# 212 VC > 212 is a Luxembourg-headquartered venture capital firm investing in B2B technology startups across Türkiye, Central & Eastern Europe (CEE), and the Middle East & North Africa (MENA). Operating under the guiding principle "Test Local, Go Global," the firm partners with founders through three distinct funds: 212 Growth Fund (Series A+), Simya International Accelerator Fund (pre-seed, seed; in partnership with Alchemist), and 212 NexT (seed and Series A). 212 has ~€86M in committed capital with 19 active investments, a €70M Fund III currently in fundraising, and notable portfolio companies including iyzico (successful exit in 2019 at a $168M valuation) and Insider (Sequoia-backed; the first B2B unicorn out of Türkiye, $1.2B valuation). ## Funds - [212 Growth Fund](https://212.vc/growth-fund/): Growth fund for early-stage tech companies with demonstrated traction and product-market fit, ready for international expansion. Fund II ended at €49M (August 2020); Fund III is currently fundraising with a target size of €70M. 212 manages €86M of committed capital with 19 active investments. - [Simya VC](https://simya.vc/): Simya International Accelerator Fund (pre-seed, seed), in partnership with Alchemist. - [212 NexT](https://212next.fund/): Seed and Series A fund. ## Core Pages - [Home](https://212.vc/): Firm overview, investment thesis, and fund structure. - [Team](https://212.vc/team/): Team page organized into Investment, Operations, and Experts sections. - [Portfolio](https://212.vc/portfolio/): Full list of active portfolio companies. - [Our Stories](https://212.vc/our-stories/): Editorial hub featuring portfolio investment announcements, thought-leadership essays, and market commentary. - [Careers](https://212.vc/careers/): 212 Internship Program (Deal Sourcing, Finance, Outreach & Marketing, Investor Relations) and Venture Fellowship Program. - [212 Internship Program](https://212.vc/212-internship-program/): Internship for ideally 3rd or 4th year students — market research, deal sourcing, screening, company calls, due diligence, investment-committee materials, and portfolio support. - [Venture Fellowship Program](https://212.vc/venture-fellowship-program/): Program for students at leading universities in the US, EU/UK, or Middle East near startup hubs — sourcing deals from regional ecosystems, networking with founders/university clubs/accelerators, and developing investment-strategy and decision-making skills. - [Contact](https://212.vc/contact/): General inquiries and pitch-deck submission portal. ## Investment Team — Growth Funds - [Kıvanç Aydın — Partner, Growth Funds](https://212.vc/people/kivanc-aydin/): Background in banking, management consultancy, and venture investments. Former Goldman Sachs (London, research); sales roles in fixed income, currencies, commodities, and options at leading banks; leadership roles at L.E.K. Consulting (New York) providing strategic advice and client due diligence, focused on biotech firms; founded a real estate investment firm and served as an angel investor. Education: London School of Economics (Economics) and University of Cambridge (MBA). - [Ali H. Karabey — Founding Partner, Growth Funds](https://212.vc/people/ali-h-karabey/): Founding Partner at 212. Former Arthur Andersen (1999, mid-market transactions in technology, media, and telecommunications); Morgan Stanley Capital International (2002, managed North American and European finance teams); Deutsche Bank principal investments team (2007–2008). Shifted focus to the Middle East from 2008, working with the Turkish government and private sector to help companies scale. Board roles: Avatao, App Samurai, Fazla Gida, Insider, Metrobi, Solvoyo, SmartMessage, RemotePass, Keyrails, Philosopher King. Endeavor Advisory Board; member of the Istanbul chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization. University of Michigan (1999). - [Numan Numan — Founding Partner, Growth Funds](https://212.vc/people/numan-numan/): Founding Partner at 212. Three decades focused on investments and technology across three continents. Former Credit Suisse Tokyo (1994); Goldman Sachs Tokyo and New York City (1996+, oversaw global engineering teams). Shifted focus to Emerging Europe and MENA in 2010 to scale up startups. Board roles: Artboard Studio, Chooch, HotelRunner, Mall IQ, OMMA, Trio Mobil, Flow48, Runy. BSc Computer Sciences, Ege University. Based in Istanbul. - [Dr. Maher Hakim — Partner, Growth Funds](https://212.vc/people/dr-maher-hakim/): Partner at 212 and chief advisor of innovation and enterprise at Qatar's Research, Development and Innovation Council. Former executive director of the CITRIS Foundry (UC Berkeley's tech innovation hub) and of Qatar's Science and Technology Park. Has launched and built tech startups, led product innovation groups for large software companies, and taught at Carnegie Mellon University, UC Berkeley, and the European Innovation Academy. 