Entrepreneurship Education and Local Start-up Support at Boğaziçi University

Boğaziçi University provides comprehensive local start-up assistance to students, alumni, early-stage entrepreneurs, and the wider community through an integrated entrepreneurship ecosystem that combines education, mentorship, incubation services, and access to university facilities. These activities aim to support the establishment of financially and socially sustainable start-ups while strengthening the local innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

BRIGHT - Boğaziçi University Entrepreneurship Application and Research Center

BRIGHT – Boğaziçi University Entrepreneurship Application and Research Center is a center operating under the leadership of Boğaziçi Teknopark, dedicated to translating Boğaziçi University’s entrepreneurship vision into practice. With a strong focus on innovation, sustainability, and social impact, the Center aims to foster and disseminate an entrepreneurial culture.

The Center contributes to the development of the entrepreneurship ecosystem by providing training, mentoring, consultancy, and project support services for entrepreneurs, students, and academics. To this end, BRIGHT:

• Organizes conferences, seminars, training programs, and workshops that raise awareness in the fields of entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship.
• Establishes an ecosystem that enables entrepreneurs to access the knowledge, skills, networks, and resources they need
• Develops collaborations with centers, research groups, and units within the University, as well as with entrepreneurship centers in Türkiye and abroad.
• Encourages entrepreneurship-oriented academic research and supports its transformation into applied projects.
• Conducts joint projects and mentoring programs in cooperation with private sector actors and key stakeholders of the entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Click here to view the Startups supported by BRIGHT.

Click here to visit the BRIGHT homepage.

Programs

BRIGHT Young Entrepreneurs Program:

The BRIGHT Young Entrepreneurs Program is a comprehensive initiative designed for Boğaziçi University students at associate, undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. The program aims to foster an entrepreneurial mindset and enable the realization of innovative projects. Its primary objective is to support students in developing technology-based business ideas and to provide the knowledge, resources, and mentorship required to transform these ideas into commercially viable products. Throughout the entrepreneurial journey, the program offers the following forms of support:

• Training: Entrepreneurship-focused training programs delivered in both online and face-to-face formats.
• Mentorship and Consultancy: Mentorship support from technical experts, academics, and private sector executives.
• Prototype Development: Opportunities to collaborate with solution partners during the prototype development phase.
• International Outreach: Guidance and support for entrepreneurs seeking to expand into international markets.
• Infrastructure and Laboratory Support: Access to the infrastructure and laboratory facilities required for project development.

BRIGHT MASTERCLASS Program:

The BRIGHT MasterClass Program is organized to support Boğaziçi University’s entrepreneurial spirit and to enable the realization of innovative projects. The program aims to integrate Boğaziçi University students at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels into the entrepreneurship ecosystem by providing training, mentorship support, and access to financial resources. Following the application process, all applicants are granted access to online entrepreneurship training programs. After the evaluation process, up to ten selected startups are entitled to participate in a two-day competition.

The competition consists of the following stages:

Day 1: Participants receive entrepreneurship training delivered by expert instructors. Based on the knowledge gained during these sessions, participants engage in workshops to further develop their business ideas and prepare their business plans.

Day 2: A Demo Day is organized for startups advancing to the final stage, during which participants pitch their projects before a jury panel, and the winners are selected.

Finalists from competitions held throughout the year qualify to participate in the grand final at the end of the year and gain access to opportunities offered by the Boğaziçi Teknopark Incubation Center.

What Is Provided?

Training and Mentorship: All applicants are granted access to online training programs. For the top three selected startups, the program offers the opportunity to learn the entire journey from venture development to investment under the guidance of expert mentors.

Financial Support: As of 2026, financial support is provided in the amount of TRY 60,000 for the first-place winner, TRY 40,000 for the second-place winner, and TRY 20,000 for the third-place winner. This support is allocated to cover R&D-related expenditures.

