Cultivating a Greener Future: An Interview with Yasemin Yılmaz, Founder of Garden Pot

In this interview, Yasemin Yılmaz—a 3rd-year Environmental Engineering student from Gebze Technical University and founder of Garden Pot—shares the inspiring journey behind her innovative startup idea. With a passion for sustainability, upcycling, and digitalization, Yasemin explains how the idea for Garden Pot emerged while caring for her mother's plants and evolved through her participation in a winning hackathon. She discusses how Garden Pot aims to transform urban gardening into a sustainable business model that reconnects city dwellers with nature, supports income generation for housewives and retirees, and revitalizes a rich heritage of urban agriculture. Join us as Yasemin delves into her personal motivations, the challenges she has encountered, and her vision for expanding the project across Europe through interdisciplinary collaboration and a circular economy approach.

Yasemin Yılmaz

Can you tell us about your background and what inspired you to create the idea for Garden Pot?

I am Yasemin Yılmaz from Istanbul, Turkey. I am a 3rd-year student of Environmental Engineering at Gebze Technical University, focusing my academic and professional studies on sustainability, upcycling, and digitalization. In the past, I have had the opportunity to participate in projects focused on the environment and sustainability, as well as engage in volunteer work. These experiences have been an important resource in the development of Garden Pot. The idea for Garden Pot emerged while I was taking care of my mother's plants on our terrace. As I wondered whether indoor gardening could be transformed into a viable business model, the concept of a gardening platform was born—a platform that could provide additional income for housewives and retirees who have been detached from production, by increasing plant cultivation in the city. Today, young people living in cities are increasingly alienated from nature due to limited access to green spaces and demanding work schedules. Garden Pot aims to address this issue by reconnecting people with nature, encouraging a sustainable lifestyle, and increasing green areas in urban environments.

Why did you decide to focus on green cities, gardening culture, and recycling as the foundation of your startup idea?

My project focuses on the problem of increasing green spaces in cities. In line with the United Nations Sustainable Cities goal, it aims to encourage individuals to increase individual green spaces and make this a lifestyle.

The basis of this idea is inspired by the urban gardening culture that dates back to the Byzantine "Sur Dibi Bostanları" (castle gardens) in Istanbul. These gardens, which still exist today and are protected by UNESCO, represent a deep-rooted tradition of urban agriculture. My aim is to modernize this culture and adapt it to homes, starting at an individual level and then spreading to other European cities.

Another important aspect of my project is to address the lack of second-hand plant sales, despite the existence of second-hand markets for many other products. Through my platform, unused plants and gardening tools can be resold or traded, encouraging reuse and reducing waste. This approach not only promotes urban greenery, but also supports a circular economy, making gardening more accessible and sustainable for city dwellers.

What motivated you to participate in the Woman Social Entrepreneurship Hackathon, and how did it shape the development of Garden Pot?

The main motivation that led me to participate in the Winner Women Social Entrepreneurship Hackathon was the desire to develop social projects and strengthen the role of women in social entrepreneurship. My interest in sustainability, recycling and environmentally focused work overlapped with the goals of the hackathon. I was excited to see the opportunity to develop my ideas with the support of expert mentors in these fields and to collaborate with other entrepreneurs on this platform.

The hackathon process helped Garden Pot move from an idea to a more solid foundation. During mentoring and teamwork, I focused on aspects that would increase the social impact of my project. In particular, in the survey I conducted on different groups, I received feedback that both men and young people were important stakeholders in the project.

In addition, I strengthened the social enterprise dimension of the project by focusing more on the additional income model and mental wellness for housewives and retirees. I also gained valuable insights on measuring the environmental impact of a sustainability-based business model and planning its scalability.

This experience helped Garden Pot go beyond being an application focused solely on individual gardening and become a platform that strengthens social ties and serves sustainable urbanization goals. The hackathon allowed me to clarify the mission of the project and shape my vision from a broader perspective.

What kind of support did you receive from your university to help you develop Garden Pot? Were there any specific programs, mentors, or resources that played a significant role?

The references and guidance I received from my professors at my university helped me take Garden Pot one step further. My academic advisors guided me on sustainability and environmental management issues and helped me gain a technical perspective on my project.

