Ecosystem Giants - Cem Sertoglu

Are you interested in embarking on the journey of tech entrepreneurship? Keen to find out more about how the VC industry works?

Hear from one of the most respected venture capitalists in Europe (and a former founder himself!) Cem Sertoglu (Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Earlybird Digital East Fund) in a conversation about starting and successfully exiting a tech company, spotting billion-dollar businesses at inception stage and building a career as a tech investor. 5pm (UK) on Tuesday, 28 September 2021; hosted live in (east) London (closest tube station: Whitechapel). ParlayMe is excited to be supporting the first ever in-person session of #EcosystemGiants, the event series featuring the tech leaders redefining the early stage investment landscape in Europe. The initiative is part of 'Ecosystem', a project by Tzvete Doncheva, aimed to tackle the barriers to access in venture capital for founders and investors of 'less obvious' backgrounds. We would love to personally invite you to join us at 5pm (UK) on Tuesday, 28 September for the opportunity to hear from Cem Sertoglu, whose fund Earlybird Digital East, has been focusing on supporting some of the most i§ncredible founders from SEE/CEE in their journey to building global tech businesses. Following the fireside chat with Tzvete Doncheva, who also got into VC from a very non-traditional path, attendees will be able to meet Cem and network with fellow participants - fellow tech founders/operators and junior investors.

The chat will take place in a lecture theatre room near QME (exact address to be shared with RSVPs) and the networking will take place at Queen Mary University Enterprise Zone (QME); from 6pm (UK) until ~7.30pm.

Further details and sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ecosystemgiants-with-cem-sertoglu-tickets-172438196287

The #EcosystemGiants series highlight the ecosystem members who redefine the tech investment and start-up landscape. They are sessions of practical, actionable advice to entrepreneurs and operators. The amazing guests share their ‘secrets’ to success, offer insights and commentary on the market.

Now, for the first time since its creation in 2020, an opportunity to join for a live initiative and physically meet one of the absolute leaders in early stage venture in Europe, who led the seed round at the company that became the largest software IPO, out of the continent to be listed on NYSE.

Join us in London, in a special venue in East London (closest station: Whitechapel)

Timings (BST)

Arrival from 16.30

17:00 Start; in conversation with Cem Sertoglu (Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Digital East Fund, Earlybird Venture Capital)

17:30 Market commentary and Q&A

17:45 Pitching for feedback, Hristian Nedyalkov (Co-Founder and CEO, Novus) will share his vision for building UK's impact banking app that turns every payment made into a force for good

17:55 Chat ends

Until 19.30 Networking

About

Cem Sertoglu is an entrepreneur and venture capital investor, focused on technology ventures in Emerging Europe since 2006. He is currently a Partner at Earlybird Digital East Fund, whose portfolio includes UiPath, Hazelcast, Peak Games, YemekSepeti, Vivense, FintechOS, and Payhawk.Previously, Cem was the Founder & CEO of SelectMinds (now a part of Oracle) in New in York. Cem holds a BA in Economics from The University of Texas at Austin.

Tzvete is the founder of the 'Ecosystem' project, that aims to help tackle the issue of closed networks in venture. Its goal is to help very early stage founders access pre-seed capital through a newsletter and online initiatives. In her day-to-day role, she is the IR and Platform Manager at PropTech1 Ventures, a venture capital fund focused on Prop/ConTech. Tzvete is a firm advocate for bridging the gender gap in venture capital and technology, is a mentor to female founders; and a non-exec trustee at Girls in Charge.

*Spaces are limited.

#EcosystemGiants is part of the 'Ecosystem' Project, helping to democratise access to venture for founders and junior VCs of 'less obvious' backgrounds through a newsletter and online initiatives.

The first ever in-person session is kindly hosted at Queen Mary University Enterprise Zone (QME) is an innovation hub, offering flexible, modern workspace for start-ups, with particular focus on Digital Health, MedTech and AI, in East London.

Community partners: Kaiku, ParlayMe, Startups Magazine