Boğaziçi Teknopark Advantages: Finalists are provided with incubation center support and opportunities to further develop and scale their business ideas.

BRIGHT MASTERCLASS - For All Students:

Organized to support the entrepreneurial spirit of all students and to enable the realization of innovative projects, the BRIGHT MASTERCLASS for All Students aims to integrate students enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs at universities into the entrepreneurship ecosystem by providing training, mentorship support, and access to financial resources. Following the application process, all applicants are granted access to online entrepreneurship training programs. After the evaluation process, ten selected startups are entitled to participate in a two-day competition.

The competition consists of the following stages:

Day 1: Participants receive entrepreneurship training delivered by expert instructors. Based on the knowledge gained during these sessions, participants engage in workshops to further develop their business ideas and prepare their business plans.

Day 2: A Demo Day is organized for startups advancing to the final stage, during which participants pitch their projects before a jury panel, and the winners are selected.

Finalists from competitions held throughout the year qualify to participate in the grand final at the end of the year and gain access to opportunities offered by the Boğaziçi Teknopark Incubation Center.

What Is Provided?

Training and Mentorship: All applicants are granted access to online training programs. For the top three selected startups, the program offers the opportunity to learn the entire journey from venture development to investment under the guidance of expert mentors.

Financial Support: As of 2026, financial support is provided in the amount of TRY 60,000 for the first-place winner, TRY 40,000 for the second-place winner, and TRY 20,000 for the third-place winner. This support covers R&D-related expenditures.

Boğaziçi Teknopark Advantages: Finalists are provided with incubation center support and opportunities to further develop and scale their business ideas.

DreamBIGG – TÜBİTAK 1812 Investment-Based Entrepreneurship Support Program

Implemented by the Boğaziçi University Technology Transfer Office, the DreamBIGG Program is a TRY 900,000 support scheme for young entrepreneurs under TÜBİTAK’s 1512 Techno-Entrepreneurship Capital Support Program. The program aims to transform technology- and innovation-driven business ideas into ventures with high potential for qualified employment creation and value added.

Students enrolled in, or graduates of, associate, undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral programs are eligible to apply. Scalable projects and startups that successfully complete the application process receive incubation support to bring their ideas to market. The overarching objective of the program is to foster the creation of companies that develop innovative products and services with strong international competitiveness.

What Is Provided?

• Expert Mentors: The DreamBIGG acceleration program offers consultancy services through expert mentors who guide entrepreneurs across multiple dimensions during the six-week maturation process.
• Qualified Trainers: Training sessions delivered by highly qualified instructors within the DreamBIGG acceleration program help entrepreneurs enhance their competencies in areas such as design thinking, startup project management, market strategies, and intellectual property rights.
• Infrastructure Support: Through collaborations of the Boğaziçi University Technology Transfer Office, entrepreneurs benefit from incubation centers within the Technopark and office management units.
• Entrepreneur-Friendly Investors: Throughout the program, DreamBIGG brings entrepreneurs together with suitable investors through its partners and supporters.
• Boğaziçi Business and Alumni Network: Implemented in cooperation with Boğaziçi University and TÜBİTAK, DreamBIGG provides entrepreneurs with privileged and facilitated access to the Boğaziçi business and alumni network.
• Building the Future: Through qualified trainers, mentors, and a wide range of support services, the DreamBIGG program empowers entrepreneurs with the vision to realize and further develop their ideas.

DreamBIGG Program Process

1. Application Phase: Applications for business ideas are received under the DreamBIGG Program.
2. Online Application and Business Idea Evaluation: Online applications are pre-screened and evaluated by DreamBIGG program managers, and entrepreneurs to be admitted to the program are selected.
3. Acceleration Training and Mentorship Program: In addition to business plan preparation and entrepreneurship training, entrepreneurs receive guidance and mentorship support from expert mentors.
4. Meetings with Partners and Potential Customers: DreamBIGG entrepreneurs have the opportunity to meet partner organizations and identify potential customers and collaborators.
5. Business Plan Evaluation Jury: Entrepreneurs present their business plans to a jury. Those approved by the jury are directed to TÜBİTAK to apply for the Individual Young Entrepreneur Program – Phase II.
6. TÜBİTAK BiGG Phase II: Business plans of DreamBIGG entrepreneurs are evaluated during the Phase II panel conducted by TÜBİTAK, and eligible entrepreneurs benefit from an investment of TRY 900,000.
   