In addition, I was an active member of my university's entrepreneurship club for a long time. During this process, I had the opportunity to learn about business development, market analysis and communication with investors by participating in various entrepreneurship events and workshops.

Can you describe your experience participating in the Winner Woman Social Entrepreneurship Hackathon? What did you learn, and how did it help shape your idea?

My participation in the Winner Women's Social Entrepreneurship Hackathon provided me with an in-depth perspective on the entrepreneurship ecosystem. In this environment that supports women's social entrepreneurship, developing innovative solutions on sustainability and recycling allowed me to develop in many ways. One of my biggest gains during the hackathon process was learning how to strengthen my business model with a focus on social impact.

In our work with mentors, they helped me to make Garden Pot not only a gardening platform, but also an initiative that strengthens social ties and a model that provides social benefit.

In addition, the design thinking studies conducted during the hackathon allowed me to better analyze user needs. In line with user feedback, I developed the idea of ​​integrating circular economy practices such as second-hand sales of gardening equipment and excess plants into the platform. This process helped to strengthen both the environmental and economic sustainability of Garden Pot.

Beyond the university and the hackathon, what additional resources or support have you sought to develop Garden Pot?

The support I received from my mentors and the various programs I participated in played an important role in the development of Garden Pot. In particular, the YouCycle project, where I received training in upcycling and circular economy, was a great source of inspiration for me. In this EU-funded project, I closely observed the circular economy models of local producers in Athens, and this information played an important role in developing the design of Garden Pot. The Impact Hub process, which was a continuation of the project, was also an important source of mentorship for me. Here, I received significant support in developing my business model and strategic plans by working with expert mentors in the field. In addition, thanks to the Aspire Leadership Program supported by Harvard Business School, I had the opportunity to develop my leadership skills and expand the vision of Garden Pot.

What challenges have you encountered while working on Garden Pot so far?

I faced various challenges while working on Garden Pot. One of the biggest challenges was to correctly define my target audience and clarify how to reach this audience. Although I initially thought that everyone living in the city would be interested in growing plants, my market research revealed that different age groups and lifestyles have different needs. I realized that I needed to focus on certain groups, especially housewives, retirees, and young people who are disconnected from nature in the city life.

Another important challenge was to ensure that the application became a sustainable business model. Instead of being just a marketplace for plants and gardening products, I tried to turn it into a platform that included recycling and social interaction. However, I saw that this process required detailed planning in terms of both technical and business development.

From a technical perspective, I had to get software support to develop the platform and provide a user-friendly experience. Since my area of ​​expertise is environmental engineering, I had to collaborate with the right people in software and digital platform development. Mentorship programs and entrepreneurship networks guided me in this process.

Are there any resources or support you feel are missing from your current network that would help you move forward?

There are some resources and support that I feel are missing from my current network to make Garden Pot sustainable and scalable. Technical development and software support are among my biggest needs, especially in terms of making the application user-friendly and functional. Although I have benefited from various mentoring programs so far, working with a team or software support experienced in application development can speed up the process.

In addition, investment and financial support mechanisms are also critical for the growth of the project. Connecting with institutions or investors that provide funding for sustainable initiatives can help Garden Pot reach a wider audience.

You mentioned a need for a teammate with software development expertise—how would this role contribute to the future of Garden Pot?

Having a teammate who is an expert in software development and AI will make a big difference in terms of Garden Pot’s user experience, scalability, and functionality. While I have currently developed the basic infrastructure and business model of the application, I need professional support in areas that require technical expertise.

This role will primarily ensure that the application becomes more user-friendly and accessible. Garden Pot’s target audience also includes individuals with limited experience with technology (e.g. housewives and retirees). Therefore, creating a simple, intuitive, and interactive interface will allow users to easily adapt to the platform.

In addition, establishing a reliable infrastructure and a scalable system is one of the most important elements that will support the growth of the application. As the number of users increases, technical issues such as speed, security, and data management will become of great importance. In addition, since I plan to integrate innovative features such as an AI-powered assistant and smart recommendation systems, a software developer team member will optimize these processes and ensure that the system runs smoothly.

Can you explain your startup idea in more detail? What is the vision behind Garden Pot, and how does it address the challenges of green cities, gardening culture, and recycling?

