Updated:
Etohum
Burak Büyükdemir founded Etohum, Turkey's first startup accelerator, in 2008—pairing seed investments with events to connect founders globally.
Etohum
Discover your entrepreneurial calling with Etohum, the preeminent Turkish accelerator and seed investor, championing the most innovative startups to triumph.
General information
Firm type
Generalist
Year founded
2008
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Middle East
Country
Turkey
City
Istanbul
Corporate office
Istanbul, Turkey
Principals
Burak Büyükdemir
Founder and CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Etohum?
Founder and CEO Burak Büyükdemir leads investment decisions, supported by an investment committee that includes Nevzat Aydın, the founder of Yemeksepeti. The committee draws on the firm's accelerator pipeline and relationships with co-investors like Hasan Aslanoba and Tim Draper. Final investment authority rests with Büyükdemir, who also directs Etohum's event strategy and international expansion.
How does Etohum source proprietary deal flow?
Etohum sources primarily through its own accelerator program and the annual Startup Istanbul and Startup Turkey conferences, which attract founder applications from across Turkey and EMEA. The firm's partnerships with Galata Business Angels, TÜSİAD, and corporate sponsors like Tüpraş and TEB provide additional inbound candidates. This event-and-alliance model gives Etohum early visibility into startups before they reach broad-market funding rounds.
Is Etohum a single family office or a venture firm?
Etohum operates as a generalist asset manager and accelerator, not a family office. Burak Büyükdemir founded the firm independently in 2008, and its capital comes from a combination of the firm's own balance sheet, the Startup Istanbul Fund, and co-investment partners including institutional and angel backers. There is no disclosed single-family wealth source behind the firm.
Does Etohum participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Etohum primarily makes direct seed-stage investments into startups emerging from its accelerator program, but it also operates the Startup Istanbul Fund as a separate pooled vehicle. Tim Draper has been disclosed as a limited partner in that fund, indicating a fund-structure commitment alongside direct deal activity. The firm does not publicly report making fund-of-funds commitments to outside managers.
What is Etohum's relationship with Galata Business Angels and TÜSİAD?
Etohum is closely affiliated with both Galata Business Angels, where co-investor Emre Kurttepeli serves as president, and the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD), where the firm participates in the High Advisory Council. These memberships function as co-investment networks and policy platforms, helping Etohum match portfolio companies with Turkish industrial families and corporate venture arms.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on asset managers?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: