DAUGHTER OF A FARMER FAMILY:
How Did We Start?
As the daughter of a farming family, I grew up in agriculture and closely witnessed the challenges faced by the sector during this process.
My desire to produce solutions that would increase agricultural productivity also sprouted in those very days.
I wanted to produce fertilizer and offer a solution to this fundamental problem faced by my family and other farmers. I never gave up on this dream.
Let's explain it step-by-step:
2022
I have been awarded the TÜBİTAK 2209-A grant.
Aiming to conduct academic studies on microbial fertilizers from the very first day of his undergraduate education, Iraz submitted his project titled “Investigation of the Potential of Cyanobacteria as Microbial Fertilizers” to the TÜBİTAK 2209-A University Student Research Projects Program during his sophomore year, and his project was accepted.
2023
TÜBİTAK 1812 BİGG Program
In the next step, Iraz applied to the TÜBİTAK 1812 BİGG (Individual Young Entrepreneur) program. In this project, she planned to conduct studies on the production of Azotobacter fertilizer from agricultural waste for sustainable agriculture. The project, titled “Production of Azotobacter Fertilizer from Agricultural Waste for Sustainable Agriculture,” was designed as an eco-friendly and productivity-enhancing agricultural method. The project was accepted by TÜBİTAK.
Our bacterium has been published in GenBank.
During this process, Iraz isolated two different strains of Azotobacter in the Çukurova soils of Turkey and published these strains in the gene bank under the code "IRZ 1". This study is of great importance not only as a scientific success but also as an environmentally and agriculturally sensitive approach.
2024
Jury Special Award in the Promising Startups '25 Competition
Iraz Aktay and Cherry Mic have once again proven their success in the field of sustainability, being deemed worthy of the Jury's Special Award in the Sustainability Category at the "Promising Ventures'25" Competition. This award emphasizes how important Cherry Mic’s goal of increasing sustainability in agriculture with its environmentally friendly and innovative solutions is. With this award, Iraz and her team aim to consolidate their leadership in the sector and take bigger steps in the field of sustainable agricultural solutions.
2025
Second Place in KADEM Thematic Acceleration Program
Iraz Aktay and Cherry Mic have once again proven their success in the field of sustainability, being awarded the Jury Special Award in the Sustainability Category at the "Promising Ventures 2025" Competition. This award highlights the importance of Cherry Mic's goal to increase sustainability in agriculture through eco-friendly and innovative solutions. With this award, Iraz and her team aim to consolidate their leadership in the sector and take even bigger steps in the field of sustainable agricultural solutions.
Establishment of Our Pilot Production Facility with KOSGEB Support
With the support of KOSGEB, we launched our pilot-scale production facility in Adana, combining our R&D efforts with production capacity. Thanks to this facility, while optimizing our microbial fertilizer production processes, we have started to carry out product development, quality control, and field trials more effectively. Our pilot production infrastructure is a critical step in Cherry Mic's journey towards commercial production.
First Place in the EIT Food-Supported EWA Program
We have achieved a significant international success by winning first place in the EWA (Empowering Women in Agrifood) Program, supported by EIT Food, one of Europe's largest food innovation communities. The sustainable agricultural solutions we developed within the scope of the program were evaluated by an expert jury as the most successful initiative in terms of innovation, applicability, and impact potential. This achievement demonstrates that Cherry Mic is a biotechnology startup drawing attention not only in Turkey but also within the European agricultural technologies ecosystem.
First Place in Migros and Nestlé Whole Grain Full Support Program
In 2025, Cherry Mic was selected from among hundreds of applicants to rank among the top 11 startups in the Whole Grain Full Support Entrepreneurship Program, organized in cooperation with Migros and Nestlé. Within the scope of the program, we had the opportunity to present our solutions in sustainable agriculture, food technologies, and innovation to the leading institutions of the sector. This success demonstrates that the innovative approach we have developed in the field of agricultural biotechnology is also valued by the large-scale food ecosystem, while marking an important step for our strategic collaborations and future growth targets.
2026
Field Validation Studies with Anadolu Efes
In 2026, in collaboration with Anadolu Efes, we began testing the performance of the microbial fertilizers we developed in the company's agricultural fields. In these trials conducted under real production conditions, we observed the effects of our products on plant growth and soil. These efforts have been an important step for us to validate our technology in large-scale agricultural areas and to develop more efficient solutions.
We Have Been Selected for the Alarko Holding Venture Pioneers Program
In 2026, in collaboration with Anadolu Efes, we began testing the performance of the microbial fertilizers we developed in the company's agricultural fields. In these trials conducted under real production conditions, we observed the effects of our products on plant growth and soil. These efforts have been an important step for us to validate our technology in large-scale agricultural areas and to develop more efficient solutions.
We Have Been Selected for the HUBRICA Program
We were selected for the HUBRICA Program, carried out in cooperation with İTÜ ARI Teknokent and Halkbank. Throughout the program, we had the opportunity to develop our business model, receive mentorship from industry experts, and establish new connections that will take our startup to the next level. Providing significant contributions to Cherry Mic's growth journey, this program has further strengthened our position in the national entrepreneurship ecosystem.
OUR TEAM
The Team Behind Cherry Mic.
Iraz AKTAY
Founder / CEO
Çukurova University Agricultural Biotechnology (Master's Degree) Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University Biotechnology (Bachelor's Degree)
Ahmet Hüsrev YILMAZEL
COO
Firat University Electrical and Electronics Engineering (Bachelor's Degree)
Kayra Kaan AKPINAR
International Operations Manager
Eindhoven University of Technology Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (Master's Degree) Bilkent University Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degree)