1.4.2 Local start-up financial assistance
ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION AT BOĞAZİÇİ UNIVERSITY
What Does Bright Do?
It raises value-oriented entrepreneurs who are not afraid of making mistakes by taking risks in order to lay the groundwork for the birth of innovative companies that will compete with the world from Turkey. It supports entrepreneurs in training, mentoring, workshops, fundraising, solution partnerships with companies, conducts research, produces data and processes, and shares this data.
Who are Bright Entrepreneurs?
- They observe.
- They identify problems.
- They produce innovative solutions and seize their own opportunities.
- They think long-term and question the status quo.
- They try, they fail, and they try again.
- They learn from failures, explore, listen, and try again.
- They have the courage to start and change.
- They are value-oriented, not interestoriented.
OUR PARTNERS
Students and Recent Graduates
Boğaziçi University Bright Center for Entrepreneurship; helps students transform the competitive advantage that comes with the Boğaziçi label into a personal and long-term competitive advantage.
Entrepreneurs
Boğaziçi University Bright Center for Entrepreneurship offers entrepreneurs information and social network that they can apply at every stage of difficulty..
Companies
Boğaziçi University Bright Center for Entrepreneurship evaluates the entrepreneurship levels of companies, provides training on various subjects, and enables companies to benefit from the Boğaziçi talent.
OUR MISSION
- To develop, cultivate and place entrepreneurship as a mindset.
- To reveal the entrepreneurial essence and genetics of Boğaziçi.
- To create the "Boğaziçi effect" and to ensure the emergence of more startups with higher quality.
- To elevate the corporate employees to individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset who question the status quo.
- To pave the way for large-scale initiatives encompassing and comprehending the world around us, as well as inspiring and activating these ideas.
- To raise individuals who learn to learn and take initiative on their own.
OUR VISION
- To contribute to the Turkish economy with the Boğaziçi effect and to turn all entrepreneur candidates we support into successful entrepreneurs.
DreamBU Incubation Center, which was established for Boğaziçi University students, alumni and academicians to commercialize their business ideas, continues its activities in cooperation with Boğaziçi University Technology Transfer Office and Boğaziçi University Bright Center for Entrepreneurship.
DreamBU provides various supports to entrepreneurs in training, mentoring, intellectual property, investor relations, networking, etc. Technology and innovation-oriented, scalable startups that are deemed appropriate by the startups applying through the application form obtain the right to use the incubation center in quarterly period.
Programs
STANFORD UNIVERSITY - UIF SILICON VALLEY MEETUP
The Silicon Valley Meetup, the first face-to-face meeting of the University Innovation Fellow program, organized by Stanford University d.school after the pandemic, was held on the Stanford University campus in March 2022. In addition to the participation of Boğaziçi University fellows Haluk Ziya Tercan, Zişan Özdemir and Arda Ulutürk, Asst. Prof. Oğuzhan Aygören and Assoc. Prof. Burcu Rodopman also physically attended the meeting.
Fellow students and faculty members from more than ten countries and different universities attended the three-day training, panels, and experience areas at the meetup. In the meetup, where the main purpose was to teach "leading change", opportunities were created to get to know technologies in different sectors, examine the Stanford University campus, develop leadership skills, empathize and work together. In addition to being inspired by the Stanford University ecosystem, our students had the opportunity to tour the Silicon Valley environment and make company visits.
Working with Bright for years, our students Haluk Ziya Tercan, Zişan Özdemir, and Arda Ulutürk, who are important examples of Bright's philosophy, did not see the problems they faced as unsolvable and managed to finance the visit to Silicon Valley meetup with methods such as crowdfunding and direct access to individuals living in the region.
Through the eyes of our students:
“The Silicon Valley meetup was one of the turning points for me. As a result of the training we received, I experienced the excitement of being able to lead the change. In addition, I gained self-confidence with the inspiration of seeing Silicon Valley, San Francisco, and most importantly, Stanford University. Although I made a lot of benefits, the most important thing was that I realized that we are doing good work in Turkey and that we are not behind anyone. Although our opportunities are less than in other countries, we are highly motivated and work well. We have no reason to distrust ourselves. Like an entrepreneur, we will try harder to make the best use of our opportunities, and we will inspire others to do so.”
- Haluk Ziya Tercan
You can also access the presentation made by Bright Center Director Oğuzhan Aygören in the 2022 UIF program via the QR code below.