25+ years of experience as an ecosystem builder, tech investor, startup coach, mentor, and educator. PhD Computer-Aided Engineering and Management, Carnegie Mellon University. - [Can Deniz Tokman — Investment Associate, Growth Funds](https://212.vc/people/can-deniz-tokman/): Investment Associate at 212. Spent four years at EY-Parthenon MENA leading high-impact strategy and transformation across technology, financial services, education, culture, and entertainment, including investment-strategy design, financial modeling, and venture-building for sovereign wealth funds, family holdings, and government ministries. Earlier corporate finance role at Çalık Holding and marketing role at GlaxoSmithKline. Bachelor of Commerce, Toronto Metropolitan University. - [Emin Taha Çelik — Investment Analyst, Growth Funds](https://212.vc/team/): Investment Analyst on the Growth Funds team. - [Özge Sevim — Investment, Growth Funds](https://212.vc/people/ozge-sevim/): Full-time intern at Bosch Turkey in corporate sales for the automotive industry; joined GE Aviation in 2016 as part of an accelerated leadership program, with roles in digital transformation, design, and manufacturing focused on jet engines, including design owner on military, industrial, and commercial engines. Istanbul Technical University (Mechanical Engineering); Sabancı University (MSc Finance, graduated first in class). ## Investment Team — Simya VC - [Çağdaş Yıldız — Managing Director, Simya VC + Venture Partner, 212](https://212.vc/people/cagdas-yildiz/): Managing Director at Simya VC and Venture Partner at 212. Started as an ERP Consultant at global ERP company IFS; Senior ERP Consultant at MTN Telecommunications Group (Nigeria and South Africa). Founded Logiwa WMS in 2004, a leading DTC fulfillment SaaS company in the US. 17 years as an entrepreneur founding multiple startups in supply-chain management technology; currently leading US expansion for portfolio company Trio Mobil. Education: BS Industrial Engineering, Istanbul Technical University; MBA, John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, Montreal. - [Selma Bahçıvanoğlu — Managing Director, Simya VC](https://212.vc/people/selma-bahcivanoglu/): Managing Director at Simya VC. Began her career in media and publicity as a project coordinator and editor for TV programs and documentaries; worked as a project coordinator for international organizations on global political issues. Spent about a decade managing and executing entrepreneurship and incubation programs (ITU Çekirdek, Innogate, and ITU Magnet Acceleration) at Istanbul Technical University's Technology Park; subsequently managed a venture-building studio working with founders on scaling. Education: BA Political Science and International Relations; MA Modern Turkish History, Boğaziçi University (thesis on Turkey–EU relations). - [Zeynep Şener — Operations & Investment, Simya VC](https://212.vc/people/zeynep-sener/): Operations & Investment at Simya VC. Former Interconnection Consulting (Vienna, European market studies); Expertera, where she developed partnerships with MALT in the DACH region and Xperts Council in France, leading strategic and due diligence projects for private equity and top-tier consulting firms; Business Growth Executive at Expertera, working on growth strategies for market expansion and revenue enhancement across a portfolio that included Fortune 500 companies and investment firms. Business Administration, Sabancı University. ## Investment Team — 212 NexT - [Çağlar Urcan — General Partner, 212 NexT](https://212.vc/people/caglar-urcan/): General Partner at 212 NexT with over a decade of investment experience across corporate banking, private credit, private equity, and early-stage technology. Former ABN AMRO Bank (Istanbul); RBS (London, Energy & Resources M&A); Gulf Capital (Dubai), the first Turkish individual on the team, evaluating, executing, and monitoring growth-capital and management-buyout transactions; Abraaj Group's Türkiye PE fund (e-commerce and tech-related transactions); joined Collective Spark in 2019, a Turkish VC fund for pre-seed/seed/Series A. Board memberships in fintech, B2B SaaS, and marketplace startups. Robert College; BA International Trade, Boğaziçi University. - [Gizem Yağız — General Partner, 212 NexT](https://212.vc/people/gizem-yagiz/): General Partner at 212 NexT, with over 20 years of international experience in equity and debt financing, M&A, and venture capital. Led an early-stage tech venture initiative at MEXT Technology Center focused on Industry 4.0 and sustainability; managed debt and equity transactions for infrastructure projects at IFC across Eastern Europe and Central Asia; led M&A projects in manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and chemicals at Pragma Corporate Finance; contributed to M&A and public-private