Entrepreneurship Support

BAU supports entrepreneurs in all their activities from the idea stage to the market, so that they can turn their technology- and innovation-oriented business ideas into ventures with high potential for creating added value and qualified employment. The BAU Hub Incubation Center programs aim to encourage entrepreneurship and to create startups that are internationally competitive and capable of developing innovative, high-tech products and services. With these aims, the following types of support have been defined within the scope of BAP.

Services provided within the scope of the support, such as accounting support, will be provided to entrepreneurs included in the BAU Hub Incubation Program on conditionthat they register the BAU Hub Incubation Center as their address. For existing companies to receive legal address transfer support, their NACE codes must be compatible. (See: NACE Code - KOSGEB priority technology areas list) To benefit from prototype development support, a venture must be carrying out R&D work during the prototype development process or on its existing products. This support is not suitable for ventures whose products are complete and ready for mass production.

1) Company Setup Support

Description and Scope:
This is the joint-stock company or limited liability company setup support provided by our University to entrepreneurs who have graduated from the BAU Hub Pre-Incubation Program or to BAU academic entrepreneurs who are in the process of setting up their company, in order to support the development and commercialization of technology-based innovative ideas. The following criteria apply within the scope of the support.

i. The NACE code of the company to be established must be included in the KOSGEB priority technology areas list (https://www.kosgeb.gov.tr/Content/Upload/Dosya/kobi-teknoyatirim/%C3%96ncelikli_Teknoloji_Alanlar%C4%B1_Tablosu.pdf).
ii. The company to be established or already established by the academic entrepreneur is expected to be compatible with the academic's field of scientific research.

Who Can Apply:
Entrepreneurs who have graduated from the BAU Hub Pre-Incubation Program / BAU Academic Entrepreneurs may apply, provided that the official address of the company is the BAU Hub Incubation Center. After the company is set up, entrepreneurs must apply to the BAU Hub Incubation Program. Sole proprietorships are not supported.

Support Budget: Support is provided up to the amount of the relevant year's Trade Registry Office fees within the scope of the company's legal establishment costs.

Support Duration: To benefit from this support, entrepreneurs must officially apply within 3 months of the company's establishment. Companies outside the scope of the BAU Hub Pre-Incubation Program or of BAU academic entrepreneurs in the process of setting up their company, as well as previously established companies, cannot apply for this support.

2) Company Address Transfer / Branch Registration Support

Description and Scope:
This is the company address transfer support provided by our University to entrepreneurs participating in the BAU Hub Incubation Program in order to support the development and commercialization of technology-based innovative ideas. The following criteria apply within the scope of the support.

i. The NACE code of the company must be included in the KOSGEB priority technology areas list (https://www.kosgeb.gov.tr/Content/Upload/Dosya/kobi-teknoyatirim/%C3%96ncelikli_Teknoloji_Alanlar%C4%B1_Tablosu.pdf).
ii. The company's year of establishment, number of employees on the payroll, net sales revenue for the previous fiscal year (current net sales revenue if the company was established in the same year) and current address,
iii. Educational information of the founder and partner, the university they graduated from, graduation date and, if any, graduate program information.

Who Can Apply: Entrepreneurs who are BAU undergraduate / graduate students or alumni and are partners or owners of a company that moves its official address to the BAU Hub Incubation Center or wishes to register it as a branch / BAU Academic Entrepreneurs may apply. Sole proprietorships are not supported. Graduates of BAU undergraduate / graduate programs cannot apply if more than 5 years have passed since their graduation date.

Support Budget: Support is provided up to the amount of the relevant year's official address transfer / branch registration costs.

Support Duration: Entrepreneurs may benefit from this support once for the same legal entity.

3) Financial and Legal Advisory Support

Description and Scope:
This is the financial and legal advisory support provided by our University to entrepreneurs who have graduated from the BAU Hub Pre-Incubation Program or to our University's Academic Entrepreneurs who are in the process of setting up their company, in order to support the development and commercialization of technology-based innovative ideas. The following criteria apply within the scope of the support.

i. The NACE code of the company must be included in the KOSGEB priority technology areas list (https://www.kosgeb.gov.tr/Content/Upload/Dosya/kobi-teknoyatirim/%C3%96ncelikli_Teknoloji_Alanlar%C4%B1_Tablosu.pdf).

Who Can Apply: Entrepreneurs who have graduated from the BAU Hub Pre-Incubation Program and BAU academic entrepreneurs may apply, provided that the official address of the company is the BAU Hub Incubation Center. After the company is set up, entrepreneurs must apply to the BAU Hub Incubation Program. Sole proprietorships are not supported.

