Innovation & VC | Tüpraş

Tüpraş Ventures

Open Innovation

Intrapreneurship Efforts

Cooperation Development

Innovation

At Tüpraş, we consider open innovation programs, the implementation of startup technologies, joint project collaborations, intrapreneurship, and startup investments as key pillars supporting our strategic transformation plan and 2050 carbon neutrality target. Since 2017, we have been conducting innovation activities in focus areas aligned with our corporate strategy.

Our open innovation activities are integrated with both national and international startup ecosystems. We collaborate with startups whose solutions align with Tüpraş’s strategic priorities, co-develop solutions, and generate shared value. We continuously scan the startup landscape, and our relevant departments actively engage with entrepreneurs.

In 2025, we will host the third edition of our “Startup Challenge,” evaluating nearly 200 startupsto develop pilot implementation scenarios with Tüpraş. This allows us to stay ahead by accessing breakthrough technologies at an early stage. Through annual field trials, we support startups in their product development journeys while enriching our own technical know-how.

Thanks to the global perspective we have gained by working with startups from 11 countries outside Türkiye, we are able to deliver high-impact projects across operational areas. These projects connect business units with IoT, robotics, renewable energy technologies, wastewater treatment solutions, and digital innovations. To date, we have completed proof-of-concept (PoC) projects with 55 startups, with over 120 Tüpraş employees involved.

We are making firm advances in venture capital with Tüpraş Ventures.

We took another step in venture capital that will guide the transformation of the energy industry. We established Tüpraş Ventures to capitalize on new technologies and opportunities by investing in line with our innovation focus areas in Turkey, Europe, and the United States.

Tüpraş Ventures was founded to invest in technology initiatives for future energy systems, form strategic partnerships, and strengthen the ecosystem. It invests in domestic and international sustainable refining, biofuels, carbon management, zero-carbon electric, green hydrogen, smart information technologies, Industry 4.0, energy efficiency, the environment, and recycling and waste management. It also implements new business models and realizes potential partnerships.

Tüpraş Ventures

Tüpraş Ventures, our corporate venture capital arm, was established to invest in alignment with our innovation focus areas—particularly those tied to our Strategic Transformation priorities. Its mission is to capture emerging opportunities, adopt new technologies, and bring new business models and potential partnerships to life. Building on the open innovation efforts we have actively pursued since 2017, Tüpraş Ventures was officially launched at the end of 2022 to take these initiatives further by enabling direct investments in startups.

Tüpraş Ventures focuses on high-priority areas such as low-carbon hydrogen, zero-carbon electricity, sustainable fuels and carbon capture and utilization, and energy storagewith a geographic emphasis on Türkiye, Europe, and the United States. It also targets startups in information technologies, Industry 4.0, energy efficiency, water and waste management, and robotic solutions that contribute to sustainable refining operations.

Tüpraş Ventures, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tüpraş, has completed five startup investments and two fund investments across the USA, Canada, Europe, and Türkiye. With $50 million fund size by 2030, Tüpraş Ventures is actively integrating portfolio startups into its operations, including potential customer engagements. As part of its corporate venture capital strategy, Tüpraş Ventures also leverages various investment instruments to participate in leading international venture capital funds as a Limited Partner (LP).

To date, we have invested in five startups directly and 44 indirectly, with two exits.

Tüpraş Ventures continues to focus on both domestic and international startups, prioritizing technologies that enable energy transformation, sustainability, and operational excellence.

Further details can be found here: https://tuprasventures.com/

Inowhatif 360 Program

The goal of the Inowhatif 360 Program is to generate operational benefits by serving as an early adopter of startups capable of addressing challenges and meeting needs in refinery sustainability and efficiency. The Program also aims to connect Tüpraş with the latest innovations in the industry.

To expand the reach of the Inowhatif 360 Program and strengthen collaborative processes, the Inowhatif 360 Evaluation Team has been established with representatives from all company locations. The team supports the co-development and implementation of innovative solutions in operational processes.

Startup Challenge

Since 2023, the program has received nearly 200 startup applications and continues at full momentum in 2025, connecting innovative startup solutions with Tüpraş’s operational focus areas. As part of the program, applications are evaluated in key domains such as connectivity solutions, IoT, robotics, renewable energy efficiency, waste management, water efficiency, and digitalization. Based on this evaluation, proof-of-concept (PoC) scopes are defined to assess the potential of each solution.