partnerships at RWE Thames Water in the UK. Education: BSc Economics, Middle East Technical University; MSc Management of Information Systems, London School of Economics. - [Semra Naz Özal — Senior Investment Analyst, 212 NexT](https://212.vc/people/naz-ozal/): Investor at 212 NexT with a multidisciplinary background spanning venture capital, brand strategy, and international development. Former Investment Analyst at JIMCO in Istanbul, leading global investments in agritech, foodtech, and watertech and building academic partnerships with 18 universities worldwide. Previously managed brand strategy at TBWA and Stratejist, including campaigns for BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, and Kinder, and contributed to TBWA for Good. Earlier worked in New York as a Program Officer Fellow at the Business Council for International Understanding. Georgetown University graduate; member of Global Women in VC. - [Ali Naci Temel — Operations & Investment, 212 NexT](https://212.vc/team/): Investor at 212 NexT. ## Operations Team - [Ebru Elmas Gürses — Chief Financial Officer](https://212.vc/people/ebru-elmas-gurses/): CFO at 212. Began her career at KPMG Istanbul (audit, then Transaction Services, across Istanbul and London offices); subsequently worked at PwC on financial due diligence. Held positions as Managing Partner at BIC Angels and at Fongogo Crowdfunding, where she led a successful exit; CFO at İninal Elektronik Para and Bitexen Teknoloji. Master's in Finance and Financial Management Services, Istanbul University. - [Doğukan Kara — Financial Analyst](https://212.vc/people/dogukan-kara/): Financial Analyst at 212, managing fund operations, financial reporting, SPV management, and audit coordination. Started in auditing at KPMG Turkey; joined PwC as an experienced associate, spending over three years in audit roles across energy, real estate, and tourism, leaving as Senior Audit Associate after handling PCAOB audits and German GAAP reporting for U.S.-listed and German-based PwC Germany clients. Expertise in corporate finance, valuation, and IFRS reporting. Business and Financial Management, University of Buckingham. - [Onur Turan — Finance Associate](https://212.vc/people/onur-turan/): Finance Associate at 212, overseeing fund management, financial reporting, due diligence, investment process, accounting, and auditing. GCR intern in the Tax Audit department at EY in 2019; subsequently joined PwC Turkey as an associate in financial audit for three years, gaining experience across real estate, wholesale, energy, and tourism. BA Economics, Istanbul University and University of Barcelona; graduated from Robert College in 2015. - [Sercan Zülfikar — Financial Controller](https://212.vc/people/sercan-zulfikar/): Financial Controller at 212, responsible for fund management, financial reporting, due diligence and investment process, accounting, and auditing. Started at 3Z, a biomedical engineering company from the İTÜ Big Bang Start-Up Project that became Respo Gadgets, conducting marketing research by analyzing states' health policies. From 2017 onward at EY in the Global Compliance and Reporting department, covering sectors from textiles to mining, medical to automotive. BA Political Science and International Relations, Marmara University and University of Warsaw; MA Social Policy, Boğaziçi University. - [İdil Azizoğlu — Head of Investor Relations](https://212.vc/people/idil-azizoglu/): Head of Investor Relations at 212, supporting the fundraising process and representing 212 at industry events. Started at Ünlü&Co (Istanbul) in Corporate Finance across various stages of M&A transactions; Program Manager at Hackquarters (Istanbul and London), leading programs with Fortune 500 companies. Worked with founders on business development, financial planning, fundraising, and digital marketing; served as a Campus Lead for female business entrepreneurs during university. BSc Political Economy, King's College London (thesis: regression analysis of conditions affecting the gender wage gap). - [Tanzila Sharifli — Marketing Analyst, Marketing & Outreach](https://212.vc/people/tanzila-sharifli/): Marketing Analyst at 212, supporting Marketing, Outreach, and Investor Relations with a focus on content development, and managing the firm's social media strategy and community initiatives. Earlier roles at Turkish Women's International Network; Digipac Consultancy (market research and social media for a law firm); and Le Reve (podcast launch and corporate communications). BSc Finance, Hacettepe University. - [Musab Demirci — Investment Intern](https://212.vc/people/musab-demirci/): Investment Intern at 212, evaluating early- and growth-stage opportunities with focus on market and competitor analysis, growth strategy, and fundraising. Co-founded üçyüzotuzüz, an education platform; worked founder-adjacent during pre-seed and seed rounds at