   

Click here to visit the DreamBIGG homepage.

DreamBU Incubation Center

The DreamBU Incubation Center was established to enable Boğaziçi University students, alumni, and academicians to commercialise their business ideas. DreamBU operates in close cooperation with the University’s Technology Transfer Office (TTO) and the Entrepreneurship Application and Research Center (BRIGHT).

DreamBU provides various supports to entrepreneurs in training, mentoring, intellectual property, investor relations, networking, etc. Technology- and innovation-oriented, scalable start-ups that successfully complete the application process are entitled to use the incubation facilities in structured quarterly periods.

Click here for application to DreamBU.

Activities Organized by BRIGHT in 2025

In 2025 alone, more than 150 start-up applications were received, 197 students from Boğaziçi University and other universities participated in entrepreneurship trainings, and over 70 hours of free one-to-one mentorship were provided to local start-up teams. The primary focus of these activities is capacity-building rather than exclusion, with start-ups that are not immediately suitable for one programme being redirected to more appropriate support mechanisms.

BRIGHT Program Statistics in 2025

Indicator	Value
Number of Applications	150
Duration of Online Training Content	40 Hours
Number of Students Enrolled in Training	197 Entrepreneurs
Number of In-Person Trainings	35
Number of Startups Participating in Demo Day	46 Startups
Total Amount of Financial Support Provided	1,000,000+
Total One-on-One Mentorship Hours Delivered	70+ Hours
Number of One-on-One Mentorship Sessions	120+
Number of Startups Receiving Financial Support	15 Startups
Number of Startups Receiving the Jury Special Award	3 Startups
Number of Startups Granted Incubation Access	46 Startups

Social and Cultural Activities by BRIGHT in 2025:

Social and cultural activities were organized to enhance the motivation of our entrepreneurs and to foster a strong sense of community within the Center. In this context, a total of 47 seminars were delivered by the Center throughout 2025. In addition, as part of the highly valued “Boğaziçi Spark” event series, 7 Spark events were held during the year, hosting leading figures from the industry at our BRIGHT Center.