Garden Pot is a platform that encourages urban gardening and individuals to grow plants. The platform aims to create a sustainable cycle by allowing users to sell excess plants, seeds or unused gardening equipment they grow in their homes or balconies to people nearby.

The main vision of Garden Pot is to transform the lifestyle disconnected from nature brought about by urbanization into a sustainable and green model. While doing this, it plans to prevent plants from being adversely affected by the long shipping process by listing products from locations close to people with a sustainable cargo option and aim to limit carbon emissions.

At the same time, the artificial intelligence-supported gardening assistant to be developed within the application will guide users who have just started growing plants or want to produce more efficiently on topics such as plant care, ecological agriculture and irrigation.

In addition, thanks to the heirloom seed exchange platform within the application, users will be able to support organic agriculture and develop their social ties. Garden Pot aims to transform urban gardening from being just an individual hobby into a social transformation. It aims to be a platform that reunites people with nature, encourages sustainable production models and increases ecological awareness.

Where are you currently in the development process? How are you and your team progressing from idea to implementation?

In the development process of Garden Pot, we are moving from the formation of the idea to the implementation phase. We are currently in the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) phase, which determines the basic features and user experience of the application. First, we focused on understanding the needs of users better by conducting target audience analyses and determined the expectations of potential users through surveys. With the feedback we received, we clarified the main components of the application and continued our work to design a user-friendly interface.

On the technical side, we are working to create the appropriate infrastructure for the software development process. In this process, we have priority goals such as integrating sustainable logistics options, developing the artificial intelligence-supported gardening assistant, and making the heirloom seed exchange system functional. We plan to collaborate with software developers to receive professional support in the coding phase of the application. At the same time, we continue our work to make our business model more robust by meeting with sustainability-focused initiatives and mentors.

During this process, I want to continue to receive guidance on the business model, revenue sources, and scalability. In the near future, we plan to select a pilot region and present the first test version of the application to users and make improvements in line with the feedback.

What makes Garden Pot unique, and how do you see it contributing to sustainable cities and recycling efforts?

The most important feature that makes Garden Pot unique is that it creates a sustainable community by bringing together urban gardening, recycling and local agricultural culture. The platform prevents waste by allowing users to sell their excess plants, seeds and unused gardening equipment with people in their immediate vicinity and contributes to the increase of green areas in cities.

This project aims to revive the gardening culture that has been going on since the Byzantine period under the historical city walls of Istanbul with a modern approach. In today's rapidly increasing urbanization, it encourages individuals to produce efficiently even in small areas by spreading this agricultural heritage through a digital platform. The artificial intelligence-supported gardening assistant facilitates users' plant care processes and provides guidance on sustainable agricultural techniques such as water saving, soil analysis and organic fertilizer use.

At the same time, it aims to encourage young people and individuals living in cities to grow plants and establish a stronger bond with nature. The heirloom seed exchange platform in the application supports traditional agriculture and contributes to the preservation of local seed diversity. One of the biggest advantages of Garden Pot in terms of sustainable cities is that it minimizes environmental impact by reducing carbon emissions in logistics processes thanks to its local and short-distance delivery model. Positioning gardening not just as a hobby but as a sustainable and community-based lifestyle, this platform aims to provide a collective transformation by increasing green areas at the individual level.

What additional support do you think would be most beneficial at this stage of your entrepreneurial journey?

At this stage of my entrepreneurial journey, I need additional support, especially in software development, marketing strategies, and sustainable business models. First of all, a team with experience in software development is critical for the application to be user-friendly and sustainable, especially for the AI-powered gardening assistant to work more effectively.

In addition, reaching out to more young people through university clubs can be an effective strategy to increase the impact of the project. The organizational structures of these clubs offer a great opportunity to attract the attention of young people and introduce the project to a wider audience. Young people's interest in environmental awareness and sustainability issues coincides with Garden Pot's potential user base. Collaborating with university clubs, organizing events for students, and explaining the advantages of the project to them can help me grow the target audience quickly.

Finally, strategic guidance from business mentors to develop sustainable business models and ensure scalability is of great importance for Garden Pot's long-term success. With this support, I can convey Garden Pot's vision to a wider audience and grow my project in a more sustainable way.

How do you plan to collaborate with European students and other green projects to advance Garden Pot?

