World Second Place Winning Idea Powered by Natural Colors

Duygu Geçkin, a Research Assistant at the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Izmir University of Economics (IUE), achieved international success with her idea to turn vegetable waste like cabbage, beetroot, and purple carrot into natural colors for the cosmetics industry. The initiative she founded, called ‘Chroma Naturals’, won second place at the Creative Business Cup held this year in Denmark, which featured entrepreneurs from over 30 countries. Successfully passing evaluations across various criteria such as creativity, business model, growth potential, and impact, Geçkin made her country proud. At the finals held in Copenhagen, she also had the opportunity to present her work globally and establish strong business connections.

Res. Asst. Geçkin stated that the primary starting point for Chroma Naturals was to upcycle food waste. Emphasizing that a significant portion of vegetable waste goes to trash unused, Geçkin shared that she set out with the goal of utilizing this waste not only in color cosmetics like lipstick and blush, but also in dermocosmetics and personal care product manufacturing.

“IT WILL BE A GREAT ALTERNATIVE”

Geçkin said: “I wanted to develop an alternative to petroleum-based and animal-derived colorants used in cosmetics. Supported by TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey), I conducted extensive studies in this area to extract natural pigments from food by-products. For instance, I worked on producing an entirely natural blush using purple cabbage and made significant progress. Following that, I founded Chroma Naturals. Winning second place globally at the Creative Business Cup was incredibly valuable in showing that my work resonates on an international stage. My next goal is to ensure the products I develop are used on a broader scale, expand our partnerships, and establish Chroma Naturals as a strong brand in the international market.”

“WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT INNOVATIVE IDEAS”

Dr. Gözde Çeviker, Director of the Izmir University of Economics Creative Economy Research and Application Center (IUE+KREA), expressed immense pride over the achievement in Denmark, stating: “Duygu qualified to compete in Denmark after winning Creative Business Cup Türkiye 2026, which was held in cooperation with the Izmir Development Agency as part of the ‘Create in Izmir’ project. We had immense confidence from the beginning in her idea, her work, and the project's overall potential. We believed we would get a good result at the global final in Denmark as well. To our delight, that is exactly what happened. Returning with a world second-place title from such an important organization featuring entrepreneurs from over 30 countries is a source of immense joy and pride for all of us. Her success demonstrates how a right idea, backed by hard work and determination, can make a powerful impact internationally. As IUE+KREA, we will continue to support ideas emerging from our University so they can develop, connect with the business world, and make waves globally.”