Activity Date	Type of Activity	Title of the Activity	Organizing Unit
13.02.2025	Talk	Boğaziçi Incubation: Spark 1 – Inspirational Talks – Oxtech Ventures and Yancep	Incubation Center
13.03.2025	Training Day	BRIGHT Masterclass Program Training Day	Incubation Center
14.03.2025	Demo Day	BRIGHT Masterclass Program Demo Day	Incubation Center
22.04.2025	Talk	Boğaziçi Incubation: Spark 2 – Inspirational Meetups – Simya VC and Evercopy	Incubation Center
25.06.2025	Training	BRIGHT Masterclass Program Training Day	Incubation Center
26.06.2025	Demo Day	BRIGHT Masterclass Program Demo Day	Incubation Center
09.07.2025	Talk	Boğaziçi Incubation: Spark 3 – Solution-Oriented Meetups – Mükellef	Incubation Center
13.08.2025	Talk	Boğaziçi Incubation: Spark 4 – Success Stories from Boğaziçi – Albert Health	Incubation Center
01.09.2025	Talk	Boğaziçi Incubation: Spark 5 – Success Stories from Boğaziçi – Kunduz	Incubation Center
02.09.2025	Training	BRIGHT Masterclass for All Students Program Training Day	Incubation Center
03.09.2025	Demo Day	BRIGHT Masterclass For All Students Program Demo Day	Incubation Center
20.10.2025	Training	Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Türkiye	Incubation Center
21.10.2025	Training (Online)	Business Model Training	Incubation Center
23.10.2025	Training (Online)	Technology Validation Training	Incubation Center
25.10.2025	Training (Online)	Market and Competition Training	Incubation Center
27.10.2025	Talk	Boğaziçi Incubation: Spark 6 – Solution-Oriented Meetups – Amazon/AWS	Incubation Center
27.10.2025	Training	Marketing Training	Incubation Center
30.10.2025	Training (Online)	Financial Projections Training	Incubation Center
06.11.2025	Talk	Boğaziçi Incubation: Spark 7 – Startups’ Export Journey – Alibaba.com	Incubation Center
17.11.2025	Training	R&D Portal Training	Incubation Center
19.11.2025	Training	Business Plan Training	Incubation Center
21.11.2025	Training	Legal Training	Incubation Center
25.11.2025	Demo Day	BRIGHT Young Entrepreneurs Program Demo Day	Incubation Center
28.11.2025	Training	R&D Incentives and Exemptions Training	Incubation Center
02.12.2025	Training (Online)	Company Formation Training	Incubation Center
25.12.2025	Training	BRIGHT Masterclass for All Students Program Training Day	Incubation Center
26.12.2025	Demo Day	BRIGHT Masterclass For All Students Program Demo Day	Incubation Center

Training Programs Organized by BRIGHT in 2025

Title of the Training Program	Coordinator	Participating Center Member	Date	Number of Participants
Business Model Training	Volkan Kırtok	Dr. Cem Duran	13.03.2025	15
Market and Competition Training	Can Garipoğlu	Dr. Cem Duran	13.03.2025	15
Presentation Skills Training	Emir İbrahim Uzunoğlu	Dr. Cem Duran	13.03.2025	15
Patent Application and Writing Training	Kezban Yarıkan Buğra Akın	Dr. Cem Duran	05.02.2025	23
Technology Transfer Training	Volkan Hüsnü Özgüz	Dr. Cem Duran	03.02.2025	24
Design Thinking Training	Anıl Savaş Kılıç	Dr. Cem Duran	30.01.2025	16
Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Türkiye	Türkü Suna Çendeoğlu	Dr. Cem Duran	25.06.2025	20
Investor Pitch Training	Emir İbrahim Uzunoğlu	Dr. Cem Duran	25.06.2025	20
Investor Pitch Training	Türkü Suna Çendeoğlu	Dr. Cem Duran	02.09.2025	20
Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Türkiye	Türkü Suna Çendeoğlu	Dr. Cem Duran	20.10.2025	20
Business Model Training	Murat Tortopoğlu	Dr. Cem Duran	21.10.2025	10
Technology Validation Training	Murat Tortopoğlu	Dr. Cem Duran	23.10.2025	13
Market Competition Training	Murat Özanlar	Dr. Cem Duran	25.10.2025	21
Marketing Training	Selin Madak	Dr. Cem Duran	27.10.2025	14
Financial Projections Training	Özgür Türkmen	Dr. Cem Duran	30.10.2025	14
R&D Portal Training	Dilara Keleş	Dr. Cem Duran	17.11.2025	4
Business Plan Training	Türkü Suna Çendeoğlu	Dr. Cem Duran	19.11.2025	8
Legal Training	Feyzanur Türksal	Dr. Cem Duran	21.11.2025	6
R&D Incentives and Exemptions Training	Abdullah Bayrak	Dr. Cem Duran	28.11.2025	3
Company Formation Training	Hüseyin Aslan	Dr. Cem Duran	02.12.2025	6