I plan to collaborate with university clubs and other social initiatives in Europe to develop Garden Pot. I aim to organize events to spread awareness about green cities, sustainable agriculture and the environment by establishing these collaborations especially with student clubs and social responsibility projects. I plan to organize events such as social media campaigns, awareness campaigns, plant exchange days and sustainability themed workshops by making joint organizations with university clubs. These events will raise environmental awareness in students, introduce the vision of Garden Pot to a wider audience and give participants a sense of social responsibility. I also plan to collaborate with social entrepreneurship clubs in universities to exchange ideas with students from different countries and to ensure that students take part in the project. Such collaborations will increase the social impact of the project and will especially increase the environmental awareness of the young population.

What are your goals for Garden Pot over the next 1-3 years?

I aim to grow Garden Pot’s development by supporting it with collaborations on both a local and global scale in the next 1-3 years. In the first stage, I plan to increase awareness of sustainable gardening by establishing strong ties with universities and youth entrepreneurship ecosystems. I aim to organize joint events with environmental and entrepreneurship clubs of universities, provide students with training on urban agriculture and recycling, and ensure that they take active roles in the project. These collaborations will help young people develop innovative ideas in the field of sustainability and increase the social impact of Garden Pot.

In the second stage, I aim to establish collaborations with local governments and municipalities, place local producers’ products in the municipality’s plant sales platform and markets, and organize trainings and workshops in this field. I plan to work with local governments to promote sustainable urban agriculture, especially in big cities, and create models that encourage communities to grow plants. In this process, I want to increase social awareness and popularize urban agriculture by developing sustainable gardening solutions that can be included in urban planning.

In the third phase, I aim to increase international collaborations by integrating Garden Pot into the European sustainability and green initiatives network. By establishing links with programs such as Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe, and collaborating with universities and green initiatives in different countries, I aim to increase Garden Pot’s impact internationally and contribute to sustainable urban solutions.

What advice would you give to other students who are considering participating in hackathons or starting their own projects?

Hackathons are one of the most productive environments for developing ideas and implementing them. Since I wanted to change something in the future or contribute to change, I participated in different hackathons and had the opportunity to meet incredibly inspiring people in each of them. These events not only help me gain technical knowledge, but also greatly contribute to developing creativity, problem-solving skills and teamwork. The young people I met at hackathons, who are eager and innovative, helped me take my projects further by providing different perspectives.

My biggest advice to students who are considering participating in hackathons or starting their own projects is to be brave and not hesitate to implement their ideas. Instead of waiting for an idea to be perfect, they should take small steps and be open to learning in the process. Such events offer the opportunity to experience team dynamics and produce creative solutions by working intensively in a short time. It is a great advantage to participate, acquire new skills and collaborate with people from different disciplines, especially without expecting to be an expert in any field.

Hackathons are a perfect environment for developing skills such as developing ideas, making presentations and determining strategies. In addition, feedback from expert mentors plays a critical role in shaping the future of projects and in the investment phase. Therefore, you should see hackathons not only as a way to win, but also as an opportunity to test your ideas, meet the right people, and improve yourself. As you gain experience, you can better understand how your projects can become more sustainable and applicable, and you can work on projects that will create big impacts in the future.

How has working on Garden Pot influenced your perspective on environmental engineering and your future career?

Working on Garden Pot has significantly broadened my perspective on environmental engineering and made me realize that sustainable solutions should be supported not only by technical knowledge but also by social interaction, digitalization and entrepreneurship. Going beyond the traditional engineering perspective, I had the opportunity to observe how issues such as sustainable urbanism, circular economy and individual environmental awareness can be used more effectively in engineering solutions.

Thanks to this project, I saw that environmental engineering is not limited to areas such as infrastructure projects or pollution control, but also offers great potential for developing innovative solutions that promote sustainability practices in individuals' daily lives. In particular, working on digital solutions such as an AI-supported gardening assistant and sustainable logistics systems allowed me to discover how projects can be produced at the intersection of technology and environmental engineering.

In terms of my future career, Garden Pot positioned me not only as someone who develops engineering solutions, but also as a professional working on social entrepreneurship, sustainable business models and innovative technologies. This experience helped me understand how important it is to develop innovative projects and collaborate with different disciplines in line with sustainable development goals from an environmental engineering perspective. As I shape my career, I plan to focus more on high environmental impact, scalable, and community-based projects.