Teknoloji tabanlı girişimlerin erken aşama destekleri ile ilgili mevcut durum analizi ve girişimlerin erken aşama desteklerden faydalanabilmesi için değerlendirme metod önerisi
Current status analysis of earyl stage support of technology-based initiatives and evaluation metod recomendation for initiatives to benefit from early stage support
Yazar: TUBA ÖZTEPE
Danışman: PROF. DR. FERHAN ÇEBİ
İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi / Lisansüstü Eğitim Enstitüsü / İşletme Mühendisliği Ana Bilim Dalı / İşletme Mühendisliği Bilim Dalı
Derece: Yüksek Lisans, 2021
Konu: Mühendislik Bilimleri = Engineering Sciences
Dizin: Akademik girişimcilik = Academic entrepreneurship ; Açık inovasyon = Open innovation ; Bilgi ve iletişim teknolojileri = Information and communication technologies ; Ekogirişimcilik = Eco-entrepreneurshi̇p

Özet:
İnovasyon gerek günümüzün ulusal ekonomilerini gerekse kurumlar için kritik öneme sahip bir kavramdır. Bu bağlamda bölgesel ve ulusal açıdan sürdürülebilir büyümenin sağlanması, rekabet gücünün tesis edilmesi ve mevcut refah düzeyinin iyileştirilebilmesi için inovasyona ihtiyaç vardır. İnovasyon olduğusu dinamik bir olgudur, içerisinde sürekli iyileştirmeyi barındırır. Özellikle Endüstri 4.0 olgusunun ortaya çıktığı günümüzde inovasyon artık temel zorunluluk haline gelmiştir. Şirketlerin ve ulusların katma değerli ürünler üretmesi, üretim, organizasyon ve pazarlama süreçlerini iyileştirmeleri ancak sürekli inovasyon ile mümkündür. 
Araştırma ve Geliştirme (Arge) kavramı, yeni ürün, buluş ya da süreç iyileştirmek için gerek bireysel girişimciler gerekse kurumsal firmalar tarafından yürütülen faaliyet adımlarının tamamıdır. Bu açıdan bakılırsa fikirden ürüne giden süreçte, ürünün ticarileştirilmesinden önceki üretim, test, prototip geliştirme gibi süreçleri arge olarak nitelendirilebilir. Arge'nin genel olarak üç faaliyet adımından oluşmaktadır: temel araştırma, uygulamalı araştırma ve geliştirme. Yürütülen bir faaliyetin ise arge olabilmesi için yeni, yaratıcı, belirsiz, sistematik ve tekrarlanabilir olması gerekmektedir.
Dünyada arge ve inovasyon ekosistemi incelendiğinde, özellikle "triple helix" adı verilen "devlet – üniversite – sanayi işbirliği" kavramı öne çıkmaktadır. Bu kavramın başarılı bir şekilde uygulandığı alan ise ABD'deki Silikon Vadisi'dir. Bu kavram özelinde üniversite yeni bilgi ve teknoloji kaynağı, sanayi üretim merkezi, devlet ise istikrarlı bir yapıyı simgeleyen ve gerekli altyapı ve sözleşmelerin garantörü konumunda yer alır. 
Türkiye'de teknoloji tabanlı girişimciliğin geliştirilmesi için 2002 yılında Resmi Gazete'de yayımlanan 4691 sayılı kanun ile Teknoloji Geliştirme Bölgeleri kurulmuştur. Teknoparklar içerisinde kurulan Teknoloji Transfer Ofisleri ve Kuluçka Merkezleri girişimcileri Teknoloji Hazırlık Seviyesi 1 ile Teknoloji Hazırlık Seviyesi 5 – 6 seviyesine kadar geçen tüm süreçlerde destekleyen en önemli yapılardır. Son dönemde Kuluçka Merkezi yönetimlerince geliştirilen Hızlandırma Programları da girişimcilere ihtiyaç duydukları mali destek, eğitim ve mentörlük sürecinde önemli rol oynamaktadır. Teknoloji Transfer Ofisleri ise özellikle fikri mülkiyet haklarının korunmasında katkı sunmaktadır. Söz konusu yapılar sahip oldukları kaynakları optimize şekilde kullanmak zorundadır. Bu bağlamda bu tez; kuluçkaların erken aşamada destekleyeceği ya da odaklanacağı girişimleri belirlemek için bir değerlendirme cetveli sunmaktadır. Bu seçim; ülkenin teknoloji geliştirmek kapasitesi için kritik önnemdedir.
