ANKARA: Turkey is unquestionably an attractive market for venture capital investors thanks to its prime location, its young, educated workforce, and the depth of Turkish entrepreneurship, according to seasoned market-watchers and an analysis of the economy’s prospects. “Venture capital investments in Turkey are still immature and yet have been attractive with the increased interest of international angel investor networks and the activity of domestic investors,” Demet Ozdemir, Ernst & Young Turkey corporate finance company partner and growth markets leader in the area of EMEIA, told Anadolu Agency Tuesday.
Although venture capital investments in the country are lagging compared to developed economies, said Ozdemir, Turkey is a very promising market for investments with a medium- to long-term perspective. Ozdemir also pointed to the technology and healthcare sectors as being more attractive for venture capital funds in Turkey. In recent years, with a rising number of tech centers and incubation centers established especially at universities, Turkey has developed an entrepreneurship ecosystem for enabling the country’s competitive position, she added. The country has many startup companies with innovative ideas but often no financial institution they can turn to for the funds needed to get their businesses up and running.
Private investors can also take part in financing new startup companies to help them prove themselves and the profitability of their business ideas. According to Startups.Watch, Turkey’s first digital enterprise and investment analysis platform, the number of venture capital investments in Turkey made by CVCs (corporate venture capital, corporations making systematic investments into startup companies), VCs (venture capital, firms focused on financing startups and small businesses with long-term growth potential), and individuals in technology-based ventures rose sharply from only 11 in 2010 to 85 last year.