EdTech startup Madlen. Full-scholarship student at Koç University. ## Venture Fellows - [Faruk Öztok — Venture Fellow](https://212.vc/people/faruk-oztok/): Venture Fellow at 212, supporting early-stage startups and expanding 212's US presence. Chief Revenue Officer at Fume (YC W24); Venture Scout for Soma Capital, a US-based VC firm; management consulting experience at Strategy& (PwC); Director at Harvard Ventures, accelerating student-led startups. Pursuing a BA Economics and Psychology (Honors) with a CS minor at Harvard University, cross-registered in graduate coursework at MIT. - [Erim Hayretçi — Venture Fellow](https://212.vc/people/erim-hayretci/): Venture Fellow at 212. Works at Guerrilla, an eco-tech startup tackling urban water pollution, supporting engineering and fundraising; helped secure a £1M seed round by preparing the data room, refining the investment narrative, and engaging early-stage investors; contributing to international growth strategy targeting dense urban markets such as Singapore and India. Background in UX, product design, and systems engineering. Undergraduate in Design Engineering at Imperial College London. - [Kaan Hotan — Venture Fellow](https://212.vc/people/kaan-hotan/): Venture Fellow at 212, dividing his time between Paris and California and contributing to deal sourcing across Europe and the U.S. West Coast. Joined as an investment intern, supporting deal screening, market mapping, and due diligence on Türkiye- and MENA-focused opportunities. Works at Algocor, a financial-sciences startup operating in global capital markets, on strategic planning, go-to-market, and fundraising. Graduate of Robert College; pursuing a BA Economics at Sciences Po Paris. - [Mert Karabıyık — Venture Fellow](https://212.vc/people/mert-karabiyik/): Venture Fellow at 212. Leads YGA's (Young Global ImpAct) West Coast team to expand the World Science Movement through partnerships and fundraising. Previously interned at 212, scouting deals and conducting due diligence. Contributed to TWIN Science's funding round by preparing the data room and investment deck and supports TWIN Science's expansion in the U.S. and Africa. Economics and Computer Science undergraduate at Stanford. - [Emre Baser — Venture Fellow](https://212.vc/people/emre-baser/): Venture Fellow at 212. Undergraduate in Industrial Engineering at Columbia University; Vice President of the Columbia Financial Investment Group and Director of Partnerships for the Columbia Organization of Rising Entrepreneurs. Joining Guggenheim Partners as Investment Banking Summer Analyst in New York City. Former Investment Analyst at Aone Partners, conducting financial due diligence on enterprise software companies; Client Finance Summer Intern at IPG Health (pharma marketing campaign strategy, budgeting, financial operations); Business Intelligence Summer Intern at Firefly (data analytics for revenue strategy and sales dashboards). - [Mix Chaiyosburana — Venture Fellow](https://212.vc/people/mix-chaiyosburana/): Venture Fellow at 212. Financial Engineering student at Columbia University (graduating July 2028). Internships at Accenture Solution Inc., Kiatnakin Phatra Bank, Cornerstone Management, and BN Brothers Co., Ltd, building skills in financial modeling, investment analysis, and strategic decision-making. Member of Columbia Alpha Partners and CORE Almaworks Accelerator. ## Venture Partners - [Ali Pandır — Venture Partner](https://212.vc/people/ali-pandir/): Venture Partner at 212 with over 40 years of executive experience in global and Turkish industries, leading multinationals across automotive, steel, construction, and chemicals. Former CEO and Chairman of Erdemir Group; CEO of Tofaş (a Fiat–Koç joint venture); President of Tekfen Holding; senior leadership roles at General Motors in Europe and Asia, managing operations across eight countries over 17 years abroad. Currently non-executive board member at Doğan Holding, Koza Polyester, Naturel Holding, Abdul Latif Jameel, and the Propeller Club. MSc Mechanical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University. - [Cem Okay — Venture Partner](https://212.vc/people/cem-okay/): Venture Partner at 212. Started at Istanbul-based Unlu & Co. on M&A advisory and investments across Corporate Finance and Alternative Asset Management. Joined EBRD's FIG team responsible for debt and equity investments in the Turkish financial sector, structuring and managing new investments; spent a year on EBRD's SME Team supporting the bank's regional Supply Chain Finance Programme. Worked as a campus ambassador for a London-based startup while studying. Bachelor's in Economics and Finance, University of Manchester; Master's in Management, London School of Economics (thesis on Turkey's entrepreneurial ecosystem). - [Cenk Sezginsoy — Venture Partner](https://212.vc/people/cenk-sezginsoy/): Venture Partner at 212. Seasoned