Online Educational Content Provided to Entrepreneurs by BRIGHT

Title of the Training Program	Participating Center Member	Access Duration for Beneficiaries
Intellectual Property Rights	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month
Investment Readiness	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month
Investment Processes from Initial Meeting to Closing	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month
Investment Processes in Türkiye	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month
Legal Training	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month
Financial Projections	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month
Presentation Skills Training I	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month
Presentation Skills Training II	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month
Technology Validation	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month
Business Model Training	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month
Market and Competition	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month
Marketing	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month
Design Thinking	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month
R&D Incentives and Exemptions	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month
Business Plan Training	Dr. Cem Duran	1 Month

Boğaziçi Entrepreneurship Offices

The Boğaziçi University Technopark Incubation Center offers a unique support environment for entrepreneurs and innovative projects. From the idea stage to commercialization, we provide a wide range of opportunities, including mentorship, modern office spaces, technical infrastructure, and access to financial resources. We offer entrepreneurs all the support they need to scale and sustain their ventures. At our Incubation Center, you can turn your ideas into reality and make a difference in the business world.

Click here to visit the Entrepreneurship Office web pages:

• Kandilli Entrepreneurship Office
• Etiler Entrepreneurship Office
• Batman Entrepreneurship Office

What Services Can You Access Through the Entrepreneurship Offices?

For Entrepreneurs

• Mentorship and Consultancy: One-on-one mentorship and consultancy services provided by experts in business development, strategy, marketing, and financial planning.
• Office and Co-working Spaces: Modern, fully equipped office spaces, meeting rooms, and shared working areas.
• Technical Infrastructure: High-speed internet, laboratories, and other technical facilities.
• Training and Seminars: Training programs and seminars on entrepreneurship, technology, management, and related topics.
• Financial Support and Investor Network: Access to various funding sources and opportunities to connect with investors to bring projects to life.
• Networking and Collaboration Opportunities: Opportunities to collaborate and build networks with other entrepreneurs, industry professionals, and academic communities.
• Prototyping and Product Development Support: Technical and logistical support during product development and prototyping processes.

For Academics

The Boğaziçi Technopark Incubation Center offers a dedicated set of services designed to help academics commercialize innovative ideas and support entrepreneurship. Services available to academics include:

• Technology Transfer Consultancy: Expert guidance throughout the technology transfer process to commercialize innovations derived from academic research.
• Patent and Intellectual Property Consultancy: Support and guidance on patenting and intellectual property rights to protect innovative ideas.
• Entrepreneurship Training: Entrepreneurship-focused training programs and seminars specifically designed for academics.
• Financial Support and Grants: Access to various funding sources and grant programs to support project development and commercialization.
• Prototyping and Testing Laboratories: Laboratory facilities and technical support for product prototyping and testing.
• Industry Collaborations and Project Partnerships: Opportunities to collaborate with industrial partners and develop joint projects.
• Networking and Mentorship: Networking opportunities with industry professionals and access to mentorship programs.

For Investors

The Boğaziçi Technopark Incubation Center serves as a platform that supports innovative startups and offers diverse opportunities for investors, including:

• Investment Opportunities: Early-stage investment opportunities in innovative projects with high growth potential.
• Technology-Focused Investments: Opportunities to invest in technology- and innovation-driven ventures.
• Entrepreneur Network and Events: Events and networking activities that enable interaction with other investors, experience sharing, and discovery of new business opportunities.
• Mentorship and Consultancy: Opportunities to provide mentorship and consultancy to help startups scale and succeed.
• Portfolio Diversification: Opportunities to diversify investment portfolios by investing in promising projects across various sectors.
• Early-Stage Projects: The chance to invest in projects at an early development stage and assess their growth potential.
• Technology Transfer: Opportunities to contribute to the commercialization of innovative technologies through university–industry collaboration and technology transfer initiatives.

