Sina Afra

Sina Afra is a highly influential figure in the Turkish startup ecosystem, renowned for his entrepreneurial success and subsequent transition into a prolific angel investor. He first rose to prominence as the founder and CEO of Markafoni, a leading e-commerce platform in Turkey, which was successfully acquired by Naspers. This significant exit established his credibility and provided the capital and experience to become an active early-stage investor. More recently, he founded Tiko, a proptech venture, demonstrating his continued commitment to building innovative companies.

As an angel investor, Afra primarily focuses on technology-driven startups, leveraging his deep operational expertise in e-commerce, fintech, SaaS, and proptech. He is known for his hands-on approach, often providing strategic guidance and leveraging his extensive network in addition to capital. His investment philosophy leans towards disruptive business models with strong founding teams, aiming to support companies from their nascent stages through significant growth. He has been instrumental in nurturing several of Turkey's most successful tech ventures.

Afra's investment portfolio is extensive and impressive, reflecting his keen eye for promising ventures. According to Crunchbase, he has made over 30 investments, participating in 16 lead investor rounds, and has seen 10 successful exits from his portfolio companies. Notable investments include Insider, a global marketing automation platform that achieved unicorn status, and Iyzico, a leading payment gateway that was acquired by PayU. These successful exits underscore his ability to identify and back companies with high growth potential, significantly contributing to the maturation of the Turkish tech landscape.