Experience

URBANITE VENTURE

• United States
• Business Consulting and Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Founder & CEO

  • May 2019 - Present

• Kariyer Dönüşüm Akademisi | Kurucu

  • Aug 2020 - Present



VRAcademi Ai & Metaverse Lab

• United Arab Emirates
• Technology, Information and Internet
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Business and Strategy Partner - the US & Turkey

  • Jan 2021 - Present



Fark Labs

• Türkiye
• Research Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Member Of The Board Of Advisors

  • Jan 2021 - Present



Arya Women Investment Platform

• Türkiye
• Investment Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director Of Communications

  • Feb 2021 - Jan 2022

  The Arya Women Investment Platform is a for-profit social venture that creates acceleration and investment opportunities with strategic partnerships for women-led entrepreneurship. We bridge the gap between talent, acceleration / basic funding, and investors (funds and private individuals) by providing an integrated instrument to match female entrepreneurs with our strategic partners from the startup ecosystem. We have invested over 3+ Million USD in 12 female-founded startups. We’re a membership-based platform that helps to create more opportunities for women entrepreneurs. We connect experienced women founders with vetted investors, managing the due diligence process in order to decrease risks and save time on both sides. We are building up an active members community that provides them with exclusive access to events, expert discussions and networking opportunities.



Arizona State University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Faculty Associate

  • Jun 2019 - Sep 2019

  Arzu Tekir developed and implemented an online short course of six weeks on Smart Cities and Global Development for the graduate students of the School for The Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University. Arzu Tekir developed and implemented an online short course of six weeks on Smart Cities and Global Development for the graduate students of the School for The Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University.



URBANARBA Smart City Marketing & Communications

• Co-Founder, Head of Strategy & Business Development

  • Apr 2018 - Mar 2019

  URBANARBA was a Miami-based full-service strategic communication and marketing firm with expertise in smart cities, sustainability, and urban innovations. The company was dissolved in March 2019.(Sekiz aylık çalışma sonrasında, şirketin iki kurucusu olarak iş ortaklığımızı sonlandırmaya karar verdik ve şirketimizi kapattık.) URBANARBA was a Miami-based full-service strategic communication and marketing firm with expertise in smart cities, sustainability, and urban innovations. The company was dissolved in March 2019.(Sekiz aylık çalışma sonrasında, şirketin iki kurucusu olarak iş ortaklığımızı sonlandırmaya karar verdik ve şirketimizi kapattık.)



GRE Global Research&Engineering

• International Trade and Development
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Strategy & Business Development Consultant

  • Nov 2017 - Mar 2018



World Resources Institute

• United States
• Think Tanks
• 700 & Above Employee

• Executive Director - WRI Turkey Sustainable Cities

  • Jan 2012 - Oct 2017

  Country office of WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, NGO focused on developing and implementing sustainable transport and urban development solutions. Founded Sustainable Transportation & Cities Association in Turkey, as the registered institution of WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities (formerly known as EMBARQ Turkey) . Defined the strategic vision of WRI Turkey Sustainable Cities and led the team of 11 (urban developers, operations manager, communications expert, environmental engineers and transportation planners) in creating and implementing solutions for sustainable city growth. Managed end-to-end operations including human resources, finance, marketing, communications, public relations and fundraising efforts. Helped to develop the global strategy of WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities as an executive team member.* Oversaw staff’s development and execution of WRI’s projects, which included: urban development and accessibility studies; safety audits and inspections for public transport, walking, and cycling projects; low-carbon transport solutions, urban efficiency solutions; and urban sustainability research. * Raised funding to cover WRI Turkey Sustainable Cities annual operating budget. Secured $1.2M sub-grant from the Ministry of Transportation as part of a large EU-IPA Phase II grant to be signed in early 2018. * Developed partnerships with donors, finance institutions, start-ups, universities, and private sector companies.* Collaborated with key stakeholders including major government ministries (Health, Transportation, Development, Urbanization, and Environment), corporations, universities, and other NGO partners. * Helped to manage collaboration with Bloomberg Philanthropies to provide technical assistance in two African cities. * Led media engagements and represented the country office as the spokesperson.

• Operations Manager & Acting Director, EMBARQ TURKEY

  • Jan 2011 - Dec 2011

  * Responsible for establishing WRI’s Sustainable Transportation Program, EMBARQ’s country office in Istanbul: recruited local team, structured administrative & operating procedures, appointed Board of Directors and designed risk assessment processes. Founded Sustainable Transportation & Association ( transformed later to the Sustainable Transportation & Cities Association )* Supervised operations including human resources, budget and finance management, donor relations, project management, communications and public relations.* Conducted comprehensive market research on smart cities and sustainability in Turkey & Europe to develop WRI-EMBARQ Turkey’s strategic plan and to define fundraising strategy.



