Turkey is known for being a hub for mobile game startups, leading to the emergence of specialized VCs like Laton Ventures. This new gaming-focused VC has raised a substantial $35 million fund, with Founding Partner Görkem Türk aiming to connect the Turkish gaming ecosystem with the global market by investing in the pre-seed and seed stages. The fund is based in the Netherlands legally.
With a young population and a high demand for mobile games, Turkey has seen the rapid growth of over 740 gaming startups. More than 48% of the country’s 86 million people are under 30, with over 92% of internet users engaging in gaming compared to the global average of 82%.
Between 2018 and 2022, Turkish gaming startups secured over $1 billion in funding, showcasing the industry’s potential and attractiveness to investors. Despite competition from other VC funds investing in gaming startups in Turkey, Laton plans to differentiate itself by providing operational advisory support to its portfolio companies.
As a former gaming and startups industry manager at Google, Türk highlighted Laton’s focus on bridging the gap between the booming Turkish gaming ecosystem and the international gaming scene, while also offering expertise in user acquisition, game design, cohort analysis, and development to portfolio companies.
Having already invested in five companies across Turkey, Europe, and the U.S., Laton intends to leverage its experienced industry advisor network to drive further success. Key LPs backing Laton include industry veterans such as Mehmet Ecevit, Mert Gür, Mert Can Kurum, Fırat İleri, Nevzat Aydın, and Eric Kress.
