“I remain grateful for the sense of possibility RC helped cultivate.”

Suat Görgülü embarked on his entrepreneurial journey in 2019, addressing a critical need he identified during his tenure at multinationals such as Procter & Gamble and Nestlé.

What is Finsmart?

Finsmart is an AI-powered Chief Financial Officer (CFO) platform that helps small-to medium- enterprises (SMEs) understand, manage, and improve their financial performance. Our mission is to make high-quality financial reporting, analysis, and CFO-level insights accessible and affordable for growing companies. Today, Finsmart serves businesses across multiple industries, helping founders make better decisions around growth, profitability, cash flow, and capital access. Our ambition is to become a trusted global financial partner for entrepreneurs.

Why was Finsmart Selected for the Mastercard Lighthouse Program?

The Mastercard Lighthouse Program is a leading regional fintech and impact initiative. This recognition reflects the growing demand for better financial tools for SMEs and the potential of AI-driven financial management. The program provided valuable mentorship, visibility, and strategic connections that continue to support our growth.

How did your RC years impact your entrepreneurial journey?

My years at RC had a profound impact. Beyond an excellent education, RC instilled the confidence to believe that we could achieve far more than we imagined. It encouraged us to think independently, challenge assumptions, and pursue ambitious goals with determination. That mindset—the belief that no challenge is too big if you are willing to learn, adapt, and work hard—has stayed with me throughout my career.

I remain grateful for the education, values, and the sense of possibility that RC helped cultivate. They continue to shape how I lead, innovate, and think about building organizations that can create global impact.

“All successful companies have the 3Fs behind them at the point of inception: friends, family, and fools.”

Apart from running Eka Global, Arif Akdağ is one of the first investors to join Galata Business Angels, Türkiye’s first angel investment network.

Why did you become an angel investor?

After graduating from college, I joined Arthur Andersen. While conducting corporate financial audits, I caught the entrepreneurship bug. I eventually left the corporate world to found Eka Global, in Türkiye.

I had always wanted to invest in young entrepreneurs and that ambition led me to angel investing. An angel investor walks an untrodden path. Creative young minds are essential, but building a strong team with experienced partners, lawyers, and financial advisors is equally important. While investing in ideas can seem risky, the right support structure can turn an idea into a success story.

All successful companies have the 3Fs behind them at the point of inception: friends, family, and fools. Angel investors are the “fools” who believe in a dream with high potential.

Which sectors or types of entrepreneurs do you focus on?

I want to look back and say I was part of a technology revolution that created real social value. That is why I invest primarily in ventures at the intersection of technology and information systems. I also enjoy supporting founders as a mentor, consultant, analyst, salesperson, or network builder when needed.

Where do you see RC in the entrepreneurial landscape?

Entrepreneurial spirit, leadership, and social responsibility must be nurtured from an early age. RC embodies these values, and angel investors help young people pursue their ambitions and turn their ideas into reality.

“RC’s greatest impact on me was the way our teachers did not simply teach; they listened.”

Levent Özgür is the chairman and coCEO of Atermit, a B2B manufacturer in automotive. He and his brother wanted to create a B2C venture. Thanks to a sports injury and the encouragement of class mate Cenk Gümüşçüoğlu, they now have a brand: Actifoam.

What is the story behind Actifoam?

My brother and I decided to explore diversification opportunities beyond our core business. We were interested in interacting directly with consumers. My RC classmate Cenk Gümüşcüoğlu first planted the idea to create a consumer brand.

At the time, I was training for a race and got injured. The rehabilitation process introduced me to foam rollers, right when we were thinking about potential products based on the EPP foam technology we already used in automotive, and thus Actifoam was born.

Because Actifoam was a small venture, it gave us room to experiment. We worked with Cenk’s company Karbonat to develop the brand story. We identified two market opportunities: recovery products and swimming products.

What was the biggest challenge you faced during the early days?

We never wanted to compete on price, aiming instead for high quality at accessible prices. The biggest challenge was resisting the temptation to compromise that positioning for short-term sales. We chose to remain focused on building a brand we could be proud of over the long term.

What is unique about RC that encourages entrepreneurship?

What had the greatest impact on me was how did not simply teach; they listened. Many alumni share this willingness to keep learning, listen carefully, and unite diverse perspectives. Those qualities are at the heart of entrepreneurship.

“RC didn’t impose limits on what we could do.”

Şems Polat RC 24 and Mert Kaan Atan RC 25 joined forces to launch Luron.ai, which has already received a $1M pre-seed investment.

How did you two get together and found Luron.ai?

Our paths crossed when the RC Business Society, where Şems served as President, invited the Capital Management club, which Mert led, to an event. We quickly realized we shared the same ambition to build something impactful. That alignment led directly to the founding of Luron.ai.

What does Luron.ai do?

Luron.ai builds AI-powered voice agents that handle customer communication end-to-end. Beyond inbound, the platform enables automated outbound workflows for debt collection, bulk campaigns, and lead follow-ups across voice, SMS, chat, and email, optimizing operations that traditionally require large call centers.

How do you plan to develop your business after this investment?

Our focus is on rapid go-to-market execution and product refinement. We are actively serving multiple verticals, including consumer enterprises, automotive, and financial services. We continue improving conversation quality, integrations, and system reliability to scale globally.

How did RC influence your paths?