Self-Employed Contractor

• Business Consulting and Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• STRATEGY & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT / Market Research Consultant / Entrepreneur

  • Nov 2008 - Jan 2011

  Moved to the U.S. to start a company focused on building strategic partnerships between Turkish and US software/high tech companies. Took on market research consulting assignments for diverse companies in Turkey, Miami and NYC, while trying to raise funding and find a strategic partner. Wrote a report on the liberalization and regulation of telecommunications industry in Turkey from ’04-‘10 for a telecom company; authored a report on smartphones and mobile applications market for an investor in Istanbul.



SAMPAS

• Türkiye
• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 1 - 100 Employee

• External Relations Director

  • Jan 2007 - Oct 2008

  Provides smart city solutions and services to local governments in Turkey. ---* Recruited to secure financing for R&D projects, raise the firm’s profile in Turkey, and enable the company’s participation in several key European Union (EU) organizations. * Secured $4M in total funding for the firm’s main R&D project, Intelligent City System, from The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey and Technology Development Foundation of Turkey.* Raised $400K funding for a smaller R&D project, Service Based Geographical Information System, through the Technology Development Foundation of Turkey.* Conducted market research and developed strategic plans for the External Relations Department. * Initiated and managed several EU projects: Bench-learning Project (eServices), OSAMI (Open Source Ambient Intelligent Commons), ePartnership and Privacy Project (Data Protection & Publishing).* Prepared a comprehensive set of submissions for EU projects such as the 7th Framework, EC EUREKA Programs and ICT Policy Support Program.



BILKENT HOLDING / METEKSAN IT GROUP

• EU Project Manager, Meteksan IT Group & Business Development Director, ITC Europa

  • May 2005 - Aug 2006

  Bilkent is a holding company with eight subsidiaries including Meteksan IT Group and European Innovation Technology Center (ITC EUROPA).---Recruited to work with two subsidiaries within Bilkent Holding. Tasked with increasing Meteksan IT’s (was the leading system integrator; now defunct) participation in European Union IT sector R&D Projects, and building out the European Innovation Technology Center’s (provides management consulting on EU regulations and project funding) project pipeline.* Researched EU programs and created a strategic plan to identify project opportunities for Meteksan. Led a World Bank submission to evaluate real-time earthquake forecasting by Istanbul Special Provincial Administration.* Drafted ITC Europa's business plan, structured business development activities, and showcased the firm’s EU know-how through “funding opportunity reports”.* Prepared reports about the protection of cultural heritage and funding opportunities through EU Cultural Heritage Programs and World Monument Fund for local municipalities, as part of ITC Europa business development efforts.* Trained staff at local Chambers of Commerce on EU funding opportunities/grants and how to develop partnerships.



BABSPAG Strategic Planning and Research Inc

• General Manager

  • Jan 2003 - May 2005

  A subsidiary of the BABGROUP, provides consulting and management services and training programs to private sector companies. ---Recruited by BABGROUP’s founder & CEO to relaunch Babspag, which was founded in 1998 but had been inoperative from 2000 to 2003. Also provided services to other BABGROUP subsidiaries including market research and grant fundraising.* Restructured Babspag, built operations, recruited a new team of consultants, and developed service offerings including management consulting projects and training programs for small and medium size enterprises (SMEs). & Managed a number of new projects including ISO 9001:2000 for SMEs, consultancy on establishing human resources departments for SMEs, and market strategy development projects.* Raised $4.5M in grant funding for an R&D project to develop the Hotellium Tourism Portal.* Established training programs on supply chain management, enterprise resource planning, customer relations management, and marketing strategies.* Expanded the firm’s consulting services to include municipalities working with BABGROUP’s strategic technology partner Invenoa Inc. and offering technology services



PreNuans Quality & Management Consulting

• Quality and Management Adviser

  • May 2002 - Jan 2003

  Provides consulting and management services and training programs to private sector companies. ---* Leveraged graduate thesis research to develop Six Sigma consulting services and other training. Developed and taught several courses at Kadir Has University, MBA Program, Istanbul. Provides consulting and management services and training programs to private sector companies. ---* Leveraged graduate thesis research to develop Six Sigma consulting services and other training. Developed and taught several courses at Kadir Has University, MBA Program, Istanbul.