212 Updates #139 | May 5th
Big Apple | Board Meetings | Swipeline
Greetings from New York — one of my top three favorite cities, along with Istanbul and Tokyo. Each of them is “home” in a different way.
I’m here this week to attend SOCRadar’s board meeting and to visit one of our newest Fund III investments. It’s always energizing to spend time with founders face-to-face. In between, I’ve packed in a full schedule of catch-up meetings with old friends, new collaborators, and fellow investors. It’s a reminder of how important in-person conversations still are — especially in a world that moves so fast.
Last week, we were at Swipeline Summit in Antalya. As I mentioned before, I truly enjoy spending more time with ecosystem stakeholders — not in formal meeting rooms, but in casual settings: over lunch, dinner, or drinks. Those relaxed conversations often lead to the most honest insights. The energy was great, the crowd was sharp, and the topics felt relevant and future-looking.
A quick shoutout to the Swipeline team for putting together such a great event, — and to everyone who showed up and made it worthwhile.
Meet the Team
Say hello to Onur Turan from Finance Team. Onur joined 212 in January 2023.
Q&A Spotlight:
If you could bring one guest to the 212 annual party, living or dead, who would it be and why?
I would bring Warren Buffett—His wisdom on investing, patience, and long-term value creation would make for an incredible conversation. His perspective on decision-making and staying focused on fundamentals would be invaluable.
What’s one technology or trend you think is dramatically underrated right now?
AI-powered personal assistants—people focus on big AI applications, but smart, context-aware assistants will completely change productivity and decision-making in the next few years.
Onur's Picks:
If you could describe your job at 212 with a movie title, what would it be and why?
The Big Short – Because behind every major investment, there’s a deep financial strategy, risk management, and an understanding of how the system really works. The back-office isn’t just support—it’s where critical decisions take shape.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received, and how has it helped you at 212?
"Follow the money, but understand the people behind it." This has helped me at 212 by reminding me that while numbers and projections matter, the founders' vision, execution, and character are just as important in making great investment decisions.Last Week
Investment teams interacted with 45+ companies.
We were Swipeline Summit last week.
This Week and Next
I’m in New York to attend a board meeting and meet with our new Fund III investment.
Ali is in Amsterdam to attend Fund I AGM.
Some News
Apple, Anthropic Team Up to Build AI-Powered ‘Vibe-Coding’ Platform. Read more…
WhatsApp now has more than 3 billion users a month. Read more…