For Industry Partners

The Boğaziçi Technopark Incubation Center offers a range of services to help industry partners grow through innovative technologies and gain a competitive advantage. Services available to industry stakeholders include:

• Technology Transfer and Licensing: Consultancy services for licensing or utilizing technologies derived from university research through collaboration.
• R&D and Innovation Projects: Participation in university–industry collaboration programs for industry-oriented R&D and innovation projects, along with project management support.
• Training and Seminars: Training programs and seminars on the latest technologies and trends relevant to specific industries.
• Market Research and Intellectual Property Consultancy: Market research services for evaluating market opportunities and competitive analysis, as well as consultancy on intellectual property rights.
• Product Development and Prototyping: Technical infrastructure and consultancy support for innovative product development and prototyping processes.
• Investment and Commercial Opportunities: Access to entrepreneurs to create investment and commercial partnership opportunities.
• Networking and Collaborations: Opportunities to collaborate with other industry partners, develop joint projects, and engage with sectoral networks.

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.

Inclusive Entrepreneurship Support for High Schools and Youth Teams by BRIGHT

Boğaziçi University’s local start-up assistance model is intentionally inclusive and community-oriented. In addition to enrolled students, recent graduates and entrepreneurs from other universities, support mechanisms extend to high school students and youth teams. Through collaborations with secondary schools and public institutions, BRIGHT contributes to early-stage entrepreneurship awareness, social innovation, and youth engagement.

HASAL Berk Yılmaz Innovation Camp (12–13 April 2025)

Following an official invitation, BRIGHT participated as a Case Sponsor in the two-day innovation camp organized by Hüseyin Avni Sözen Anatolian High School. Within the scope of the event, participants were asked to develop startup ideas that address a real-world problem. The ideas of a total of ten teams were evaluated based on the following criteria: team competencies, business model, technology/product differentiation, financial planning, and competitive advantage. The teams that ranked highest were supported with mentorship services and granted the opportunity to participate in BRIGHT activities.

The event hosted a total of 68 students, organized into 10 teams, representing 18 different high schools. Detailed information on participating schools and student numbers is provided below:

1. Alkev Private Schools (5 students)
2. Baykar National Technology Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School (3 students)
3. Beşiktaş Atatürk Anatolian High School (6 students)
4. Çamlıca Girls’ Anatolian Imam Hatip High School (1 student)
5. CERN College (1 student)
6. Eyüpoğulları College (1 student)
7. Fuat Sezgin Science High School (1 student)
8. Hüseyin Avni Sözen Anatolian High School (5 students)
9. Istanbul Köy Hizmetleri Anatolian High School
10. Kabataş Boys’ High School (1 student)
11. Kartal Anatolian High School (7 students)
12. Köy Hizmetleri Anatolian High School (4 students)
13. Pertevniyal Anatolian High School (1 student)
14. Sakıp Sabancı Anatolian High School (1 student)
15. Şehit Adil Büyük Cengiz Anatolian Imam Hatip High School (1 student)
16. Validebağ Science High School (12 students)
17. Vefa High School (7 students)
18. Yüksel İlhan Alanyalı Science High School (11 students)

Presentation Support for Deneyap Workshop Students

As part of the support provided to Deneyap Workshop students, presentation revision assistance was offered to the Innovation Stars team from the Erzincan region. In addition, guidance was provided regarding the materials required during the project development process.

Mentorship Support for High School Entrepreneurship Teams

Between 30 April and 3 May 2025, one-on-one mentorship support was provided to four high school entrepreneurship teams (Pati Takip, FusionGenc, 5G Internet, and Lynxpath) through a matching process led by Ahmet Fatih Okur, one of the entrepreneurs from the Incubation Center. The mentorship sessions focused on target audience definition, market and competition analysis, and project development.

Complementary Platforms

Complementary platforms such as Boğaziçi Network strengthen alumni–student–entrepreneur connections by enabling mentoring, collaboration, job opportunities, and knowledge sharing across sectors.

Boğaziçi Network

Boğaziçi Network is a social network where Boğaziçi University alumni, students, academics and administrative staff can communicate with each other. This platform is exclusively for Boğaziçi University alumni and provides an environment for sharing experiences and knowledge, establishing collaborations, creating professional opportunities, establishing friendships through social and cultural exchanges, and creating a strong and loyal community to our university by directly connecting Boğaziçi University alumni with each other.