UIF Silicon Valley Meetup news link at Bogazici News:
BUCREA - Boğaziçi University Creativity Lab
BUCREA - Boğazi Boğaziçi University Creativity Lab (BUCREA) is one of Bright's sub-student societies and the first. It was created by Haluk Ziya Tercan, a graduate of the Fire-Up Program and Fellow of the Stanford University UIF Program, as a result of Bright's desire to host communities to be established through initiatives in different verticals. Bright strives to support these communities, meet their essential needs, and ensure their development.
BUCREA focuses on creativity, innovation, and the desire to create change that traditional student communities lack. It has adopted different approaches from traditional communities. Its approach is structured in three phases:
1. Fields of Experience: With fields of experience, students gain knowledge by trying new technologies, approaches, methods, and tools. They interact directly with what they have learned.
2. Creativity: As a result of the new information learned, the potential connections that can be established in the mind are increased, and creativity is developed.
3. Change: Problems encountered with developing creativity can be viewed from different perspectives. Bright provides support with project development, and change is initiated.
BUCREA also strives to create a participatory, initiative-based structure by eliminating the hierarchical board mechanism that organizes and controls events in traditional student societies. For this reason, the experience areas of BUCREA are not a team of a few people, but each community participant. Each participant designs and presents experience areas that can be applied quickly in an area they know well or in the area they want to improve themselves even if they don't.
Having revealed its philosophy in its first year, BUCREA attracted the attention of 200 students in two months and enabled them to participate in communication channels. In the 12 experience areas organized, it achieved an average of 20 participants. The feedback from BUCREA will renew itself and will strive to strengthen the creativity muscles.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUPPORTS
TECHNOPARKS
INCUBATION CENTERS AND ACCELARATORS
OUR PARTNERSHIPS
OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
Entrepreneurship education at Bogazici University
‘Bright Young Entrepreneurs Programme’ Provides Significant Support to Boğaziçi University Students' Start-ups
The ‘Bright Young Entrepreneurs Programme Demo Day’ event, organised in collaboration with Boğaziçi University Technopark and the Entrepreneurship Application and Research Centre, was held on 26 November 2024 at Boğaziçi Technopark Kandilli Campus.
As part of the programme, young entrepreneurs from Boğaziçi University presented their innovative projects in various fields such as gaming, health technologies, software and artificial intelligence to the jury.
As a result of the jury's evaluation, four start-ups won a total of 350,000 TL in financial support and gained the right to benefit from the comprehensive infrastructure and mentoring services of Boğaziçi University Technopark Incubation Centre.
Successful Startups
The first prize was awarded to the ‘GLYDE Games’ team. The team is preparing to launch its new game worldwide on various platforms in the near future. Second place went to ‘Innorare,’ which developed a clean intermittent catheterisation (CIC) catheter that can be easily used at home.
Third place was awarded to the ‘Pura’ team for their project on a liquid and hybrid rocket system that can be used in space exploration. Additionally, the ‘Navibu’ team, which developed an artificial intelligence-supported customised navigation system, was awarded the jury's special prize.
‘We will support our students' innovative initiatives even more.’
Speaking at the opening of the event, Dr. Cem Duran, General Manager of Boğaziçi University Technopark, stated that they will continue to strengthen students' innovative projects with financial and infrastructural support:
"As Boğaziçi University, we are witnessing projects that attract worldwide attention in fields such as gaming, health technologies, software, and artificial intelligence. As a technology park, we will continue to stand by our young entrepreneurs, providing them with mentorship and infrastructure support. By increasing the number of such events, we aim to reach more students and create new success stories.”
https://haberler.bogazici.edu.tr/tr/news/kampus/2/bright-genc-girisim-programi-ile-bogazicili-o/2883
2024 Sustainability Report SDG-1 (Related Section)
Training, Mentoring and Financing Supports for Local Start-Ups
In order to encourage local start-ups and ensure their success, Boğaziçi University offers a variety of start-up support from Boğaziçi University Entrepreneurship Centre (Bright), Boğaziçi University Technology Transfer Office (TTO), technoparks, incubators and accelerators. These venture supports provide start-ups with mentoring programmes, training workshops, access to university facilities and financial support.
Boğaziçi University Entrepreneurship Research and Application Centre (BRIGHT)
Boğaziçi University Entrepreneurship Centre Bright is a centre that aims to develop entrepreneurship as a mindset and pave the way for the emergence of innovative companies from Turkey that can compete with the world. The centre provides comprehensive support to prospective entrepreneurs in areas such as training, mentoring, workshops, fundraising and solution partnerships with companies. In this context, the entrepreneurship programmes offered by Bright and the student verticals based on students' career and interest areas are listed below.