RC played a defining role in shaping our mindset. Mert was already a serial entrepreneur in high school, co-founding legal AI and language learning startups alongside the RC Startup Factory. Şems pursued national math olympiads and served as Student Council President. RC didn’t impose limits—it forced us to operate at a high level under pressure. That mindset became foundational in building Luron.ai.

How did you arrive at venture capital?

I was working at Princeton’s endowment, where a significant portion of the portfolio was allocated to leading VC funds. Seeing how top investors evaluated technology, markets, and founders inspired me to become an entrepreneur myself. I built and sold my own company, then joined another startup as Chief Strategy Officer. Before becoming an investor, I spent nearly a decade on the founder and operator side.

At TIBAS Ventures, we assess whether a startup is solving an important problem, whether the market is large enough, whether the product can scale, and, most importantly, whether the founding team has the ambition, resilience, and execution capability to build something meaningful.

What are the defining qualities of exceptional founders?

Exceptional founders combine clarity of thinking, deep customer understanding, and a strong ability to learn quickly. Being right from day one is less important than learning faster than everyone else. The best founders test, listen, iterate, and make high-quality decisions with limited information. We pay close attention to how founders think and communicate. Great founders have a strong point of view, but they are not rigid.

What are some common mistakes?

Building before validating the customer problem, trying to do too many things at once, hiring too quickly, and confusing activity with real progress.

How do you view RC’s influence in this landscape?

RC’s greatest strength is its community. The school fosters a culture of support across generations, and I try to give back through mentorship and organizations such as RC Startup Factory.

“Seemingly minor structural decisions can create major challenges later.”

Damla Ilıca focuses on fund structuring, fund management, and investor relations as a principal at Maxis, a venture capital and private equity-focused portfolio management company within the İş Bank Group. She also serves on the board of the RC Alumni Association (RKMD). What do you and your investors currently look for in startups?

Execution speed and leverage have become dramatically more important. With AI tools and increasingly accessible infrastructure, very small teams can now achieve what once required much larger organizations and capital. Investors are drawn to founders who move quickly, learn fast, and use available tools effectively. Clarity of thinking, adaptability, and strong decision-making stand out.

At the same time, investors are evaluating not only products but also whether a company can grow into a sustainable institution. Governance, communication, and founder selfawareness are therefore critical.

What are the most common mistakes early-stage startups make?

Most focus almost entirely on product development and growth, but seemingly minor structural decisions can create major challenges later. One common issue is cap table discipline. Founders may distribute equity too quickly without considering future fundraising, governance, or employee incentives. Another is operational informality. Teams often rely on verbal agreements, but these can become problematic when institutional investors enter the picture. Clear agreements and decision-making structures matter much earlier than most founders expect.

How has RC influenced you?

RC taught me intellectual curiosity, while its competitive environment made me resilient. As a member of the Debate Club, I was inspired to study law. I also remember the late Mr. Carter, who always reminded us about the finer details of life beyond academics and achievement.

The Founder’s Investor: Serra Alkoçlar Alp RC 07 on Navigating Venture Capital

“Great founders have a strong point of view, but they are not rigid.”

“More than 40% of startups have zero women on their boards.”

After her graduate studies, Gülser Canıvar-Corat led numerous development projects around the world. From 2004 to 2020, she served as UNESCO’s Director of Gender Equality and later founded the NoBias AI? platform.

During your tenure, UNESCO became a recognized leader in promoting gender equality. How did you approach this sometimes controversial subject?

My appointment was the result of an unusual mid-career recruitment. Through my experience in international development, I had learned how to build coalitions, navigate bureaucratic challenges, and discuss gender bias with different audiences.

When I arrived at UNESCO headquarters in 2004, I spent several months consulting representatives of the organization’s 195 member states and senior staff before proposing gender equality as a global priority. That groundwork proved essential in securing support. UNESCO remains the only UN organization with gender equality as one of its two global priorities.

What inspired you to found NoBias AI?

I was among the first to recognize how pervasive gender bias was in early algorithms. While researching the digital gender gap in 2017 and 2018, I found that many digital assistants reflected stereotypical views of women. At the time, this was often explained as a consequence of training algorithms on human-generated data.

When large language models emerged, I observed that bias remained embedded in these systems despite advances in training methods. Through NoBias AI?, I advocate a Machine Reasoning approach in which data loses its primary driver status, to be replaced by neuro-symbolic and logical inference engines and various specialized knowledge bases.

What recommendations do you have for RC entrepreneurs who want to avoid gender bias in their ventures?

Awareness is the first step. Never lose sight of the fact that women make up 51% of humanity. If women are among your target users, involve them in the design process from the beginning.

In Bangladesh, it took me months to convince male engineers working on a flood-prevention project to talk to women about how they cope with seasonal flooding. They were so amazed by how much floods affect women that they reconfigured their system.

What role can boards of directors and advisory boards play?

A crucial one. Even though many countries now have regulations for women’s representation on Boards, more than 40% of startups still have no women on their boards. Among smaller AI companies, 62% have allmale boards.

When women and other underrepresented groups are absent from leadership, organizations lose valuable perspectives on ethics, safety, and equity. This is not only a question of representation but also of performance. Research consistently shows that companies with substantial female representation on their boards tend to be more profitable and more resilient.

The idea of the CEO as a lone heroic figure is archaic. Successful companies are built by diverse teams that challenge assumptions and broaden perspectives. My advice to RC entrepreneurs is simple: value diversity.