• The new venture capital fund will foster innovation and support early-stage tech startups in Türkiye.
  • J-START will give priority to deep-tech startups from academic institutions.
  • The fund will contribute to promoting Türkiye’s position as a leader in deep-tech research and development.

ALJ, a nearly 80-year-old network of internationally diversified businesses, has entered a strategic collaboration with Sabancı Ventures, the venture capital company of Sabancı Holding, to facilitate the launch of ‘J-START’ Venture Capital Investment Fund.

Announced at Sabancı University in Türkiye, the fund is designed to provide comprehensive support to early-stage entrepreneurs and to invest in technology-focused startups. Areas of innovation targeted will include artificial intelligence, advanced material technologies, financial technologies, education technologies, smart cities, digital health, big data analytics, and cyber security.

The announcement of the J-START fund underscores ALJ’s commitment to making venture investments in deep tech, including in emerging markets like Türkiye, deploying patient capital to build and grow companies in strategic sectors that can solve tough problems, generate value and create jobs.

On top of its current commitment to the Turkish startup ecosystem as a prominent corporate venture player, Sabancı Ventures will be able to extend its support to early-stage deep tech startups through the J-Start Fund.

Ali Haydar Bozkurt, CEO of ALJ Türkiye said: “The J-START Fund has been created to invest in the deep tech ecosystem and show the rest of the world that Türkiye is at the forefront of research into how we can create a better future for everyone.  I am looking forward to seeing the impact J-START will have in supporting deep tech entrepreneurs and feel incredibly optimistic about the outcomes from this fund.”

Yusuf Leblebici, Sabancı University President, said: “50 out of every 1000 students who graduate from Sabancı University every year prefer to establish their own companies. It is our duty to facilitate this and to give them all the support available to make their dream a reality. Through our collaboration with ALJ, we have established an investment fund to support these ambitions. This represents a great opportunity for everyone who wishes to develop their own ideas and pursue their dream of starting up their own companies. We will contribute to their journey as each success will represent an achievement for Sabancı University”.

Sabancı Holding Strategy and Business Development Group President Gökhan Eyigün “As Sabancı Holding we are a major supporter of the deep tech ecosystem through our investments in several deep tech companies in Türkiye and abroad. Therefore, we are very pleased that Sabancı Ventures will collaborate with Sabancı University and ALJ for the J-START Venture Capital Investment Fund which will address a very significant gap in the early deep tech investments space. With the commercial collaborations opportunities presented through our Sabancı Group companies, we have full confidence that they will create significant value for our country and grow to achieve great success on a global scale.”

Studies and rigorous research into developing innovative deep tech at the highest academic level are vital in today’s tech focused ecosystem.  The deeper this research can be, the more opportunities it will be able to offer in tangible real-world future application. The opportunity to revolutionize industries and solve some of the world’s most pressing issues, through AI, robotics, quantum computing, clean energy, nanotechnology and much more, is undoubtedly the driving force for today’s brightest minds.

The J-START Fund will invest in start-ups established in Türkiye and give priority to deep-tech start-ups from universities. Inovent, established by Sabancı University as Türkiye’s first technology commercialization company, will provide consultancy and scouting services for the Fund. There will be a representative from ALJ, Sabancı Ventures and the university in the Investment Committee, which will decide on investment in start-ups to be selected from the investment recommendations brought by Inovent.

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