Firstpoint VC Debuts with €50m Fund for AI-Driven Gaming and Entertainment Startups

Firstpoint VC, a new venture capital firm, has been launched with a €50 million fund dedicated to investing in startups that specialize in AI-driven gaming and entertainment. The firm is led by general partners Burak Yılmaz and Mike Fischer, both of whom bring over 30 years of experience in the gaming and investment sectors. Yılmaz, previously the CEO of WePlay Ventures, Türkiye's first gaming-focused fund, has worked with 90 startups across 17 countries. Fischer has held senior leadership positions at prominent companies such as Square Enix, Epic Games, Amazon, Bandai Namco, Sega, and Microsoft, and is also a faculty member at the University of Southern California's Games and Interactive Media Program. The firm's focus is on emerging markets in Türkiye, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia, with an advisory board and venture partner network that includes industry leaders like Jen MacLean, Luke Dicken, and Bora Bora Kocyigit. The inspiration for Firstpoint VC stems from Türkiye's thriving gaming sector, which has seen significant investments, such as Scopely's acquisition of a majority stake in Loom Games. Yılmaz and Fischer believe similar trends are emerging in other growing markets, including Poland and Vietnam. According to Yılmaz, 'Over the past decade, Türkiye's gaming sector has demonstrated that globally relevant companies can be built with limited capital.' Fischer added, 'In the next phase, companies that integrate AI into the core of their product development, growth, and user reach will stand out. Firstpoint VC's category focus combined with its strong regional network positions it to identify exceptional founders early and support them in building globally relevant companies.'