Ülkemizde teknoloji tabanlı girişimcilere sağlanan desteklere ve yapılan yatırımlara bakıldığında kamu ve özel sektör destekleri, kuluçka merkezleri ve hızlandırma programı faaliyetleri görülmektedir. Bununla birlikte girişimcilere erken aşamada hangi desteklerin sağlanması gerektiği ve girişimcilerin söz konusu destekler için hangi kriterlere göre seçilmesi gerektiği soruları belirsizliğini korumaktadır. 
Bu konuda yapılan araştırma gerek ulusal gerek uluslararası literatürde  girişimcilerin  erken aşama destekleri açısından değerlendirilmesine yönelik doğrudan çalışmaların az sayıda olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu çalışmada literatürdeki bu boşluğun doldurulmasına katkıda bulunulması amaçla şekilde girişimciler için erken aşama desteklerinden yararlanmalarına katkıda bulunacak şekilde bir değerlendirme  mekanizmasının önerilmesine çalışılmıştır. Bu amaçla çalışmada ülkemizde teknoloji tabanlı girişimlere erken aşama evresinde sağlanan destekler ile ilgili mevcut durum analizi yapılmış, söz konusu girişimlerin erken aşama desteklerinden faydalanması için hangi kriterlere göre seçilmesi gerektiği sorusu cevaplanmaya çalışılmıştır. 
Bu çalışma yapılırken girişimcilere altyapı, fon kaynağı ve mentörlük desteği sunan kuluçka merkezi ve hızlandırma programları detaylı olarak incelenmiştir. 
Araştırma için gerekli bilgilerin ve verilen toplanması için Türkiye'de, üniversite destekli bir kurum olmayan Bilişim Vadisi'nde faaliyet gösteren toplam 80 adet teknoloji firması, girişim sermayesi yatırım fonu ve akademisyen şirkete hazırlanan anket çalışması yöneltilmiştir. Bilişim Vadisi kuruluş kararı Onuncu Kalkınma Planı'nda yer alan ülkemizin "Silikon Vadisi"dir. Bu nedenle örneklem olarak bu alan özenle seçilmiştir. Çalışmanın sonunda örnek kuluçka modeli sunulmaktadır.

Abstract:
Innovation is a concept with critical importance both for today's national economies and institutions. In this context, innovation is needed to ensure regional and national sustainable growth, to establish competitiveness and to improve the current level of welfare. Innovation is a dynamic phenomenon, it includes continuous improvement. Innovation has become a basic necessity, especially today, when the phenomenon of Industry 4.0 has emerged. It is only possible for companies and nations to produce value-added products and improve their production, organization and marketing processes through continuous innovation. 
The concept of Research and Development (R&D) is whole activity steps carried out both by individual entrepreneurs and corporate companies for improving new products, inventions or processes. When considered from this point of view, the processes such as production, test, prototype development before the commercialization of the product can be described can be described as R&D. R&D generally consists of three activity steps: basic research, applied research and development. In order for an activity to be R&D, it must be new, creative, uncertain, systematic and repeatable.
When  R&D and innovation ecosystem in the world is examined, the concepts of state-university-industry cooperation, especially called triple helix become prominent. The area where this concept has been successfully applied is Silicon Valley in the USA. In this concept, the university takes place as a new information and technology source, an industrial production center, and the state takes place as the guarantor of the necessary infrastructure and contracts and also symbolizes a stable structure. 
In order to develop technology-based entrepreneurship in Turkey, Technology Development Zones were established with the law numbered 4691 published in the Official Gazette in 2002. Technology Transfer Offices and Incubation Centers established in Technoparks are the most important structures that support entrepreneurs in all processes from Technology Readiness Level 1 to Technology Readiness Level 5-6. Acceleration Programs recently developed by the Incubation Center administrations also play an important role in the financial support, training and mentoring processes that entrepreneurs need. Technology Transfer Offices, on the other hand, contribute especially to the protection of intellectual property rights. These structures have to use their resources in an optimized way. In this context, this thesis; It provides a benchmark to identify initiatives that incubators will support or focus on at an early stage. This choice; It is critical for the country's capacity to develop technology.
It is observed that R&D expenditures worldwide increase every year. R&D World magazine has been publishing a report on worldwide R&D expenditures every year since 1959. In its final 2019 report, R&D made its funding forecast for the cumulative resources expected to be invested by more than 115 countries, multiple industries, universities and governments, and countless technologies. The science and technologies created in R&D laboratories around the world were estimated at 12 Billion Dollars in January 1959 (in the first issue of R&D World magazine). In the final report, it is predicted that more than $2.4 Trillion will be invested in R&D on a global basis for 2020 and 64 Billion US dollars more R&D expenditure will be made with an increase of 2.7% compared to the previous year (Heney, 2020). The USA is the leading country in R&D in the world. Figure 2.1 shows the top 10 countries in terms of gross research and development (R&D) expenditures worldwide in 2020 according to purchasing power parity calculations. When the worldwide R&D ecosystem is examined, it is observed that most R&D investments are made in western countries. In addition to Western developed countries, China and Japan also seem to have significant R&D investments.