We recommend that you become a member of Boğaziçi Network with your Linkedin profile, so that you can automatically update your profile information from the settings section in certain periods. As a member of Boğaziçi Network, you can reach the entire Boğaziçi family from the "All Members" section, and you can reach the people you want by searching according to the criteria such as the city you live in, the sector you work in, the department you graduated from, etc. In the "Events" section, you can follow the events taking place at the university and add the events you want to share with Boğaziçi students. From the "Groups" section, you can join groups according to your interests or suggest a new group. You can follow current job adverts in the "Jobs" section or you can publish a job advertisement for your own company.

We would be happy to see you among us as a part of the Boğaziçi University family. Click here to access Boğaziçi Network.

To download the application:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/graduway-community/id1457549791

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.graduway.bogazicinetwork&hl=en_US&gl=US

Employability and Alumni Relations Office

In parallel, the Employability and Alumni Relations Office supports career development, employability, and alumni engagement, contributing indirectly to start-up sustainability and talent development

The Office of Employability and Alumni Relations provides a comprehensive approach to career development, starting with career awareness and career decision-making, and aims to help students and alumni develop, assess and execute their career plans.

With more than 50,000 alumni, the Alumni Information System is available to help you stay connected with the Boğaziçi alumni network, maintain communication with your school at all times, and not miss special alumni events and projects.

Click here to access Alumni Office homepage.

Related News

Entrepreneurship Advice from Murat Katran: ‘Close Your Ears to Everything and Move Forward with Your Beliefs’

Murat Katran, a 2000 graduate of Boğaziçi University's International Trade Department and one of the founders of the world-renowned perfume brand Nishane, spoke about his entrepreneurial journey and his years at Boğaziçi as part of the ‘Alumni Talks’ series.

Katran noted that enrolling at Boğaziçi University was the realisation of a childhood dream, emphasising that the vision and confidence the university provided played a significant role in his career. He stated that the university equipped him not only academically but also socially and culturally.

Katran stated that they faced many challenges during the entrepreneurial process, particularly in the luxury perfume sector as a Turkish brand, but they never gave up on their idea. His advice to young entrepreneurs is clear: ‘If you believe in an idea, ignore the negative comments and keep moving forward.’

Advising Boğaziçi students to live their school years to the fullest and to participate in social activities, Katran said that activities such as theatre, which instil discipline, are also very beneficial in professional life. Finally, addressing all Boğaziçi graduates, Katran said, “Boğaziçi graduates deserve the best of everything. We have no shortcomings compared to global standards; make good use of this strength,” inspiring the graduates.

Click here to read the full news.

Boğaziçi University Ranks First in the 2021 Türkiye Startup Ecosystem Investment Report

In the 2021 Türkiye Startup Ecosystem Investment Report, startups that received investment were evaluated based on various criteria, including sector, city, investment stage, crowdfunding, investors, co-founders, customer focus, year of establishment, product type, and revenue model. The report also analyzed the most active investors and universities of the year. Among the universities producing the highest number of startup co-founders, Boğaziçi University ranked first.

According to the 2021 Türkiye Startup Ecosystem Investment Report prepared by the digital platform StartupCentrum, a total of 323 startups received investments in 2021, with the total investment volume reaching USD 1.5 billion and the total number of investors amounting to 964.

An analysis of the undergraduate institutions and faculties of startup co-founders revealed that 89.6% of entrepreneurs were either graduates of or currently enrolled in universities in Türkiye. When Turkish universities were categorized as public or foundation (private) institutions, 73.4% of co-founders were graduates of or students at public universities, while 26.6% were affiliated with foundation universities. Boğaziçi University emerged as the higher education institution producing the highest number of startup co-founders in Türkiye.

Click here to read the full news.