Investment-Venture Capital

Zeynep and her husband, fellow Rotarian Serhat Pala, moved here 24 years ago from Turkey. After getting their MBAs from SDSU they founded Confirm Biosciences, a medical diagnostic company, out of their garage. Confirm Biosciences was acquired in 2020 after becoming one of the fastest growing companies in the US with its products selling in such well known stores as CVS and Walgreens.

Their new business venture, Breakaway Partners, provides seed equity funding to technology companies and allows more time for them to do volunteer work in the community.  Zeynep now serves on the board of SDSU Campanile Foundation, San Diego Chamber of Commerce, SDSU Lavin Entrepreneurship Center and the Rancho Bernardo Community Council. She recently established the Pala Family Aztec Cooperative Fund Endowment at SDSU, providing new opportunities and resources for aspiring student entrepreneurs by creating paid internships.

Zeynep is a proud wife, mother, pet owner, community lover and entrepreneur. She and Serhat have been together for 25 years and have two teenage sons. She has four dogs—three of them are rescues—all little with big personalities. Zeynep is looking forward to her “new Rotarian journey” and working together to make a difference in our community.

Zeynep’s sponsors are: Serhat Pala, Judy Thompson, and David Oates.