Başar Kaya

Başar Kaya has a long history of working in various roles in the tech and education sectors. In 2020, they became the Head of Business Development for MentalUP, a multinational edtech focused mobile gaming company. From 2017 to 2020, they were the Head of Country, Turkey for EIT InnoEnergy, a cleantech accelerator. From 2015 to 2017, they were the Co-founder and Managing Director of Projemetre R&D Consultancy, a business and customer development consultancy. From 2015 to 2017, they were the Director of Business Development and Fundraising for Sabanci University SUCool. In 2017, they were the Director for the Founder Institute. In 2015, they were an Independent Assessor for the Istanbul Development Agency. From 2014 to 2015, they were an Instructor for TÜBİTAK, providing trainings for entrepreneurs and professionals. In 2014, they were the University-Industry Collaboration Expert for Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Teknoloji Transfer Ofisi. In 2013, they were the Research and Development Project Manager for İPDM Plan Proje Destekleme Merkezi LTD. ŞTİ. From 2012 to 2013, they were the Youth Worker/EU Office for Dolnośląskie Stowarzyszenie Pomocy Dzieciom i Młodzieży z MPDz - Ostoja.

Başar Kaya has a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Mechanical Engineering from Yildiz Technical University. Başar has also obtained additional certifications, including "Innovation and emerging technology: Be disruptive" from Macquarie University in May 2021, "Private Equity and Venture Capital" from Università Bocconi in January 2020, "Fundamentals of Management" from UC Irvine in August 2015, "Business in Horizon 2020: the SME Instrument" from Octopux Consulting in May 2015, and "Youthpass" from the European Commission in April 2013.