Demet Suzan Mutlu

The story of Demet is one of spotting untapped potential in a market that others overlooked and executing with a world-class operational rigor to build Trendyol into Turkey’s and the MENA regions first decacorn and the only “super app” outside of China. 

As the sole founder of Trendyol, Demet is the only female founder that has built a decacorn, and also co-founded a gaming company (which was sold to Zynga for 1.8 bio USD). 

She grew up in New York to an immigrant Turkish family, and after completing an honors degree in Mathematics and Economics at NYU on a full scholarship, started Harvard Business School, but dropped out to pursue her dreams. In 2009, Demet founded Trendyol Group (also known as DSM Group) , initially launching it as an online fashion marketplace, within months, she scaled to 100 million USD in GMV and secured backing from Kleiner Perkins and Tiger Global, who recognised the strength of her market insight, talent and execution. 

Trendyol grew rapidly, scaling into a full-service e-commerce ecosystem spanning fashion, groceries, logistics and digital payments. By 2018, Alibaba had acquired a controlling stake, signalling Turkey’s arrival on the global tech stage. In 2021, Trendyol raised $1.5b at a $16.5b (£12b) valuation, making it Turkey’s first decacorn and SoftBank’s debut investment in the country. Today, Trendyol employs more than 25,000 people across its platform and supports millions of sellers.

Demet’s entrepreneurial impact extends beyond Trendyol. She was a founding partner of Peak Games, the mobile gaming company later acquired by Zynga for $1.8b (£1.4b), marking Turkey’s largest tech exit at the time. She has been recognised as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and was named in the Business of Fashion 500, as well as Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs.

Philanthropy and social impact have become central pillars of her work. Through Trendyol, she spearheaded the “Villages of Tomorrow” programme with UNDP Türkiye, bringing smart agriculture, digital skills and green energy to rural communities. Trendyol also mobilised extensive aid in the aftermath of Turkey’s 2023 earthquakes. The company’s sustainability commitments include reducing its carbon footprint, promoting women’s empowerment and supporting young entrepreneurs in the creative industries.

While she has achieved global recognition, Demet is known for remaining grounded in the entrepreneurial realities of her journey. From navigating Turkey’s early internet adoption to building trust with international investors, her story reflects persistence, calculated risk-taking and a deep belief in the transformative power of digital platforms. She continues to lead Trendyol as Founder and Vice-Chair, shaping both Turkey’s tech ecosystem and the wider emerging markets e-commerce landscape.