9.5 Million TL Support for Dreams
The initiative named ‘BIGG ASSIST’, established through the collaboration of Izmir University of Economics, Technopark Izmir, and Inci Holding, has provided a major opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to turn their dream projects into reality and start their own businesses. Six entrepreneurs, who developed projects in various fields such as informatics, biotechnology, machinery, and software, received training and mentoring support through the BIGG ASSIST Acceleration Program and were awarded a total grant of 9,450,000 TL from TUBITAK. As part of the program, the entrepreneurs completed 180 hours of training on business idea development, investor pitch preparation, and business plan drafting, while also receiving one-on-one tailored guidance from business clinic experts, gaining a strong financial resource to transform their innovative ideas into economic value.
Under the first call of 2026 for the TUBITAK 1812 BGG Investment-Based Entrepreneurship Support Program, a total of 91 entrepreneurs across Türkiye qualified for support. Six of these supported projects belong to the innovative ideas of Oğuz Kuru, Esat Daşdemir, Arslan Arslan, Arda Şimşek, Emre Koçana, and Müjde Burcu Hancı.
In the upcoming period, the entrepreneurs will continue their research and development activities, build prototypes of their projects, and work toward reaching potential clients. Additionally, they will be able to form their own teams, creating new employment opportunities. The long-term goal of the entrepreneurs will be to build sustainable companies by bringing their innovative solutions to national and international markets.
“WE BUILT A BRIDGE BETWEEN RESEARCH AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP”
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Efe Biresselioğlu, Vice Rector of Izmir University of Economics, stated that beyond generating scientific knowledge, universities carry the responsibility of translating that knowledge for the benefit of society and the economy. Expressing that research and innovation are primary development priorities for the university, Prof. Dr. Biresselioğlu said, “What matters to us is that academic expertise does not remain confined to scientific publications, but transforms into new technologies, products, and solutions that deliver social benefit. With this vision, we view entrepreneurship as a natural component of our research culture. As Izmir University of Economics, we build a strong bridge between research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. We specifically aim to foster an ecosystem where young people can turn their scientific curiosity and creative ideas into concrete ventures. The success achieved by our six entrepreneurs under BIGG ASSIST demonstrates just how valuable this approach is.”
“WE WILL STAND BY YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS”
Emphasizing the high priority the University places on supporting innovative ideas, Prof. Dr. Biresselioğlu assured that they will continue to stand by young entrepreneurs throughout their journey of realizing business ideas. Prof. Dr. Biresselioğlu stated, “We know that when a good idea meets the right opportunities, it can be the spark not just for a venture, but for a much broader transformation. On their journey to realizing their dreams, we want the young people never to feel alone and to feel the backing of our University’s knowledge and established partnerships at every stage. We aim to help the entrepreneurs overcome uncertainties, discover the full potential of their ideas, and develop sustainable business models. At this point, we also find university-industry collaborations immensely valuable. Bringing academic knowledge together with business world experience makes it easier for innovative ideas to turn into actionable solutions. We are delighted to see the concrete results of this collaboration with Technopark Izmir and Inci Holding. Our goal is to enable even more innovative ideas to contribute to our country’s technological development and economic growth.”
“FROM IDEA STAGE TO BUSINESS MODEL”
Asst. Prof. Dr. Yağmur Kiraz Durmaz, Acting Director of the Project Development and Technology Transfer Office at Izmir University of Economics, noted that every entrepreneurial idea has unique needs and a distinct development process, stating, “As the Technology Transfer Office, we guide entrepreneurs through every step; from the initial idea stage to business model formulation, project development, and commercialization. The success achieved by our six entrepreneurs under BIGG ASSIST is crucial for us in this regard. We view this achievement not only as an individual accomplishment for entrepreneurs, but also as a significant milestone contributing to the strengthening of the entrepreneurial culture at our University.”
“WE CREATED A CUSTOMIZED ROADMAP FOR EACH PROJECT”
Yeliz Koç Erikan, Project Development Specialist at the Izmir University of Economics Project Development and Technology Transfer Office, highlighted that entrepreneurs went through a comprehensive preparation period within the scope of the BIGG ASSIST Acceleration Program, saying, “First, we evaluated the strengths, areas for improvement, and market viability of each idea. Alongside training sessions, we aimed to draw up a roadmap tailored to the specific needs of each project through one-on-one sessions. We focused particularly on preparing investor presentations, identifying target audiences, and highlighting the commercial potential of the projects. As a result, five of the entrepreneurs qualified for 1,350,000 TL each in investment support, while one entrepreneur under co-investment qualified for 2,700,000 TL in investment support. Having the entrepreneurs deemed worthy of support by TUBITAK was one of the finest outcomes of the preparation process we carried out.”
