14/07/2015
Sabancı University becomes implementer of TÜBİTAK tech venture support
Named “Turkey's Most Entrepreneurial and Innovative University," Sabancı becomes the implementer of the TÜBİTAK tech venture support for the BiGG-SEA Project created with ideEge TGB and Adana ÜSAM.
Sabancı University became the implementer of the BiGG-SEA Project in partnership with the Ege University Technology Development Zone (ideEge TGB) and Adana University-Industry Joint Research Center (Adana ÜSAM), receiving "Technological Venture Capital Support" from TÜBİTAK. Sabancı University also ranked first in the University Entrepreneurship and Innovation Index issued by the Ministry of Science, Industry and Trade.
Sabancı University Entrepreneurship Council Director Kutlu Kazancı said that the project would assist prospective entrepreneurs in 25 provinces in the Mediterranean, Aegean and Marmara regions of Turkey to create business ideas, prepare business plans, and apply for the "Technological Venture Capital Support Program."
Explaining that the project name of BiGG-SEA stood for "Individual Young Entrepreneurs Sabancı Aegean Adana," Kazancı noted that the TÜBİTAK grant for projects referred and approved by implementers increased from TL 100,000 to TL 150,000. Kazancı continued, "TÜBİTAK delegated the powers to collect applications, train candidates and refer project applications to a number of implementer organizations. We are among the 18 institutions authorized by TÜBİTAK. In the past three years, the 1512 Program of TÜBİTAK received submissions from more than 3200 entrepreneurs, provided training to over 1100 entrepreneurs for preparing business plans, and granted TL 100,000 each to 350 selected entrepreneurs."
The BiGG-SEA Project will assist prospective entrepreneurs in 25 provinces in the Mediterranean, Aegean and Marmara regions of Turkey to create business ideas, prepare business plans, and apply for the "Technological Venture Capital Support Program." Expectations are to reach more than 2500 entrepreneurs in three years, provide pre-incubation and mentoring services to over 500 entrepreneurs, and support over 300 business plan applications.
The BiGG-SEA project serves entrepreneurs with a considerable and expanding network that started with 15+ universities, TTOs, technology parks and chambers of industry; 13+ corporate partners including General Electric, Eczacıbaşı, Netaş, KORDSA and Farplas; and investment groups including 212 Ltd, Arya Women Investment Platform, BIC Angel Investments, Diffusion Capital Partners, Galata Angel Investors Network, Keiretsu Forum Istanbul, Revo Capital and Şirket Ortağım.
Interested candidates may visit www.biggsea.com for more information and applications.
About the BiGG-SEA Project
The BiGG-SEA Project will collect submissions to the Technological Venture Capital Support Program primarily from the Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean regions of Turkey, and support candidates in the process from business idea to business plan by offering services in business modeling, mentorship and pre-incubation.
The project is an official implementer of the TÜBİTAK 1512 Program, and will be managed by Sabancı University Inovent, ideEGE-TGB and Adana ÜSAM.
BiGG-SEA is a TÜBİTAK-authorized official implementer that will collect the first stage applications for the program, and is designed to "support entrepreneurs with innovation-focused technological ideas through mechanisms based on lean enterprise and market development methodologies, and accompany the entrepreneur on the journey to commercialization with a business plan prepared after technical and market-worthiness of the business idea is confirmed."
The technology- and innovation-focused business ideas of entrepreneurs will be supported from the idea stage to the market free of charge in order to enable them to convert their ideas to ventures with a high potential for adding value and creating employment opportunities.