Zeynep Ilgaz
InvestorGeneral Partner at Breakaway Partners OÜ · Advisor at Berkeley SkyDeck Fund
San Diego
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274 people in our graph share verified history with Zeynep — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Lucas SchaubelunlockedZeynep: together at San Diego State University (2019)
×2Zeynep: together at San Diego State University
Zeynep: together at Berkeley SkyDeck Fund
×2Zeynep: together at Yale Ventures
About
Zeynep Ilgaz is a General Partner at Cross Ocean Ventures who invests in technology companies and advises founders on fundraising and growth strategy. She co-founded Confirm B, a consumer diagnostics company that achieved retail distribution in over 20,000 stores and was acquired for a nine-figure sum. Ilgaz serves as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Yale Ventures and mentor with Berkeley SkyDeck and Techstars, supporting early-stage startups across fundraising, investor relations, and scaling operations.
Experience
- Cross Ocean VenturesGeneral Partnercurrent2021 — presentSan Diego, CA
- Yale VenturesEntrepreneur in Residence (EIR)current2024 — present
- HelptivoStrategic Advisorcurrent2025 — presentSan Diego, California, United States
- NuFund Venture GroupAngel Investorcurrent2024 — presentSan Diego, California, United States
- Berkeley SkyDeckAdvisorcurrent2022 — present
- EndometricsBoard of Advisorscurrent2022 — present
- San Diego State UniversityBoard of Director, Campanile Foundationcurrent2021 — presentSan Diego, California, United States
- San Diego State UniversityAdvisory Board Membercurrent2020 — present
- San Diego State UniversityLecturer, International Entrepreneurshipcurrent2015 — present
- Confirm BiosciencesChief Advisor an Co-Founder2019 — 2024
- Confirm BiosciencesChief Advisor & Co-Founder2019 — 2024
- Confirm BiosciencesDirector2006 — 2022
Skills & more
Strategic Business Advice13Investments21Angel Investing19Board of Directors9Fundraising14Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)13Retail10Growth Strategies6Biotechnology16Business Development37Business Planning16Business Strategy26
+12 more
CommercializationDrug TestingCorporate DevelopmentEntrepreneurshipInternational SalesMarket ResearchManagement ConsultingMarketing StrategyLeadershipNegotiationStrategic PlanningTeam LeadershipLanguages English · German · Turkish
- NACD Directorship Certification® — NACD (National Association of Corporate Directors)
- Women Owned Business
From Zeynep's professional profile.
Colleagues at Breakaway Partners OÜ
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Zeynep Ilgaz?
- Zeynep Ilgaz is a General Partner at Cross Ocean Ventures who invests in technology companies and advises founders on fundraising and growth strategy. She co-founded Confirm B, a consumer diagnostics company that achieved retail distribution in over 20,000 stores and was acquired for a nine-figure sum. Ilgaz serves as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Yale Ventures and mentor with Berkeley SkyDeck and Techstars, supporting early-stage startups across fundraising, investor relations, and scaling operations.
- Where does Zeynep Ilgaz work?
- Zeynep Ilgaz is General Partner at Breakaway Partners OÜ.
- Where did Zeynep Ilgaz go to school?
- Zeynep Ilgaz studied at San Diego State University (MBA); Boğaziçi University (BA, Economics); Antalya Anadolu Lisesi.
Founder mafias
San Diego State University mafia61
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Louis Hernandez, Jr.Bachelor of Science - BSFounded Dragon Pay +3Brian RequarthBachelorsFounded VivaReal +1Paul J. ZakBA/BAFounded Immersion Neuroscience +1Robert SchulteMSFounded Lumatax +1Johannes RoggendorfFinanceFounded Medwing +1Cody BarboCommunicationFounded Niche +1
+ 54 more
NuFund Venture Group mafia9
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Akash PaiAngel Investor and Board member at NuFund venture groupFounded ZeroBrushPaul VooisAngel InvestorFounded ClariPhy CommunicationsSerhat PalaPresidentFounded Confirm BiosciencesAshok KamalExecutive DirectorFounded OutsiteMark LambertInvestorFounded Applied AtomicsOhad TzurLP & Board ObserverFounded Kahoona
+ 2 more
Antalya Anadolu Lisesi mafia3
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Berkeley SkyDeck Fund mafia2
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Breakaway Partners OÜ mafia2
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Same school
Also attended San Diego State University243
Lucas SchaubelInvestor at DN CapitalJohn GregerCPO & Portfolio Partner at Burda Principal InvestmentsAditya ReddyVice President at Sapphire VenturesEmily NorwoodManager, Marketing at Sapphire VenturesEmily StanfordInvestor at Notable CapitalMarienne CaroMarketing Lead at Qualcomm Ventures
+ 237 more
Also attended Boğaziçi University88
Santo PolitiInvestor at Spark CapitalElçinTalent Team at Hummingbird VenturesAnıl Gökçen KörpınarManaging Partner at IdacapitalSecil BaysalOperator in Residence at QED InvestorsSercan OzcanPartner, Finance & Operations at AlleyCorpEmrecan DoganVP of Tech & Platform, Glean at EMERGENT VENTURES
+ 82 more
Also attended Antalya Anadolu Lisesi2
Shared employers
Also worked at Yale Ventures15
Elias QuijanoPrincipal at Northpond VenturesJonas ClarkPartner at Elm Street VenturesRoxana GrunenwaldInvestor at Dorm RoomMelissa FensterstockCompany Building Advisor at Material ImpactKseniya SimpsonPrincipal at Hatteras Venture PartnersMitra MiriPrincipal at OUP (Osage University Partners)
+ 9 more
Also worked at San Diego State University23
Emily NorwoodManager, Marketing at Sapphire VenturesKelly KoVice President of Technology Ventures and Innovation at Flare Capital PartnersEmily StanfordInvestor at Notable CapitalAshley WhitehurstChief of Staff at Mighty CapitalJennifer WeismanDirector of Finance and Admin at Curate CapitalBrian MillsVice President at Pivotal Life Sciences
+ 17 more