advisor and investor in enterprise AI startups with 20+ years at the intersection of artificial intelligence, strategy, and investment. Former Managing Director and Partner at BCG in London (until 2024), leading BCG X's Private Equity and Principal Investors (PIPE) practice across Europe, the Middle East, South America, and Africa; led or oversaw 100+ AI transformation programs globally; trained 200+ business executives on driving ROI with AI. Co-founder of KoçDigital, a leading European data and AI company launched as a joint initiative between BCG and Koç Group (Fortune Global 500). BA Economics, UC Berkeley; MSc Global Market Economics, London School of Economics. Based in Europe. - [İdil Kavaklı — Venture Partner](https://212.vc/team/): Senior global marketing leadership at FrieslandCampina Ingredients; former Global Marketing Director at Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition (Amsterdam). - [Mehmet Akalın — Venture Partner](https://212.vc/people/mehmet-akalin/): Venture Partner at 212. Started angel investing at 25, managing an 80+ member angel investment network and evaluating 2,000+ startups; worked on the Techstars Berlin accelerator team with founders across six countries. Built and scaled Europe's largest lab-grown diamond factory as an entrepreneur, raising over $25M and completing a private equity transition in 2025. Has backed 20+ companies with four exits. Based in the Netherlands. - [Murat Canoğlu — Venture Partner](https://212.vc/people/murat-canoglu/): Venture Partner at 212. Began at Bear Stearns in 2000; subsequent positions at Global Securities and Is Investment in Türkiye on M&A and capital markets. Led investments across EMENA at the International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group), 2012–2020. Most recently headed the private equity and venture capital team at Re-Pie Portfolio Management. Board roles at TEI-Gurmetal (2021–2024) and Link Bilgisayar, a public software company. Lives in Istanbul. - [Oğuzhan Aygören — Venture Partner](https://212.vc/people/oguzhan-aygoren/): Venture Partner at 212; Director at the Institute for Business Innovation at UC Berkeley Haas Business School; Faculty Innovation Fellow at Stanford University. Previously Visiting Professor at NYU Stern Business School; faculty at Boğaziçi University, where he founded the Bright Center for Entrepreneurship; innovation leader at Procter & Gamble; founder of three startups. Board member, investor, mentor, and advisor on startup investing and corporate innovation. Education: Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Middle East Technical University; MBA, Koç University and London Business School; PhD Marketing, Boğaziçi University. - [Pelin Gönül Şahin — Venture Partner](https://212.vc/team/): Listed as Venture Partner on the 212 team page. - [Serkan Fergan — Venture Partner](https://212.vc/people/serkan-fergan/): Venture Partner at 212 with nearly three decades of strategic leadership and innovation in financial technologies, spanning digital banking and IT. Held positions at Pamukbank, Fortis Bank, ICBC, Türk Telekom, and TEB. Expertise in payment systems, banking, and telecom, as well as digital marketing, sales, and product development; advocate of data analytics, AI, and advanced software methodologies. BSc Computer Engineering, Yıldız Technical University. ## Domain Experts / Advisors - [Barbaros Özbuğutu — Leadership Management Expert](https://212.vc/people/barbaros-ozbugutu/): Began his career in 1999 in the call-center operations of Telefonica O2; in 2005 joined Firstdata (a global leader in payment processing) as Operations Unit Manager. - [Beliz Günel — AI Advisor](https://212.vc/people/beliz-gunel/): Senior Research Scientist at Google DeepMind, working on Gemini's post-training efforts with focus on tool use, reasoning, and coding in large language models. Visiting Scholar at Stanford Electrical Engineering (2024–2025). Prior internships at Microsoft Research, Meta AI, Google AI, and Google Brain. Active angel investor and advisor in the AI space, focused on foundation models, AI infrastructure, and applied AI companies translating frontier models into products; mentors founders and students across academia and industry, and gives invited talks on LLMs and the AI ecosystem. BS Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, UC Berkeley; PhD, Stanford University (2022, data-efficient machine learning using structured and prior knowledge). - [Can Abacıgil — Product Development Expert](https://212.vc/team/): Listed as Product Development domain expert on the 212 team page. - [Eren Baydemir — Product Management Expert](https://212.vc/people/eren-baydemir/): Co-founder of DataRow, acquired by Amazon, with the mission of giving data-scientist superpowers to every person at every company. - [Ezabel Nihmet — Finance Advisor](https://212.vc/people/ezabel-nihmet/): Finance