From Istanbullu

From Istanbullu

Entrepreneurs

Mehmet Akgun

Mehmet Akgun

Founder

I graduated as an Agricultural Engineer from the Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition at the Faculty of Agriculture. After graduation, I started working at a fertilizer production plant and simultaneously continued my master's degree. During this period, I served as an academic staff member at the university.

Team

Kayra Bagrik

Kayra Bagrik

Electrical Engineer

Electrical and electronic products have always been my area of interest. I entered the industry by working as an electrical technician before my associate degree education. I gained significant experience through my university education and the projects I participated in during this process. I am particularly experienced in circuit board design, AC/DC circuit component measurement, and fault detection.
Murat Enes

Murat Enes

Data Engineer

I hold a degree in Computer Engineering. I began my professional career in web development and created price tracking applications for e-commerce websites. I am currently working on automation systems and focus on processing and developing data obtained from these systems using artificial intelligence models.
Numan Istanbullu

Numan Istanbullu

Project Manager

After completing my bachelor's degree in Energy Systems Engineering, I began my career in the renewable energy sector by working at wind power plants. I then served as a commando officer in the Military Police for approximately five years. After leaving military service, I had the opportunity to share my knowledge and experience by teaching in the field of renewable energy technologies.
Yigit Cangenc

Yigit Cangenc

Project Manager

I completed my undergraduate education in electrical engineering, specializing in high and medium voltage systems. After graduating, I began my career working on renewable energy systems. Currently, I am involved in projects related to electrical transmission and distribution, focusing on increasing the efficiency and sustainability of the energy infrastructure.
$ 0 K

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Idea

From Istanbullu is a pioneering startup focused on addressing the critical issues of food security and sustainable agriculture in the UAE and surrounding regions. By utilizing innovative soil-free wheat cultivation technology and creating From Istanbullu, an alternative made from palm waste, we provide scalable solutions to meet the growing demand for local, sustainable farming practices. Our strategic location in the UAE, with its advanced logistics infrastructure and proximity to Europe and other markets, enables us to efficiently expand and export our products. This, combined with our capacity to develop alternative agricultural products, positions From Istanbullu as a key player in transforming regional agriculture.

Challenge

From Istanbullu is addressing the major challenges faced by the UAE and neighboring regions, where 90% of wheat is imported. Climate change, droughts, and agricultural restrictions are threatening stable production across the region, and many countries are struggling to ensure food security. Additionally, soilless farming systems that rely on imported coconut fiber face increasing costs and vulnerability due to supply chain disruptions. From Istanbullu is tackling these issues by offering a locally produced, sustainable solution that reduces dependency on imports, optimizes agricultural production costs, and helps secure long-term food independence for the region.

Solution

From Istanbullu offers an advanced solution through its Hydroponic Wheat System, which integrates closed-loop irrigation to conserve up to 80% of water. By utilizing AI-driven automation for irrigation and fertilization, the system adjusts nutrient levels based on real-time water analysis, ensuring optimal growth conditions for wheat while eliminating the need for pesticides. The system also increases yield potential, enabling up to five harvests per year from the same production area. In addition, From Istanbullu has developed an innovative product made from palm waste, providing a cost-effective, sustainable alternative to imported coconut fiber for soilless farming, landscaping, and other agricultural applications.

 


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From Istanbullu's News (1)

FasterCapital backs Istanbullu to localize soil-free wheat, replace Cocopeat
27 Oct 2025

FasterCapital backs Istanbullu to localize soil-free wheat, replace Cocopeat

Dubai, United Arab Emirates & Dubai, UAE – Oct  27, 2025

From Istanbullu and FasterCapital today announced a strategic partnership through FasterCapital’s Equitypilot program to accelerate commercial deployment of Istanbullu’s soil-free hydroponic wheat systems and Palmpeat—an industrial-grade cocopeat alternative made from palm waste—targeting the UAE, Gulf and regional export markets. The collaboration combines FasterCapital’s global acceleration resources with Istanbullu’s R&D and production capabilities to fast-track pilot-to-market scale-up.

Market opportunity & problem statement

The Gulf region imports roughly 90% of its wheat and faces growing climate-driven agricultural disruption. Rising input costs and supply-chain vulnerabilities—especially dependence on imported cocopeat—create urgency for local, water-efficient and resilient production. Rapid urbanization, limited arable land and government food-security initiatives create an addressable regional market for soilless systems and sustainable growing media with clear white space for domestic alternatives.

Startup solution & differentiation

Istanbullu’s closed-loop hydroponic wheat system reduces water use by up to 80%, enables pesticide-free, multi-cycle harvests (up to five cycles/year), and multiplies yield per footprint via multi-layer installations. Palmpeat, produced from abundant palm waste, offers a lower-cost, locally sourced alternative to Cocopeat usable across horticulture, landscaping, animal husbandry and construction. Backed by a multidisciplinary R&D team and university partnerships, Istanbullu’s solutions deliver cost, logistics and sustainability advantages—positioning the company for rapid adoption in government-led and commercial greenhouse projects.

FasterCapital partnership value

Through the Equitypilot program, FasterCapital provides tailored acceleration services, technical due diligence, market validation support, and access to global investor networks. FasterCapital’s selective criteria and track record validate Istanbullu’s technology readiness and commercial potential, supplying mentorship, go-to-market strategy, and fundraising support to meet the startup’s $500,000 raise and scale pilots across the UAE and Gulf within 12 months. Learn more at FasterCapital.

Executive quotes

“Hesham Zreik”, Managing Partner at FasterCapital: “Istanbullu addresses a critical regional need—food security with water-efficient, import-independent solutions. Our Equitypilot program is designed to de-risk early commercialization and connect founders to capital and strategic partners. We see rapid regional traction potential for both the hydroponic platform and Palmpeat.”

Mehmet Akgun, Founder & CEO, Istanbullu: “This partnership accelerates our mission to make resilient, high-yield wheat and sustainable growing media available in the UAE and beyond. FasterCapital’s operational and investor network enables us to move swiftly from pilots to commercial projects while optimizing production costs and supply chains.”

Growth trajectory & future plans

Near-term plans include pilot deployments across closed facilities and greenhouses in the UAE (0–12 months), data-driven yield optimization (6–9 months), and commercial roll-out with government and commercial partners after 12 months. Istanbullu is raising $500,000 to fund production scale-up, additional R&D for soy, rice and cotton variants, and franchise/licensing pilots across Gulf markets with an eye on European exports.

About Istanbullu

Founded by Mehmet Akgun, Istanbullu develops soil-free hydroponic systems and Palmpeat made from palm waste to deliver water-efficient, high-yield wheat and sustainable growing media. The company combines multidisciplinary R&D, automation and AI-driven irrigation to localize food production and reduce import dependency.

About FasterCapital

FasterCapital is a global venture builder and online incubator dedicated to co-funding and co-founding innovative startups. Established in 2014, we are now #1 venture builder in terms of number of startups that we have helped, money invested and money raised. It supports startups worldwide through various programs, including funding assistance, business development, and technical support. The Equitypilot program is designed to help early-stage startups build scalable solutions with mentorship, strategic guidance, and network support.

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