🎙 TRVC #12 — Ali Çebi: Crowdfunding, Startups & VC in TurkeyIn this episode, Yunus Çelebiler sits down with Ali Çebi, the co-founder of Fongogo, Turkey’s pioneering crowdfunding platform that has evolved into a multi-faceted fundraising ecosystem for startups.Ali shares his personal journey from Wall Street investment banking to becoming a key player in Turkey’s early-stage tech financing scene. We dive deep into the evolution of crowdfunding in Turkey, how Fongogo navigated early regulatory challenges, the rise of angel investing, and why democratizing startup investment is critical to building a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem.Ali also discusses the launch of their VC fund, how crowdfunding prepares startups for IPOs, and their goal of creating a “one-stop shop” for startup financing — from rewards-based to equity crowdfunding and eventually peer-to-peer lending.This episode is packed with insights for founders, investors, and anyone curious about how venture capital and crowdfunding intersect in emerging markets.📍 Location: StartGate Studios, Maslak, Istanbul👤 Guest: Ali Çebi, Co-Founder of Fongogo🎧 Host: Yunus Çelebiler⏱ Chapters00:00 - Intro: Welcome to TRVC Ep. 1200:20 - Who is Ali Çebi? Finance background & INSEAD01:56 - Shift from investment banking to entrepreneurship03:10 - Discovering angel investing in Turkey05:00 - Turkey’s early VC scene & Golden Horn06:30 - Birth of Fongogo: From Kickstarter to local crowdfunding09:15 - Crowdfunding’s regulatory evolution12:00 - Rewards-based vs. equity crowdfunding14:35 - Fongogo’s three verticals and roadmap17:00 - Creating a one-stop startup funding ecosystem19:25 - The Fongogo VC Fund: Strategy & vision22:00 - Fundraising challenges for Turkish startups25:30 - The hybrid fund model: Merging VC & crowdfunding28:00 - IPO as the new exit path in Turkey30:15 - Opportunities & barriers for foreign investors32:20 - How Turkey's ecosystem is maturing35:00 - Cultural edge: Resilience of Turkish entrepreneurs37:00 - Why early-stage funding matters most39:00 - Fongogo’s thesis: Focused, practical, local exits41:00 - Final thoughts & rapid-fire Q&A👍 Like, share, and subscribe to TRVC for more deep dives with founders, investors, and builders shaping Turkey’s venture capital and startup scene.

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