Advisory Expert at 212 with extensive background in asset management. Began her career in 2003 at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a Certified Public Accountant; transitioned to fund management at TPG Axon in New York and London in 2005; joined Accel Partners as a financial controller in 2012, transitioning into venture capital. Advises on budgeting, accounting, financial modeling, profitability analysis, and valuation; has assisted charities and startups alongside her primary employment. BA Business Administration, Boston University; MA Theoretical Psychoanalytic Studies, University College London. - [Melih Ödemiş — Technology Evangelist](https://212.vc/people/melih-odemis/): Born in Istanbul, Turkey (1976). One year of professional experience at Citibank before transitioning to entrepreneurship. Founded yemeksepeti.com with his partners in 2000, the online food delivery giant first in Turkey and then in the Middle East and Eastern Europe; served as CTO until June 2013 and Board Member until May 2015, when the company was acquired by Delivery Hero. Selected Endeavor Entrepreneur in 2007; co-founder of Galata Business Angels; founding member of EO Turkey. Active angel investor with 50+ investments in internet and mobile software companies globally, typically as a mentor, and also at the venture capital level. Education: Computer Engineering (1999) and MBA (2002), Bosphorus University. Has lived in London with his family since 2017. - [Nachi Das — Global Market Expansion & Growth Expert](https://212.vc/people/nachi-das/): Seasoned entrepreneur, investor, business leader, and former Wall Street executive with nearly 30 years of experience in capital markets in New York, Asia, and Europe. Started his career developing critical, real-time telecom technologies for India's first digital telecom exchanges; spent the last 25 years in Tokyo, New York, and Europe in global leadership roles in investment, financing, fintech, structuring, risk management, and portfolio management at Lehman Brothers, Barclays, State Street, and fintech startups in the US. Lives in Tokyo and New York; investing in and building ventures in fintech, venture investing platforms, security/privacy, technology, wellness/health, renewable energy, biotech, real estate, hospitality, and leisure, including India's first digital neobank for the unbanked, a ransomware security and privacy venture, a location tech venture, wellness ecosystems and ventures in Japan, biotech ventures, and disruptive digital health devices across Asia and the US. MBA, International University of Japan (joint with Dartmouth University and London Business School); BE Electronics Engineering, NIT Trichy. - [Şafak Araz Kozlu — Investment Advisor](https://212.vc/people/safak-araz-kozlu/): Began her career at Morgan Stanley, New York, in 2006 as a Financial Analyst in Investment Banking, focused on equity-based transactions in North American Healthcare. Joined Citibank, Istanbul in 2010 in Corporate Banking, working with debt and equity-based financing solutions, where she spent four years before moving to Credit Suisse International Wealth Management as a Relationship Manager assisting Turkey-based high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors. BA Business Economics and Psychology, Brown University (Magna Cum Laude). Head of Brown University Alumni Recruiting in Turkey; member of the board of the Koç School. Lives in Paris, France. - [Samet Ensar Sarı — Leadership & Marketing Expert](https://212.vc/people/samet-ensar-sari/): Entrepreneur, marketer, and lecturer; co-founded Dekatlon Buzz in 2009, Türkiye's first social-media-focused marketing agency. Currently fractional CMO at EasyCep (leading marketplace for refurbished devices in Türkiye) and Artboard Studio (online design SaaS). Adecco "Talent Champion"; Top CEE Entrepreneurs 2019. Speaker at TEDx and the Global Entrepreneurship Congress. - [Sean Yu — Entrepreneur in Residence](https://212.vc/people/sean-yu/): Entrepreneur in Residence at 212. Member of Mikrogrup's executive board, which he joined after exiting his startup Paraşüt to Mikrogrup in 2019; was CEO of Paraşüt, the leading SaaS bookkeeping software in Turkey, which he co-founded in 2013. Previously a research fellow in the Istanbul offices of Endeavor; earlier worked in private equity at Gryphon Investors in San Francisco and investment banking at Lehman Brothers in New York. Bachelor's in Economics, Harvard University. - [Şure Köse Ulutaş — Human Resources & Culture Expert](https://212.vc/people/sure-kose-ulutas/): HR and Culture Expert at 212 with over 15 years of experience. Started at Accenture Turkey in various leadership roles during company expansion, serving as Country Director of Human Resources, then joined the Accenture US team in global talent strategy roles. Founded Melon in 2018, a consulting firm specializing in Human