About
Inovent, Türkiye’s first technology commercialization and seed fund company was founded by Sabanci University in 2006.
By focusing specifically on academia-based entrepreneurship, Inovent manages the commercialization of technologies that are still at an early stage.
Scale-ups can benefit from Inovent services for international funding and strategic consultancy.
Inovent has extensive experience in managing commercially promising technologies and business plans within university technology portfolios.
Achievements
600+ entrepreneurs empowered through SUCool.
₺120M+ raised since 2023: investment secured by startups in the SUCool & Inovent programs.
Over $60M in combined company valuation.
30+ academic spin-offs built on research originating at Sabancı University.
60+ entrepreneurs secured TÜBİTAK investment after graduating from Sabancı University Inovent’s incubation programs.
45+ startups funded through TÜBİTAK BiGG since 2023, supported by Sabancı University Inovent’s entrepreneurship programs.
Mission & Vision
Inovent’s mission is to foster an understanding of the importance of building a dynamic ecosystem that supports innovative technology-based entrepreneurship, venture capital and angel investor infrastructures across the country, with a value management system and the proper management of intellectual assets and intellectual property portfolios at the centre of knowledge-based economic development. In this direction, in addition to the consulting services it provides to ventures, it runs projects and programs that develop the ecosystem.
Sabancı University Inovent Programs for Entrepreneurs
- SUCoolSUCool is an accelerator program established by Sabancı University to contribute to the entrepreneurial ecosystem and support the commercialization of innovative ideas.
- BiGG MastersBiGG Masters Consortium, the official implementing organization of TÜBİTAK, conducts a comprehensive BiGG Investment–focused startup acceleration program under the leadership of Sabancı University Inovent Inc. and in partnership with Marmara Teknokent.
- J-StartJ-Start is a “Venture Capital Investment Fund” that invests in deep technology-focused startups.
Projects
- InnoEnergy PartnershipEntrepreneurs, work on clean energy and environmental technology, are provided customer support in Europe for development services and funding by InnoEnergy. Inovent is InnoEnergy Hub Türkiye.
- Enterprise Europe NetworkInternational partnering network to help companies/researchers/entrepreneurs innovate and grow internationally.
- SUPSISTSUPSIST (Scaling-Up SMEs of ISTANBUL) project, Türkiye’s economy SMEs constitute 99% of new enterprises (start-ups) growth capacity, in order to increase international market, KOSGEB Anatolian Side of Istanbul Directorate and conducted by Sabancı University and The European Commission is a project funded under the COSME (Competitiveness of SMEs and Enterprises) Program.
- MY-WAY (Horizon 2020)A European Commission Project to enhance and improve the collaboration and efforts of web entrepreneurship support initiatives in Europe.
- Startup Globe (Istanbul Development Agency)SUCool has run an international project which is called Startup Globe with the financial support of ISTKA in 2017. Among the other projects it made in that year, ISTKA selected this project as the most successful one among all the projects they supported.
2006–2026 · 20 years
History
Sabancı University Inovent Inc. was founded in 2006, wholly owned by Sabancı University, as Türkiye’s first technology commercialization and seed fund company. Its focus is academia-based entrepreneurship. With the status of an intellectual property management company and Technology Transfer Office (TTO), it manages the commercialization of early-stage technologies from university portfolios.
Much of this work runs through programs open to entrepreneurs. As an official implementing organization for TÜBİTAK, Inovent ran BiGGinner and BiGG4tech; after BiGG3INN, it now leads the BiGG Masters Consortium in partnership with Marmara Teknokent. It also serves as InnoEnergy’s office in Türkiye for energy and clean-tech entrepreneurs, and J-Start, funded by Sabancı Ventures and Abdul Latif Jameel, invests in deep-tech startups in collaboration with Inovent.
From 2006 to 2026, over 20 years, the program names have changed. The job has not: bringing technology to market.
2006
- Inovent, Türkiye’s first technology commercialization and seed fund company was founded by Sabanci University in 2006.
2017
2024
2026
Team
Ziya Alpay
General Manager, Sabancı University Inovent
- [Photo to come][Name][Title]
- [Photo to come][Name][Title]
- [Photo to come][Name][Title]
- [Photo to come][Name][Title]
Portfolio Companies
All Companies
Who it is for
Sabancı University Inovent A.Ş. provides A to Z services and projects in the field of technology commercialization, from idea entrepreneur candidates to fast-growing startups, academicians developing commercial technologies, and medium-sized enterprises seeking funds.
- For Entrepreneur Candidates at the Idea Levelfrom idea entrepreneur candidates
- For Startupsto fast-growing startups,
- For Academiciansacademicians developing commercial technologies,
- For Corporate Companiesand medium-sized enterprises seeking funds.
By focusing specifically on academia-based entrepreneurship, Inovent manages the commercialization of technologies that are still at an early stage.
Scale-ups can benefit from Inovent services for international funding and strategic consultancy.