Support Budget:
i. The monthly accounting advisory support will be determined on the basis of the minimum fees published for the relevant year by the Istanbul Chamber of Certified Public Accountants.
ii. The legal advisory support budget is capped at 5,000 TL.

Support Duration:
i. Monthly accounting advisory support is provided for a maximum of 12 months.
ii. Legal advisory support is provided on a one-time basis.

4) Entrepreneur Bridge Financing Support

Description and Scope:
This is the bridge financing support provided by our University to entrepreneurial companies that have a support decision in the project types listed below, in order to increase the technology readiness level of the products subject to the venture and to support their commercialization activities through R&D and innovation. In other words, the transfer payment needed at the initial stage for the R&D funding the entrepreneur receives from TÜBİTAK or KOSGEB for the product and/or service subject to the venture is supported.

i. TÜBİTAK TEYDEB Programs
ii. KOSGEB R&D, Product Development and Innovation Program

Who Can Apply:
Bridge financing support is provided to entrepreneurs who have graduated from the BAU Hub Pre-Incubation Program and to BAU Academic Entrepreneurs, provided that no more than 24 months have passed since their company was set up.

Support Budget: The support budget is determined according to the criteria below. In return for the bridge financing support, an option agreement is made through a BAU affiliate company for 3-7% of the venture's shares for a period of 24-36 months. The details are set out in the agreement to be signed between the parties, and the process is managed by the BAU Hub Incubation Center.

i. In TÜBİTAK TEYDEB program support, it is the amount relating to the "Transfer Payment (Advance Payment)",
ii. In the KOSGEB R&D, Product Development and Innovation Program, it is the "Estimated Support Amount for Early Payment" stated in the KOSGEB Board Decision Form.

Support Duration: The entrepreneurial company may benefit from this support only once.

5) Prototype Support

Description and Scope:
This is the prototype support provided to entrepreneurs by our University in order to increase the technology readiness level of the product subject to the venture and to support commercialization activities through the R&D and innovation activities of technology-based innovative ventures. The following items are supported under prototype support.

a) Electronic materials planned to be used in the product (circuit components, sensors, microprocessors, development kits, etc.)
b) Purchase of materials and raw materials needed for the product (metal, wood and glass materials, chemicals, adhesives, solder wire and paste, fasteners, etc.)
c) Production-related expenditures (for parts/components that cannot be produced by hand, such as circuit board printing and CNC machining)
d) Purchase of machinery, equipment and laboratory devices (if the requested items are available at the University, guidance will be provided on using the devices instead of purchasing them)
e) Testing fees (the main work must not be outsourced)
f) Hardware purchases (graphics cards, etc. – may be requested where critically important for the project)
g) Purchase of software and cloud computing services, etc.
h) A justified explanation is required for any needs outside these categories.

Who Can Apply:
Prototype Support is provided to entrepreneurs who have graduated from the BAU Hub Pre-Incubation Program / BAU Academic Entrepreneurs, provided that the official address of the company is the BAU Hub Incubation Center and no more than 18 months have passed since the company was set up. After the company is set up, entrepreneurs must apply to the BAU Hub Incubation Program. Sole proprietorships cannot apply.

Support Budget: The Prototype Support budget is capped at 18,000 TL.

Support Duration: The entrepreneurial company may benefit from this support only once. The support period is at least 3 months and at most 12 months.

6) Entrepreneur Patent Support

Description and Scope:
This is the patent/utility model support provided to entrepreneurs by our University so that technology-based innovative ventures can protect the industrial property rights of the technological and technical solutions underlying their companies. The following services are provided within the scope of the support:
i. A preliminary search service to identify prior art in the relevant technical field from patent databases, covering previous patent applications or registrations on the same or similar subjects as the patentable technical solution related to the main activity of the entrepreneur's company,
ii. Preparation of the patent application (specification) service (patent attorneys who are experts in the technical field will be preferred, and the CV of the attorney drafting the patent will be shared with the entrepreneur upon request),
iii. Filing of the national application with the application fees covered by BAU after the entrepreneur approves the specification,
iv. A coordination service for deciding, together with the entrepreneur, whether to file an international patent application within 12 months of the patent application date,
v. Translation services for the patent if a decision is made to file an international application (with the entrepreneur's opinion and approval)
vi. Preparation of responses to search and examination reports relating to the patent application, and payment of document and decision fees.

Who Can Apply:
Entrepreneurs who have graduated from the BAU Hub Incubation Program and set up their company, as well as incorporated BAU academic entrepreneurs, may apply.

Support Budget: Within the scope of the support, the patent or utility model application and national phase expenses will be covered by BAU for a period of 2 (two) years.

Support Duration: 2 (two) years from the patent or utility model application date.