Resources and Culture, providing services to scaling technology companies in Turkey, Europe, the US, and the Middle East. Education: International Relations, Dokuz Eylül University; Human Resources Management Program, Bocconi University; Executive MBA, Boğaziçi University. ## Portfolio — 212 Growth Fund (Active) - [SOCRadar](https://socradar.io/): Extended Threat Intelligence SaaS platform combining External Attack Surface Management and Cyber Threat Intelligence. - [Marti](https://marti.tech/): Leading micro-mobility company across MENA region offering multi-modal fleet. - [Insider](https://useinsider.com/): Unified platform for individualized, cross-channel experiences empowering enterprise marketers. - [AppSamurai](https://appsamurai.com/): Global marketing technology company with mobile growth at its core. - [Chooch](https://chooch.com/): Makes cameras intelligent with AI Vision helping businesses gain value from video and image data. - [123FormBuilder](https://123formbuilder.com/): Comprehensive form-building tool for professionals to collect data they need. - [Avatao](https://avatao.com/): Hands-on cybersecurity training and assessment platform helping organizations build real-world security skills. - [Artboard Studio](https://artboard.studio/): Online graphic and motion design tool for marketing and branding design teams. - [Trio Mobil](https://triomobil.com/): Technology company providing Industrial IoT solutions to prevent accidents and improve efficiency. - [Wellbees](https://wellbees.co/): Next-generation wellbeing mobile app in B2B SaaS format developed for employees. - [Fazla](https://fazla.com/): Enables companies to create environmental, social, and financial value from food and textile surplus. - [Bolt Insight](https://boltinsight.com/): Helps companies and brands understand customer needs and wants, disrupting traditional market research. - [Mall IQ](https://malliq.com/): Empowers payment, retail, loyalty and e-commerce apps to understand offline customer journeys. - [Meddy (HeliumDoc)](https://heliumdoc.com/): Doctor booking platform. - [Metrobi](https://metrobi.com/): Technology-powered fulfillment network for local wholesale delivery from food & beverage makers. - [OMMA](https://ommaglobal.io/): Visual marketing engine allowing companies to interact with audience on digital signage and mobile. - [SmartMessage](https://smartmessage.com/): Helps leading brands scale communications over millions of customers in real-time. - [HotelRunner](https://hotelrunner.com/): High-end technology platform for the hospitality industry with vision of uniting the travel industry. - [Solvoyo](https://solvoyo.com/): End-to-end supply chain planning and analytics platform with machine learning technology. - [RemotePass](https://remotepass.com/): All-in-one platform for companies to efficiently onboard, manage, pay, and retain remote contractors. - [Getmobil](https://getmobil.com/): Marketplace platform uniting small and medium-sized businesses buying and selling second-hand electronics. - [Flow48](https://flow48.com/): Fintech startup revolutionizing SME lending by providing crucial working capital financing. ## Portfolio — 212 Growth Fund (Exits & Legacy) - [iyzico](https://www.iyzico.com/): Successful exit in 2019 at a $168M valuation. - [Vizera](https://212.vc/portfolio/) - [ParcaDeposu](https://212.vc/portfolio/) - [Evim.net](https://212.vc/portfolio/) - [Balerin](https://212.vc/portfolio/) - [Hazinem](https://212.vc/portfolio/) - [HemenKiralık](https://212.vc/portfolio/) - [Arcademonk](https://212.vc/portfolio/) - [Butigo](https://212.vc/portfolio/) ## Portfolio — Simya VC (Simya I & Simya II) - [Evercopy](https://evercopy.ai/): Utilizes AI to streamline and optimize marketing efforts from analysis to execution. - [Werover](https://werover.com/): Provides predictive maintenance and sustainability in renewable energy via AI, IoT, and robotics. - [Syntonym](https://syntonym.com/): Face generation technology creating unique and anonymous faces ensuring secure privacy protection. - [Juphy](https://juphy.com/): AI-based sales assistant automating product sales through e-commerce and social media. - [Agrotics (Agrotelligence)](https://agrotics.com/): Customized data solutions for agricultural lands considering soil type, altitude, and crop variety. - [B2Metric](https://b2metric.com/): Automated machine learning platform providing Enterprise-AI and continuous business learning solutions. - [PhiTech](https://phitech.bio/): Multi-omics based, AI-powered clinical diagnostic decision support system for precision medicine. - [Robolaunch](https://robolaunch.io/): Comprehensive Industry Cloud Platform designed to accelerate AI and robotics use cases for Industry 4.0. - [Keyrails](https://keyrails.com/): Global ecosystem giving individuals and businesses equal shot at financial prosperity. - [Voltfox](https://voltfox.io/): Advancing