Key Focus Areas

Digital Solutions

Asset Management
Process Optimization (AI & ML)
Cyber Security
Image Processing

IoT/Automation/Sensor Technologies

Gas Leak Detection (H₂S, SO₂, NO_x)
Low-Cost Gas Leak Measurement (CH₄, H₂S, SO₂, NO_x)
Corrosion Monitoring
Asset Tracking (Outdoor)

Robotics

NDT (Application in critical refinery areas such as pipelines and tank surface)
Anomaly Detection
Outdoor and Indoor Corrosion Detection

Enerji Verimliliği ve Çevre Teknolojileri

Energy Efficiency and Environmental Technologies

Applications for Improving PV Efficiency
New Types of PV Applications
Power Generation Forecasting Tools
Waste Heat Management and Utilization (Suitable for process use)
Wastewater Technologies (Biological, Chemical and Physical)

Opportunities Provided to Start-Ups

Startups with viable solutions in innovation focus areas have the opportunity to address real-world needs and collaborate with expert teams from Türkiye’s leading industrial institution to validate their solution scenarios through various models. After successful PoC and demo applications, venture clienting and procurement processes are took placeand all models of cooperation are considered. Depending on the maturity of the startup, cooperation ranges from conducting PoC or demo projects to making active investments in the startup.

Intrapreneurship Programs

Through the “Fikir Ünitesi” Intrapreneurship Program, we promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the company, aiming to generate sustainable value. To support cultural transformation, drive systematic value creation, and enhance internal capabilities, we organize communication and training initiatives both within the company and externally.

Tüpraş supports projects that create new growth opportunities and markets. Through the intrapreneurship program, Tüpraş employees turn their creative and innovative ideas to in-house and commercial solutions using startup methodologies. The process is supported by, training programs focused on startup methodologies, startup mentorship, and executive sponsorship. The program adopts “Design Thinking” and “Lean Startup” methodologies, implementing projects with an agile approach. Since 2017, intrapreneurship projects have resulted in commercial products as well as internal applications.

Innovation Portal: Inowhatif Portal

Launched in 2017, Inowhatif Portal is a platform designed to promote a culture of innovation within the company. It allows employees with innovative ideas to share their proposals, access a wide range of entrepreneurship-related content, and stay informed through comprehensive updates on all innovation activities.

Discoverer's Club and Innovation Volunteers

Teams formed to embed innovative thinking into the company culture and promote an intrapreneurial mindset across the organization help raise awareness of entrepreneurship, strengthen their ability to apply innovative methods, support open innovation initiatives, and actively take part in internal intrapreneurship project teams.

Internal Mentoring Program

Employees selected from among the intrapreneurs serve as internal mentors, supporting both intrapreneurship projects and startups. They also take part in other internal events, ideation workshops, and ecosystem events, often as panelists and speakers on various platforms.

Cooperation Development

Innovation in Young Minds and Women Enterprise Program

Through the “Innovation in Young Minds and Women Entrepreneurship Program,” we aimed to raise entrepreneurial awareness among students at Batman University, with a particular focus on encouraging greater participation of women in the entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The program began in 2021 with a seminar titled “Basics of Innovation and Entrepreneurship,” open to all interested volunteers at Batman University.

The potential entrepreneurs in the program had the opportunity to develop their ideas thanks to mentorship and training on lean start-up and innovative business models. Tüpraş developed the unique program curriculum, and its innovation team delivered all seminars and training sessions independently, without external support. Additionally, Tüpraş’s internal mentors provided guidance and mentorship to students at Batman University.

Here2Next Platform

Tüpraş is one of the founding corporate partners of the Here2Next platform, which is designed to highlight the added value created through collaboration between corporations and startups. The Here2Next platform was established by nine leading organization The platform aims to promote and support organizations that already collaborate with, or have the potential to collaborate with, startups, helping them organize their awareness efforts, business processes, and methods to better accommodate the needs of startups.

Tüpraş is a member of the Entrepreneurial Companies Türkiye Platform, which was established to foster inter-company learning, raise awareness of successful practices, and promote the widespread adoption of systematic intrapreneurship initiatives. Tüpraş is a member of the Turkish Entrepreneurial Companies Platform, established to enhance interinstitutional learning, raise awareness of successful practices, and promote the systematic intrapreneurship programs.

Promotion and Cooperation Development Efforts

As part of the entrepreneurship ecosystem integration, Tüpraş actively participates in various events targeting both early-stage and growth-stage startups, runs dedicated programs, and offers mentoring support to entrepreneurs.