Click here to visit Bright web page:
https://entrepreneurship.bogazici.edu.tr/
Click here to see the Bright 2016-2022 Impact Report:
https://entrepreneurship.bogazici.edu.tr/2022-bright-impact-report
DreamBIGG programme, run by Boğaziçi University Entrepreneurship Centre Bright and Technology Transfer Office, is a support programme for young entrepreneurs within the scope of TUBITAK's 1512 Techno- Entrepreneurship Capital Support Programme. The programme aims to transform technology and innovation-oriented business ideas into enterprises with high potential to create qualified employment and added value. Scalable projects and initiatives that successfully complete the application process receive support to take their ideas to the market by making use of the incubation centre. The aim is to create internationally competitive companies that develop innovative products and services.
Click here to go to DreamBIGG web page:
Fire Up Change Leaders Programme
In partnership with Boğaziçi University Entrepreneurship Centre Bright and ITU GİNOVA, the programme was launched to develop students' entrepreneurship and social innovation skills. Students who develop projects in line with sustainable development goals with the support of a mentor during an intensive eight-week training process have the opportunity to be nominated for Stanford University's University Innovation Fellowship (UIF) programme at the end of the programme.
Click here to visit the Fire Up web page:
https://entrepreneurship.bogazici.edu.tr/fire
University Innovation Fellowship Programme with Stanford d.school
Boğaziçi University Entrepreneurship Centre Bright collaborates with the University Innovation Fellows (UIF) programme run by Stanford University and Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). Four students selected among the students who successfully complete the FireUp programme participate in six-week trainings on topics such as business model development, design thinking, creativity and innovation, and have the opportunity to take part in entrepreneurship projects by receiving the title of ‘Bright Fellow’.
Click here for detailed information:
https://entrepreneurship.bogazici.edu.tr/university-innovation-fellowship-program-stanford-dschool
University Innovation Fellowship Programme with Stanford d.school
Startup Carnival
It is an entrepreneurship festival that has been organised every year since 2016, based on learning and interaction through fun. The festival, which has hosted more than 5000 participants so far, has encouraged cooperation between startups, offered job and internship opportunities to the participants, and contributed to the investment of many startups through the established connections.
Click here to visit Startup Carnival web page:
https://entrepreneurship.bogazici.edu.tr/startup-carnival
Startup Carnival
Click here to visit Startup Carnival web page:
https://entrepreneurship.bogazici.edu.tr/startup-carnival
Pitching Day
It is an event organised by Boğaziçi University Entrepreneurship Centre Bright and Boğaziçi University Technology Transfer Office that supports students to benefit from the business world and entrepreneur network and develop their ideas. Initiatives, where at least one Boğaziçi member is present, present their ideas to the jury and the audience in five-minute presentations, and then answer the jury's questions in the Q&A session. The projects selected at the event are offered the opportunity to find co-working space and qualified teammates at DreamBU Incubation Centre.
Click here to go to the Pitching Day web page:
https://entrepreneurship.bogazici.edu.tr/pitching-day
BrightTalks
It is a conversation and experience sharing event organised by the University Entrepreneurship Centre Bright with the idea that entrepreneurship culture can be built with courage and self-confidence. In the events where successful entrepreneurs are hosted, guests share their success stories about the entrepreneurship ecosystem and their own success stories, while students have the opportunity to expand their vision and ask direct questions. Leading entrepreneurs such as Nazım Salur and Nevzat Aydın have participated in the event so far.
Click here to visit BrightTalks web page:
https://entrepreneurship.bogazici.edu.tr/brighttalks
LeanLAB
Innovative Transformation from Academia to Entrepreneurship LeanLAB is an academic entrepreneurship programme for academics and PhD students, supported by the Istanbul Development Agency and the Ministry of Industry and Technology, of which Boğaziçi University is the executive partner. Between 6 and 10 participants are accepted to the intensive 6-week training programme. Participants who want to implement their business ideas with commercialisation potential are provided with training, mentoring, consultancy, infrastructure facilities and investor access from I-Corps and Business Model Generation certified trainers.