When the developments in R&D, innovation and entrepreneurship policies in Turkey are examined, it is observed that knowledge production was carried out within universities, and the relationship between industry and university was not developed until the 1990s. It is seen that the supports provided in terms of R&D activities were limited to the supports provided by TUBITAK, which was established in 1963 for a very long time. Within the scope of the developments in the political field, the Supreme Council of Science and Technology (BTYK) was established with the Decree-Law (KHK) dated 4 October 1983 and numbered 77, and the first meeting was held on 9 October 1989 by the aforementioned board, and only 5 meetings were held until 2000. Although there have been developments in R&D in the defense industry and technologies as a result of the sanctions encountered after the Cyprus Peace Operation, it can be said that there is no significant activity in the field of R&D and innovation in other industrial organizations. With the establishment of KOSGEB and TTGV in 1990, it is seen that the first support programs were created in terms of directing the private sector to R&D studies. With the R&D support programs put forward by TUBITAK since 1994, this process has gained a remarkable momentum. As a result of the support provided throughout the 1990s, gains such as raising awareness on R&D and innovation issues and learning the project management process of the private sector through project-based supports were achieved. As a result of the Customs Union Agreement signed with the European Union, the removal of the advantage of customs protection for the private sector has made it necessary for the private sector to proceed faster in this regard.
When we look at the supports and investments made for technology-based entrepreneurs in our country, public and private sector supports, incubation centers and acceleration program activities are seen. However, the questions of what supports should be provided to entrepreneurs at an early stage and according to which criteria entrepreneurs should be selected for such supports remain unclear. In this study, an analysis of the current situation regarding the support provided to technology-based initiatives at the early stage in our country has been made, and the question of which criteria should be selected for these initiatives to benefit from early stage supports has been tried to be answered. 
Hackett and Dilts define the selection of incubators, their monitoring, as well as resource allocation as key elements of the incubation and acceleration process. According to Bergek and Norrman, business support and mediation are the main distinguishing components of incubation centres. In addition, infrastructure and graduation are other components of the Incubation Centers. Again, according to Bergek and Norrman; Although most of the incubation centers are similar in terms of infrastructure services, the selection criteria, graduation policies, business support services differ greatly from each other.
In this study, the incubation center and acceleration programs that provide infrastructure, funding and mentoring support to entrepreneurs were examined in detail.
Incubation Centers encourage entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into products in their most vulnerable early years, helping them mature and transform into commercial firms. It provides important support especially in ensuring the survival of early stage enterprises. In this context, incubation centers are designed to accelerate the development of newly established technology-based entrepreneurs by utilizing the talents of entrepreneurs.
The acceleration program is defined as a short-term incubation program that provides support for entrepreneurs such as technical mentoring, consultancy, venture capital, and network access. The said programs are programs that aim to attract investment between 1 and 3 months, and offer intensive technical mentoring and training support. Accelerators are programs that help entrepreneurs get their products to market. With this model, the world met the "Y Combinator", which was founded by Paul Graham in the USA in 2005. In acceleration programs, entrepreneurs work intensively on their technologies for a certain period of time. During the program, it carries out the process with technical mentors who support entrepreneurs and investors who want to invest in them. Entrepreneurs who successfully complete the program are targeted to receive investment.
In order to develop the entrepreneurship ecosystem in our country, activities such as developing university-industry cooperation, launching R&D centers and technoparks, increasing risk capital investments, increasing public support, establishing incubation centers, and conducting acceleration programs are carried out. In particular, the purpose of establishing technoparks and incubation centers; production of technological information, commercialization of the produced information, raising the product quality and standard in the product and production methods, developing innovations that will increase efficiency and reduce production costs, ensuring the adaptation of small and medium-sized enterprises to new and advanced technologies, providing job opportunities for researchers and foreign capital that will make advanced technology investments. It is to increase the competitiveness of the industry by accelerating its entry into the country. In this context, acceleration programs, competitions, training and mentoring services are provided within the incubation center. Recently, risk capital investments have been increased.
In this study, a survey prepared for a total of 80 technology companies, venture capital investment funds and academicians operating in the Bilişim Vadisi. Bilişim Vadisi is the "Silicon Valley" of our country, which is within the borders of the province in question and whose founding decision is included in the Tenth Development Plan. For this reason, this area was carefully selected as a sample. At the end of the study, an example incubation model is presented.