Leading institutions of the Izmir business world are hosting an important event to strengthen the investment ecosystem and popularize angel investing.
Hosted by Izmir Chamber of Commerce (IZTO), Aegean Region Chamber of Industry (EBSO) and Izmir Commodity Exchange (ITB), TOBB Izmir Provincial Young Entrepreneurs Board and EGİAD The “Angel Investment Summit”, which will be held under the coordination of the angels, will be held on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, between 13.30 - 17.00 at the Izmir Chamber of Commerce.
Angel investment plays a critical role in bringing innovative ideas to life, facilitating access to financing for early-stage ventures, and growing the entrepreneurial ecosystem. This investment model, which contributes to the development of new business models and technologies, also has an important place in the development of investment culture in Türkiye. The Angel Investment Summit to be held within this scope will provide investors with the opportunity to share their experiences and provide information to business people interested in angel investment. At the event, leading names in the ecosystem and potential investors will come together with inspiring panels, informative speeches, and sessions that pave the way for new collaborations.
ÖZGENER: WE HAVE A LOT TO LEARN FROM YOUTH
Stating that they continue their work with the aim of making Izmir the “innovation and entrepreneurship” center of Türkiye, Mahmut Özgener, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Izmir Chamber of Commerce, said, “As the Izmir Chamber of Commerce, we are excited to host the Angel Investment Summit, which we believe will greatly contribute to increasing the awareness of our city regarding entrepreneurship and investments. We believe that the organization, where all stakeholders of the entrepreneurship ecosystem will come together, will contribute to the development of our city’s economy. We are especially very happy with the motivation of our youth in this regard. We all have a lot to learn from their different perspectives and the speed with which they adapt to innovations. I hope it will be a productive event with intense participation.”
YRGANCILAR: WE ARE INVESTING IN THE FUTURE WITH ANGEL INVESTMENT
Emphasizing that Izmir has taken strong steps towards becoming a city of entrepreneurship and innovation, Aegean Region Chamber of Industry Board Chairman Ender Yorgancılar said, “As the Izmir executive of the TOBB Young Entrepreneurs Board, we are very pleased to contribute to the development of the entrepreneurship ecosystem. While the rapid transformation process in technology is reshaping the global economy, it is also directing the young generation towards a more creative and entrepreneurial structure. Izmir has significant potential in this area with its qualified young population, universities and technoparks. Our aim is to encourage our youth to become entrepreneurs while bringing them together with angel investors who can meet their capital needs and whom they can trust. We also see from successful entrepreneurship examples in the world that these contacts established at an early stage turn into significant value over time. EGİAD "With the intense efforts of our Angels in this field, we are excited that our youth are one step closer to their dreams. I hope that the synergy we created together in Izmir will turn into concrete and permanent collaborations in the field of angel investing," he said.
KESTELLI: THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE IS THROUGH ANGEL INVESTORS
İzmir Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Işınsu Kestelli stated that İzmir has a significant potential for both the growth of new ideas and projects and the support of angel investors with its thousands of years of trade culture, well-educated human resources and the intense white-collar migration it has received in recent years, and said: “In order to meet the food needs of the increasing world population, we need at least 2050 percent more agricultural production than today by 60. While resources such as soil and water are rapidly decreasing, the way to meet this demand is hidden in new ideas. For this reason, I see agriculture as one of the brightest sectors of the future. The energy of young people and their ability to read the developing and rapidly changing world beyond conventional patterns make them have a say in the future. The financial power of experienced angel investors who have achieved success in their fields allows young people to realize their dreams. I see the Angel Investment Summit, which will bring together these two superpowers that exist in abundance in İzmir, as a valuable opportunity in this respect. I invite young people who have ideas about the agriculture and food sector and those who want to invest in these sectors to this important summit.”
ÖZHELVACI: SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURSHIP STORIES WILL BE BORN
Sharing his views on the event, Aegean Young Businessmen Association (EGİAD) Chairman of the Board of Directors Kaan Özhelvacı said, “EGİAD As , we have been carrying out various studies for the development and expansion of the entrepreneurship and investment ecosystem in Izmir and the Aegean Region since 2010. Angel investment not only provides capital to innovative initiatives, but also becomes the driving force of sustainable development by financing R&D and innovation on a regional scale. The financing and mentoring provided to entrepreneurs ensures the strengthening of the ecosystem, the increase of employment and the construction of a competitive, technology-focused economy. In this way, regional innovation capacity develops, initiatives that can have a say in global markets are born and the regional economy is strengthened in the long term. Our angel investor network EGİAD In this special year, when we reach the 10th anniversary of its establishment, Melekleri continues its work with our valuable stakeholders to provide sustainable resources to early-stage initiatives and to support the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. In this context, we find the Angel Investment Summit to be extremely valuable. The summit not only builds a bridge between investors and entrepreneurs, but also contributes to the spread of investment culture in the business world and the increase of conscious investor profiles. EGİAD As Angels, we wholeheartedly believe that new collaborations and successful entrepreneurship stories will emerge with the synergy created by these meetings.”
ELMASOĞLU: ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT IS RISING IN IZMIR
Stating that they aim to carry Izmir’s entrepreneurial potential even further, TOBB Izmir Young Entrepreneurs Board President Cem Elmasoğlu said, “As TOBB Izmir Provincial Young Entrepreneurs Board, we are implementing an important organization that will add value to our city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem under the coordination of the Aegean Region Chamber of Industry. Angel investment, which plays a critical role in entrepreneurs’ growth journeys, makes a great contribution to the transformation of innovative ideas into reality. In this context, we aim to prepare the ground for strong collaborations between investors and entrepreneurs with the Angel Investment Summit we organized. We will hold an inspiring event where knowledge and experience sharing are at the forefront with the participation of expert speakers, successful investors and entrepreneurs. We wholeheartedly believe that this summit will further strengthen Izmir’s entrepreneurial spirit and make significant contributions to the development of the ecosystem.”
Event Information:
Event Name: Angel Investment Summit
Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Time: 13.30 – 17.00
Location: Izmir Chamber of Commerce
Hosts: EBSO, İZTO, İTB
Coordination: TOBB Izmir Provincial Young Entrepreneurs Board & EGİAD angels
