Erhan Erkut, a professor at MEF University, gave a presentation on entrepreneurship as a career path. He began by making two predictions: that most people in the audience will live to age 90, and will need to work for 50 years. He suggested considering entrepreneurship as a career option, since working for a single company for 50 years may not be sustainable or fulfilling. He provided suggestions for those interested in entrepreneurship, like reading books on the topic, following startups, offering help to startups, and eventually starting your own company after gaining experience elsewhere. The presentation included statistics on common educational backgrounds of Turkish entrepreneurs and discussed support programs for startups.

1. Erhan Erkut
Professor, MEF University

2. Entrepreneurship
as a Career
Erhan Erkut, MEF University
2StartupIstanbul
The Leading Startup Event in Eurasia
5 October 2015

3. In 10 short minutes,…
 2 predictions
 A judgment
 A suggestion
3

4. 4
Accelerating Funding Trends ($1T spent, and counting)
China Assumes a Lead Role in the Race ($300B, China Med City)
Propagation of Discoveries into Clinical Practice
The Big Data Revolution (gene sequencing, filtering)
Massive Convergence of Technologies (3D organ printing)
Health Consciousness (smoking, obesity)
Advances in Screening and Diagnostics
Artificial Organs
Cellular Reprogramming
Life Extension in Model Organisms
The Renaissance of Gene Therapy
Advances in Physical Chemistry and New Materials
Crowd Medicine, Medical Tourism, Telemedicine
For all these reasons…

5. Most of you will live to 90

6. …and for this reason…
6

7. Retirement plans (pyramid scheme)
 …will become unsustainable
 Retirement age will become
a moving target
7

8. Predictions ELE DÜMDÜK
 You will live to age 90
 You will work for 50 years (from 25 to 75)
 Where?
 How long can you work for a company?
 9-to-5, 5 days/week, 20 days of vacation
 Fixed income, small raises, rat race
 No autonomy (time, task, team, technique)
 Work on someone else’s dream
 Consider entrepreneurship as a career
8

9. Suggestions for wantrepreneurs
1. Read entrepreneurship books
2. Follow several startups closely
3. Offer free help to a start-up
4. Work for a company for 5 years
5. Start your own company
9

10. Books…
10
…and anything by Gladwell, Pink, Kahneman, and Christensen

11. Excerpts from an upcoming book…
 Turkish Gazelles (Türk Ceylanları)
Interviews with Turkish founders of rapidly growing startups
11

12. Which degree? University?
 Industrial Eng’g: 3
 Computer Science: 3
 Mechanical Eng’g: 2
 Economics: 2
 Electrical Eng’g: 1
 Chemical Eng’g: 1
 Civil Eng’g: 1
 Urban Planning: 1
 Business: 1
 International Relations: 1
 Physics: 1
 Media and Visual Arts: 1
 No univ degree: 2
 Boğaziçi: 4
 Koç: 3
 İTÜ: 2
 ODTÜ: 2
 Bilkent: 2
 Marmara: 2
 Kültür: 1
 Yıldız Teknik: 1
 İstanbul: 1
12

13. How did you get there?
 Were you incubated/accelerated? 4/20
 Did you receive government support? 4/20
 Did you work professionally before starting up?
 Yes: 14/20 (2-9 years)
13

14. Did your university support you?
 Broad-based education, widened my horizons
 Scientific/analytical thinking
 Some of the courses
 One entrepreneurship seminar
 Incubator
 Technopark
 None 10/18
14

15. Keep an eye out for…
 A new MS in Entrepreneurship program
 Based on Lean Startup Principles
 Blended learning
 On-line provider in the US
 Off-line component in the evenings
 Taught by entrepreneurs and investors
 Active mentoring
 Internship at a startup
 Startup instead of thesis for graduation
 Extended boootcamp
15

16. Erhan Erkut Contact Info
 Twitter: @ErhanErkut
 E-mail:
 erkute@mef.edu.tr
 erhanerkut2000@gmail.com
 Blog: www.erhanerkut.com
16

17. And now
17
Serial entrepreneur (8 times)
Father of “Lean Startup” Movement
Writer, speaker, teacher, mentor
Stanford, Berkeley, CalTech, Columbia
Author: The Startup Owner's Manual

18. StartupIstanbul
The Leading Startup Event In
Eurasia