renewable energy data management with GreenLink platform for hourly energy management. - [Khenda](https://khenda.com/): Enhances manufacturing efficiency by collecting data through AI-powered video analytics. - [Eluvium](https://eluvium.ai/): Uses AI to transform data into strategic assets for smarter decisions. - [reprai](https://reprai.com/): AI-powered platform designed to autonomize and optimize promotional operations of pharmaceutical companies. - [Surveill](https://surveill.ai/) - [Rudiq](https://rudiq.com/) ## Portfolio — 212 NexT (Deep Tech / Advanced Materials) - [EverDye (Ever Dye)](https://212next.fund/): Cellulose-based pigment technology enabling low-energy, low-emission dyeing in textile and cosmetics. - [one•five](https://212next.fund/): AI-backed biomaterials discovery platform specializing in high-performance functional paper-based packaging. - [FibreCoat](https://212next.fund/): Advanced fiber coating technology offering affordable high-performance solutions for mass markets. - [ExoMatter](https://212next.fund/): AI and quantum modeling platform enabling companies to discover materials optimized for performance. - [Aibuild](https://ai-build.com/): Leading software platform for autonomous additive manufacturing based in the UK and US. - [Haelixa](https://haelixa.com/): Embeds unique natural DNA markers directly into raw materials enabling forensic verification of product origin. - [Aepnus](https://aepnus.com/): Electrochemical platform converts sodium sulfate and other low-value salt streams into high-purity reagents. - [Qrambo](https://qrambo.com/): AI-powered, human-in-the-loop task orchestration platform that helps teams automate complex operations. - [Freya](https://freya.ai/): Platform for building secure, humanlike voice AI agents that automate complex phone workflows. - [PhilosopherKing](https://philosopherking.ai/): AI-powered gaming platform that redefines interactive storytelling. ## Stories & Insights - [Turkish Startup Investment Reviews](https://212.vc/turkish-startup-investment-reviews/): Quarterly and annual Turkish venture capital market reports produced with KPMG Turkey, highlighting key trends, opportunities, and challenges facing the venture capital market locally and globally. - [Top Quartile VC Returns: Made in Türkiye](https://medium.com/212vc/top-quartile-vc-returns-made-in-türkiye-db842f83cc75) - [Zero Optionality: Why Emerging Markets Demand Total Commitment](https://medium.com/212vc/zero-optionality-why-emerging-markets-demand-total-commitment-693beea1b347) - [From Surviving to Outperforming in Emerging Markets](https://medium.com/212vc/from-surviving-to-outperforming-in-emerging-markets-de65e8a288ae) - [The Frankenstein Effect: When Founders Are Destroyed by Their Own Creations](https://medium.com/212vc/the-frankenstein-effect-when-founders-are-destroyed-by-their-own-creations-c714874932b7) - [The Illusion of Objectivity: Why VCs Should Reject Third-Party Valuations](https://medium.com/212vc/the-illusion-of-objectivity-why-venture-capitalists-should-reject-third-party-valuations-c30b99b7cb3a) - [Failure is Boring](https://medium.com/212vc/failure-is-boring-1e5c9bd6af9f) - [Beyond the Hype: Qrambo Builds What LLMs Alone Cannot](https://212.vc/beyond-the-hype-qrambo-builds-what-llms-alone-cannot/) - [Investing in Surveill: Turning an Operational Avalanche into a Scalable Solution](https://medium.com/212vc/investing-in-surveill-turning-an-operational-avalanche-into-a-scalable-solution-d8c9ef77f43d) - [The First Investment of Simya 2: reprai!](https://medium.com/212vc/the-first-investment-of-simya-2-reprai-225467138df8) - [Simya VC's New Investment: The Future of AI Solutions with Eluvium](https://medium.com/212vc/simya-vcs-new-investment-the-future-of-ai-solutions-with-eluvium-63e5f2076432) ## Contact & Application - [General Email](mailto:info@212.vc): info@212.vc — primary contact for inquiries. - [Pitch Submission](https://212.vc/contact/): "Apply now with your pitch deck or drop us a line" — Apply Now link on the contact page. - [Investor Portal](https://app.junipersquare.com/i/212): Investor Portal linked from the contact page (hosted on Juniper Square). - [Jobs](https://jobs.212.vc/jobs): "Opportunities" link from 212.vc navigation. - [Headquarters](https://212.vc/contact/): 5 Avenue Gaston Diderich, L-1420 Luxembourg. ## Optional - [Twitter / X](https://twitter.com/212vc): Official account. - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/212vc): Official account. - [Medium Publication](https://medium.com/212vc): Official Medium publication. - [YouTube — 212vc](https://www.youtube.com/@212vc): Official YouTube channel. - [Alchemist Accelerator](https://www.alchemistaccelerator.com/): Simya VC partner. - [GDPR Request Form](https://212.vc/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/GDPR-Request-Form.pdf): Data-subject rights request form for EU residents.