Entrepreneurship & Innovation Specialist

Koç University was founded in 1993 by the Vehbi Koç Foundation with a vision of excellence in education, pioneering scientific research, and creating value for society. As one of the most prestigious universities in Türkiye, ranked within the top 500 universities worldwide, our university aims to contribute to science, technology, and social development through its research-oriented structure. Our campus offers an inspiring and multifaceted living and working environment, providing a distinctive workplace experience for our employees.

At Koç University, our employees advance their careers as part of a dynamic and supportive working environment alongside expert and innovative teams. Our work culture supports continuous learning and offers opportunities for personal and professional development. With our strong vision and core values, we invite you to join the Koç University family and achieve new successes in your career.

We are seeking an Entrepreneurship & Innovation Specialist to drive high-impact venture creation, technology commercialization, and innovation projects. This role demands a high-performing individual ready to actively support and execute key initiatives.

Job Description

This is an agile, hands-on venture builder position. The successful candidate will be focused on transforming nascent ideas into scalable, market-ready ventures through structured execution, rapid iteration, and complete ownership.

The role is primarily based on the Rumelifeneri campus.

Key responsibilities include:

• Drive the end-to-end venture building lifecycle, from initial idea validation to scaling and early growth.
• Partner directly with founders and teams to refine business models, go-to-market strategies, and product positioning.
• Design and manage structured performance processes, tracking venture progress, milestones, and key metrics.
• Execute rigorous market analysis, customer discovery, and competitive benchmarking.
• Ensure fundraising readiness by preparing professional investor materials and defining strategic positioning.
• Manage commercialization activities, including legal structuring, NDAs, licensing, and early-stage partnership agreements.
• Leverage digital tools, software systems, and AI platforms to optimize workflows, evaluation, and execution speed.
• Oversee multiple simultaneous projects with strong prioritization and a sense of urgency.
• Lead ecosystem building by actively cultivating relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, including researchers, students, industry contacts, partners, advisors, and investors.

General Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a similarly rigorous technical discipline from a top-tier university
• 0–5 years of experience in startups, venture capital, consulting, or technology-driven environments
• Excellent command of English (written and spoken) – near native level required
• Strong understanding of startups, product development, and innovation ecosystems
• Proven ability to operate with urgency, ownership, and execution under pressure

Koç University is committed to the principle of equal opportunity. All candidates are evaluated without discrimination based on race, gender, national or social origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status.