Director’s Note
Technology Transfer Office at Özyeğin University (ÖzÜ TTO) was established in November
2012 to manage research and innovation portfolio of Özyeğin University. Its structure has been
developed to cover wide range of expertise and supporting functions: project development and
management (pre- and post- award phases of the funded research), entrepreneurship, transfer
of the technology and knowledge by effectively managing intellectual property rights. Although
ÖzÜ TTO has started to serve primarily for ÖzÜ’s faculty and students, the demand along these
expertise was immediately recognized and professional services have also been provided.
Since its establishment, ÖzÜ TTO team serves as an interface among the researchers,
entrepreneurs, industry, and sponsoring agencies from all around the world. Partnering with and
assisting to industrial entities, large and small, are significant part of ÖzÜ TTO’s mission. ÖzÜ
TTO staff has already engaged with a number of companies and there have been numerous
university-industry collaboration projects as successful outcomes.
In 2013, ÖzÜ TTO was awarded 10 Million TL for 10 years through the Scientific and Technological
Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) as one of the first 10 recipients of TÜBİTAK Support Program
for Technology Transfer Offices in Turkey. With the help of this grant, ÖzÜ TTO aims to be a
role model by successfully and consistently stimulating and nurturing technology transfer and
commercialization best practices as components of economic development strategies.
It has become increasingly clear that TTOs are the main player of the national innovation and
entrepreneurship ecosystem. At Özyeğin, we are committed to assisting you and your team in
making fruitful connections and discovering new funding opportunities for your role in connecting
science, knowledge and the society. We hope that you will benefit the existence of our office and
whether you are a researcher, entrepreneur or represent industry, you will become a key part of
the knowledge-based economy with us that we aim to create.
Nilay Papila, PhD
Founding Director
March 2014