SMEs to Supply Chains & Capital

Building Markets integrates local SMEs into supply chains and connects them to investment by making valuable information available to suppliers, buyers, banks, and investors by: 

  • Collecting and sharing tenders on our matchmaking platform.
  • Providing on-demand matchmaking briefs and sourcing support that fast-tracks buyer access to local goods and services.
  • Connecting investors with SMEs positioned for scale and investment.
  • Organizing networking functions, forums, and other events that showcase local SMEs, their offerings, and enable business relationships.

Market Research

We leverage our extensive data to produce market assessments, sector-specific reports, and to share other trends and analysis on our network of SMEs.

Contact

For any questions about Building Markets’ services in Türkiye, contact our Call Center at +90 212 945 09 60 from 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Monday through Friday to speak with one of our team members.

Meet an Entrepreneur

Mahmoud Koubais is the owner of Grand Farms in Türkiye, which specializes in the production of free-range eggs, the trade and breeding of chickens and sheep, mushroom cultivation, and the production and wholesale of animal feed. In addition to the local Turkish market, Grand Farms exports its products to countries in the Middle East. Grand Farms uses regenerative agriculture methods and aspires to be a pioneer of sustainable and environment-friendly agriculture and livestock production.

Learn More

Reports on Türkiye

Read More
Executive Summary: SME Earthquake Needs Assessment
Report

Executive Summary: SME Earthquake Needs Assessment

DOWNLOAD AR | EN | TR

SME Snapshot: Financial Inclusion
Report

SME Snapshot: Financial Inclusion

DOWNLOAD AR | EN | TR

Building Markets Türkiye Two Pager 2023
Report

Building Markets Türkiye Two Pager 2023

DOWNLOAD EN

Rapid Needs Assessment: The February 2023 Earthquake’s Immediate Impact on Syrian SMEs in Türkiye
Report

Rapid Needs Assessment: The February 2023 Earthquake’s Immediate Impact on Syrian SMEs in Türkiye

DOWNLOAD AR | EN | TR

Read More
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