Omer Hiziroglu
Principal of Azur Strategy, an intellectual property and innovation management consultancy based in France. He has over twenty years of experience in technology-based transactions. Previously he served as General Manager of Inovent (Turkey’s first university commercialization and seed-fund company, affiliated with Sabancı University). He has been a board member and vice-president of LES International and has been listed among IAM World’s 300 Leading IP Strategists continuously since 2015.
He is a member of the Istanbul, New York, and Massachusetts bars and holds Certified Licensing Professional (CLP) and EUKTS-Expert certifications. His practice focuses on IP portfolio management, licensing negotiations, technology transfer, and advising technology-intensive SMEs and universities.
Specialization
Intellectual property (IP) strategy and management, technology transfer and university research commercialization, IP portfolio management and licensing negotiations, venture capital and technology startups, and technology transfer office (TTO) policy design
Main Themes Addressed in the Lecture
- Role of IP in the transition to a knowledge-based economy and the importance of SMEs and startups
- Turkey’s experience (2004–2021): from lack of awareness and technology transfer offices to rapid ecosystem growth
- Initial challenges: professor’s and government ownership of inventions, and weak university-industry linkages
- Key actions: establishment of an IP Task Force, university investment fund, and Galata Business Angels network
- 2016 legal reforms and growth of technology transfer offices (over 110)
- Attraction of over $1.5 billion in venture capital and emergence of unicorns
- Recommendation: focus on competitive advantages, empower technology transfer professionals, and use long-term performance indicators