27/01/2026
SUCool Connect 2026, which brings together Sabancı University's entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem, was held with strong participation on the Altunizade Campus. The event aimed to create a common perspective and interaction space for 2026 by uniting investment, entrepreneurship, academia, and community components on the same platform.
The opening speech of the event was delivered by Ziya Alpay, Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Sabancı University.
“With a Shared Vision for 2026”
Beginning his speech by greeting the participants, Ziya Alpay drew attention to the fact that the entrepreneurship ecosystem is passing through a critical threshold. Emphasizing the increasing importance of entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors coming together physically, Alpay stated that SUCool aims to increase interaction, strengthen experience sharing, and create a common sense of direction for 2026. Alpay also stated that bringing investors, mentors, academia, and entrepreneurs together on the same platform plays an important role in sharing knowledge and ensuring that ventures develop in a healthier way.
Inovent on its 20th Anniversary
Noting that 2026 holds special significance for the Sabancı University ecosystem, Ziya Alpay said that the university's technology transfer company, Inovent, is entering its 20th year. Underlining that Inovent is the first technology transfer office established in Türkiye using a joint stock company model, Alpay stated that they have continued to contribute to the entrepreneurship ecosystem for 20 years.
The Importance of Working Together
In his speech, Ziya Alpay emphasized collaboration, pointing to the necessity of working together in the world of entrepreneurship with the saying, "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together." He stated that in a period where access to finance is becoming more difficult, the combination of strengths of entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors will make the ecosystem more resilient.
Ziya Alpay concluded his speech by stating that the work done in 2025 will be shared and new contributions and good news for the ecosystem will be presented to the participants in 2026.
New Structural Steps in the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
Following Ziya Alpay, Evren Değerlier, Entrepreneurship and Business Development Manager at Sabancı University, shared important information regarding the 2026 vision, new programs, and structural steps of the Sabancı University entrepreneurship ecosystem.
TEKMER Announcement: Support for 150 Startups
One of the highlights of Evren Değerlier's speech was the Technology Development Center (TEKMER) project, which is currently under development. Değerlier stated that the necessary approvals have been obtained from the Board of Trustees and that the process with KOSGEB (Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization) has reached its final stage. He stated that the goal is to support a total of 150 startups with TEKMER, which is planned to be located in the lakeside building on the Sabancı University campus.
Entrepreneurship Programs at the High School Level
Değerlier also emphasized that the entrepreneurship studies conducted within Sabancı University since 2014 have now been extended to the high school level. Stating that the high school entrepreneurship and acceleration programs aim not only for young people to generate ideas but also to turn these ideas into applications, Değerlier said that students are being prepared for the TÜBİTAK 2204 and Teknofest processes and are reaching a level where they can present MVP and application demos.
Emphasis on Master Sucool and Internationalization
Another prominent topic in Evren Değerlier's speech was the Master Sucool program, which covers digital entrepreneurship training. Stating that the planned program has a structure consisting of 18 hours and four modules, Değerlier said that a significant part of the content has been completed. It was stated that the program will appeal to different target audiences, from high school students to academics, from startups in the scaling phase to R&D centers.
Referring to the internationalization process, Değerlier stated that in the final stage of the entrepreneurial journey, the support of the Ministry of Trade's International Technology and Marketing Office (UTPO) was integrated into the ecosystem. He added that with this support, the goal is to enable Sabancı University startups to access global markets.
Focus for 2026: Sustainability
Evren Değerlier emphasized that the theme of "sustainability" will be highlighted in the SUCool ecosystem for 2026, stating that all programs and activities will be conducted with this perspective. The speech was noteworthy for revealing Sabancı University's goal of establishing a long-term and holistic structure in the field of entrepreneurship.
SUCool Startup Programs and TÜBİTAK BiGG
Naci Kahraman, Leader of SUCool Startup Programs, shared comprehensive information about the SUCool startup programs and early-stage entrepreneurship support programs conducted within Sabancı University. Kahraman stated that entrepreneurship programs have been running continuously at Sabancı University since 2014.
Kahraman reported that 445 entrepreneurs have graduated from the pre-incubation and acceleration programs conducted under the SUCool umbrella, and that approximately 10 startups are selected each year and provided with support in terms of financing and customer access. One of the most notable tangible outcomes of the programs was that 58 entrepreneurs emerging from the SUCool ecosystem in the last three years (2023–2025) qualified for TÜBİTAK support.
In his speech, Kahraman specifically highlighted the TÜBİTAK BiGG (Individual Young Entrepreneur) program, describing it as the "locomotive" of early-stage startup investments in Türkiye. He noted that entrepreneurs receive an initial investment of 900,000 TL under the TÜBİTAK BiGG program, emphasizing that while 177 startup investments were made nationwide last year, TÜBİTAK alone invested in 210 startups.
Kahraman stated that one of the most significant advantages of TÜBİTAK BiGG is that entrepreneurs can apply before establishing a company, completing their product, or generating revenue. He added that approximately 400-500 applications are received every six months, highlighting that the probability of early-stage entrepreneurs receiving their first investment from TÜBİTAK is over 50%.
Beyond Investment: Fireside Chat
Following the opening, in the "Beyond Investment" fireside chat, Ziya Alpay and Ahmet Argun (Lima Ventures) discussed investment processes not only from the perspective of financing, but also from the perspective of trust, long-term partnership, and strategic value creation. The session discussed the evolving dynamics of investor-entrepreneur relationships and the fundamental elements of healthy growth in the ecosystem.
Startup 102: The Story of Growth
In the "Startup 102: The Story of Growth" session, Yeşim Menceloğlu, Chief Research Officer of Inovent subsidiaries ANT Systems, and Burcu Saner Okan, CTO & Co-founder of Euronova, shared their experiences from their own scaling journeys. The session addressed the technical, operational, and human-centered dimensions of growth through real-world examples.
Akademix: From Academia to Entrepreneurship
In the Akademix conversation, Evren Değerlier, Emrah Oflaz (SNI-CTO), and Abdulkadir Özbek (Vizyon College, Founder) discussed the transitions between academic knowledge production and entrepreneurship, the role of technology-based production in the ecosystem, and how these two worlds feed off each other.
Open Mic: Community Platform
One of the most interactive parts of the event, the Open Mic: Community Platform provided a space where participants could directly share their experiences, opinions, and questions. This section reinforced SUCool Connect's approach of being a platform that is not only listened to but also collaboratively produced.
Gamified Networking and Deep Conversations
The program continued with BINGO - Gamified Networking Experience, designed by SUCool initiative OYUNMU. Thanks to the gamified structure, interaction among participants was increased, and the networking process became a more natural and inclusive experience.
The event concluded with a friendly closing session that opened the way for one-on-one conversations, new connections, and potential collaborations with the Snack & Deep Chat session.
“SUCool Connect Aims to Bring the Ecosystem Together on the Same Ground”
The event was moderated and managed by Büşranur Tenik Özdemir from the SUCool team. Özdemir emphasized that the main goal of SUCool Connect is not only to bring together different actors of the entrepreneurship ecosystem, but also to enable them to think, talk, and create new possibilities together on the same ground.
SUCool Connect 2026 brought together over 120 qualified participants from different areas of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in a private, invited-only meeting format. With its selective participant structure, depth of content, and interaction-focused program design, the event went beyond being just a platform for sharing ideas and was completed as a strategic meeting that opened up space for long-term collaborations and strengthened a sense of common direction in the ecosystem.
