Selected projects from two decades of building trust-based systems.
PROJECT 1: ZUMBARA
Time Bank 2.0 | 2008–2018
The Challenge:
Could an alternative economy—one based on time instead of money—actually work at scale?
What I Built:
Zumbara was a platform where individuals exchanged skills and services using time as currency. One hour of teaching web design = one hour of getting your washing machine fixed. Unlike traditional time banks, Zumbara combined this exchange model with social networking, creating what we called «Time Bank 2.0.»
The Impact:
- 50,000+ members across Turkey
- 25,000+ skills listed
- Thousands of hours exchanged
- Largest time bank network in the world at its peak
- Community events, festivals, and local chapters in multiple cities
What I Learned:
Trust isn’t a feature you can code. It’s a culture you cultivate through careful design, ongoing facilitation, and genuine commitment to community values. This insight now shapes everything I do in AI governance.
PROJECT 2: TECHSOUP TURKEY
Managing Director | 2013–2019
The Challenge:
How do you help hundreds of NGOs adopt technology when they lack resources, technical expertise, and sometimes trust in digital tools?
What I Built:
As Managing Director, I created an ecosystem where social innovation met technology. This included:
- Things Program: Youth social innovation initiative that sourced 108 project ideas, hosted hackathons, and incubated winning teams
- NetSquared Istanbul: Monthly meetups connecting nonprofits with tech solutions
- Training Programs: Workshops across Turkey on visualization, social media, and digital tools for NGOs
The Impact:
- Hundreds of NGOs supported in digital transformation
- 6 finalist projects from Things Challenge, 3 funded and incubated
- Community events in Istanbul, Izmir, Eskişehir, and Adana
- Contributed to TechSoup’s global network as NetSquared Global Leadership Council member
What I Learned:
Technology adoption isn’t a technical problem—it’s a cultural one. The same facilitation skills that helped NGOs embrace digital tools now help organizations embrace AI governance.
PROJECT 3: EXPERIENCE DESIGN & FACILITATION
Ongoing Practice | 2008–Present
The Challenge:
How do you create spaces where people can encounter difficult ideas, surface honest tensions, and leave transformed?
What I Built:
A portfolio of facilitated experiences across three continents:
- Giftival: Gift culture gatherings in Turkey, India, Italy, and Brazil
- Anadolu Jam: Transformative gatherings for young Turkish changemakers
- Evolving & Emerging Economies Jam: Online exploration of alternative economic systems
- «A Ticket For Your Time Machine»: Imaginative AI futures workshop at BlueDotImpact
- Zumbara Lab: Collaborative space at Columbia University’s Studio X
- Participatory Assemblies: Community-led governance design
The Impact:
- Gatherings on four continents
- Hundreds of participants in transformative experiences
- Methodology refined over 15+ years
- Direct application to current AI governance facilitation
What I Learned:
The container matters as much as the content. Safe space, deep listening, and participatory design aren’t soft skills—they’re the foundation of legitimate governance.
PROJECT 4: MY SACRED SPACE DESIGN
Global E-Commerce & Content Platform | 2018–2023
The Challenge:
How do you bootstrap and scale a niche Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) brand across fragmented European markets using content as the primary growth engine?
What I Built:
I established and managed a global e-commerce brand from the ground up, overseeing the entire operational lifecycle:
- Operations: Built a cross-border supply chain and logistics network serving 11 European countries.
- Team: Managed a fully distributed, remote workforce of creators and contractors across Estonia and Turkey.
- Data Strategy: Leveraged digital marketing analytics (SEO, Pinterest, YouTube) to drive customer acquisition and community growth.
The Impact:
- Pan-European Scale: Products sold and delivered to Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK.
- Digital Reach: Built an active global community through data-driven content strategies.
- Sustainable P&L: Managed the financial health and operational burn rate of a multi-country venture.
Why It Matters:
This project proves my ability to manage complex, distributed systems. The same rigorous attention to detail required to manage international logistics is what I bring to designing AI governance workflows.
PROJECT 5: AI GOVERNANCE PRACTICE
Current Focus | 2023–Present
The Challenge:
How do you help mission-driven organizations move from AI anxiety to trustworthy systems—without losing their soul in compliance bureaucracy?
What I’m Building:
A governance architecture practice that combines:
- Deep Listening: Ethnographic research and stakeholder interviews
- Participatory Design: Co-created principles and policies
- Technical Rigor: AI auditing, red teaming, and risk assessment
- Cultural Transformation: Embedding governance into daily workflows
The Impact (2025):
- 4 complete organizational AI governance transformations
- 5 technical AI audits completed
- Teaching at ELISAVA
- International keynotes on life-centered AI governance
- Growing community through «AI of Your Choice» Substack
What I’m Learning:
We’re in the earliest days. The organizations doing this work now—with care, honesty, and rigor—will shape what «responsible AI» means for everyone.