Starting a business in Türkiye with government support and little capital

The idea of starting a business in Türkiye with no capital and pure state money circulates widely and is not accurate as stated. Support schemes do not remove the need for capital. They reduce how much you need and they share the risk. The real question is which programme covers which cost, and what is left.

This page answers that programme by programme. We do not print amounts or rates, because they change with each call period and a stale figure leads to a bad decision. For current figures, read the call document or ask us.

Three rules first

Support is usually paid after expenditure. You issue the purchase, you pay, then you submit documents and receive the support. The gap is measured in months.

Co financing exists almost everywhere. A programme covers a share of the cost, not all of it. The rest is your money or the bank's.

The eligible cost list is narrow. Land purchase, repaying existing debt, second hand equipment and most operating expenses fall outside. Read the list before you spend.

Routes that lower the capital requirement

Most realistic plans combine two or three. Equipment through an entrepreneur grant, the balance through a guaranteed loan, and employment costs reduced through premium incentives.

Which institution does what

KOSGEB

Runs programmes for SME scale businesses and new entrepreneurs. On the entrepreneurship side the headings are training, set up costs after incorporation, and machinery and equipment. On the business development side, certification, promotion, trade fairs and testing. Programmes open through periodic calls.

İŞKUR

Entrepreneurship training and employment side incentives. Social security premium and tax advantages on new hires cut personnel cost noticeably in the early years.

Agriculture and rural development

Separate grant programmes exist for agricultural production, livestock, aquaculture and rural businesses. Rural development support opens in defined provinces for defined production subjects, on a published call calendar.

Development agencies

Each region's agency runs financial support programmes aligned with regional priorities. Application windows are limited and vary by region. For small scale projects this is one of the more accessible doors.

Ministry of Trade

For export oriented businesses there are schemes covering market entry, trade fairs, promotion and e-export. Applications run through the Support Management System (DYS).

Banks and guarantee institutions

State bank tradesman and entrepreneur loans, together with credit guarantee support, close the cash gap alongside a grant. These are not grants; they are repaid.

A realistic sequence for a low capital venture

1. Define the business. What you sell, to whom, at what price. Programmes assess a plan, not an idea.
2. Run an eligibility screen. Establish which programmes accept your size, activity code, province and sector.
3. Build the cash plan. How much money is needed in which month and when support arrives. Do not start spending before this table exists.
4. Separate eligible costs. Which spending is covered and which is not, with a funding source for the uncovered part.
5. Prepare documents. Chamber record, signature circular, tax and premium clearance, site documents, quotes.
6. Track the call calendar. Most programmes are not open year round. Waiting with a finished file beats preparing one once a call opens.

What to expect

Setting up a supported business usually takes between six months and a year. Most of that goes on document collection and waiting for evaluation. Support does not cover the whole initial investment, and the part it does cover mostly arrives after the money has left.

Even so, a supported business starts with lower debt and better equipment than the same business without support. That is where the difference shows.

Claims worth ignoring

"The state gives out dealerships." No such programme exists. A franchise is a commercial contract with a private company and its fee is not an eligible cost in most schemes.

"Everyone who applies receives support." Most programmes score applications and have a fixed budget. Files below the threshold are not funded.

"Grant money is paid into your account." Payment is generally made against expenditure documents. Spending comes first.

"A consultant can guarantee approval." Nobody can. The institution decides.

Where to begin

If you have a business idea, the first step is an eligibility screen. Working from your activity, scale and intended province we set out which programmes are open to you. That assessment is free and fits on a single page.