Click here to go to LeanLAB web page:
https://buhak.bogazici.edu.tr/leanlab
Startup Europe Universities Network
Boğaziçi University is the only Turkish member of the Startup Europe Universities Network, an initiative of the European Commission, and is represented by Bright. With the support of this representation, Bright takes an active role in advancing entrepreneurship research and studies at universities.
Click here to go to Startup Europe Universities Network web page:
https://entrepreneurship.bogazici.edu.tr/startup-europe-universities-network
Student Startups
BUCREA - Boğaziçi University Creativity Lab
Focuses on the areas of creativity, innovation and change-making that traditional student communities lack. By experimenting with new technologies and methods, students gain knowledge, develop their creativity and learn to tackle problems from different perspectives. Bright contributes to change-making by providing project development support throughout this process.
Click here to go to the BUCREA web page:
https://entrepreneurship.bogazici.edu.tr/bucrea-bogazici-university-creativity-lab
Microentrepreneurship Startups
It aims to provide experience and introduce the ecosystem to university students by encouraging them to use low-code and no-code tools. By using artificial intelligence software such as GPT-3 in these micro- enterprise projects, it introduces the use of artificial intelligence in entrepreneurship to students. In the first microentrepreneurship project, Entrepreneurship Words Taboo, a web taboo game was designed by creating forbidden words like in a taboo game with the help of GPT-3 from frequently used words in the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Click here to go to Microentrepreneurship web page:
https://entrepreneurship.bogazici.edu.tr/microentrepreneurship
Blockchain Startups
It aims to understand the transformation that Blockchain technology, which started as a trust protocol, has created by becoming a new world philosophy and approach and to produce on this philosophy.
Click here to go to the Blockchain Vertical web page:
https://entrepreneurship.bogazici.edu.tr/blockchain
Bumpact
BUmpact, which comes together to be change agents who create impact for a greener and more equal world, aims to learn together in areas such as social entrepreneurship, sustainability, environment and to take action as a community where it can create transformation.
Click here to go to Bumpact web page:
https://entrepreneurship.bogazici.edu.tr/bumpact
Boğaziçi University Technology Transfer Office (TTO)
TTO assists inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs in the process of transforming their ideas into technology, commercialising the technology by transferring it to industry and creating an economic value that mutually benefits both society and the university. Entrepreneurs can get information by applying to TTO about the basic points they should pay attention to before turning their ideas into projects, developing a suitable solution partner, preparing properly when seeking investment, the process and preliminary research on a developed product and whether it is patentable or not.
Click here to visit TTO's web page:
Technoparks
Boğaziçi University Technopark
Among the advantages it offers to companies are the opportunity to cooperate with Boğaziçi University's academic staff and students, access to the university's R&D and laboratory infrastructure, Life Sciences and Technologies Application and Research Centre facilities, joint studies with the Technology Transfer Office, access to the Incubation Centre entrepreneur pool, special rent discounts and incentives. The Incubation Centre within the Technopark supports entrepreneurs at every stage by providing mentoring, consultancy, modern office and working spaces, technical infrastructure support, training and seminar programmes, access to financial resources, connections with the investor network and networking opportunities.
Click here to go to Boğaziçi University Technopark web page:
https://bogaziciteknopark.com/
Technoparks
BÜDOTEK Teknopark
Established in partnership with Boğaziçi University, Dudullu Organised Industrial Zone and Boğaziçi University Foundation, BÜDOTEK aims to support entrepreneurs to create added value by increasing their R&D and innovation capacities. In this direction, it aims to prepare the ground for advanced qualified R&D studies by bringing together the academic staff and research infrastructure of Boğaziçi University and the production facilities of Dudullu Organised Industrial Zone.
Click here to visit BÜDOTEK Teknopark web page:
Incubation Centres and Accelerators
DreamBU Incubation Centre
DreamBU Incubation Centre, which was established to enable Boğaziçi University students, graduates and academicians to commercialise their business ideas, continues its activities in cooperation with Boğaziçi University Technology Transfer Office and Boğaziçi University Entrepreneurship Centre Bright. DreamBU provides various supports to entrepreneurs in the fields of education, mentorship, intellectual property rights, investor relations, networking, etc. Technology and innovation- oriented, scalable startups that are deemed suitable from the startups that apply through the application form are entitled to use the incubation centre for 3-month periods.
Click here to go to DreamBU Incubation Centre web page:
https://entrepreneurship.bogazici.edu.tr/dreambu-incubation-center
No poverty
End poverty in all of its forms everywhere.
