Ali Rıza Babaoğlan

I am a seasoned business executive with a strategic focus on the European, Turkish, and Middle Eastern markets. In my capacity as a financial investor, I hold strategic positions in various scale-up technology companies and startups, and I possess real estate assets spanning multiple countries.

In 2015, I established Grow in EMEA, a company specializing in technology-related investments, real estate ventures, and portfolio management. Our primary focus is on East Europe, Turkey, and the Middle East. Our activities encompass direct real estate investments across continents and comprehensive asset management.

At Grow in EMEA, my team provides market access services in the Baltics, Turkey, and the U.A.E. We also offer investment advisory services for real estate options. Concurrently, I maintain a concentrated focus on the technology sector, investing in retail-tech and fintech Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions for both B2B and B2C markets, along with real estate options in developing markets with specific Return on Investment (ROI) targets.

I actively assume Board Member roles in startups valued at €10 million and above, contributing to their growth in diverse markets. Notable engagements include serving on the boards of Segmentify.com, Wamo and REM People. I am an officially accredited and licensed angel investor, recognized by the Turkish Ministry of Finance with license number BKY2022000850.

Prior to my involvement in the investment landscape, I held the position of Director of the Turkish Speaking Territory at LinkedIn EMEA Headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. My earlier professional experience includes roles at SAP AG and IBM in Turkey, encompassing both sales and business development.

A frequent speaker at both local and global technology events, I have delivered keynote presentations at prestigious forums such as ARAB NET in Lebanon, IT Arena in Ukraine, Rise Up Summit in Egypt, Startup Festival in Malta, NEXT in Germany, e-Estonia in Estonia, and EMERGE. Additionally, I have addressed closed corporate events for esteemed organizations including Roche, VESTEL, SAP AG, DenizBank, Turkish Economy Ministry, Turkish Exporters Assembly, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ), Bakioğlu Holding, and AGT in Turkey.

I have invested in Wamo, Salv, REM People, Ekmob, KahvegibiKahve, Dipcaf, iLove VPN, SaasTech, Welcome Center, Nordat.AI, Bolt and A3 Grup Gayrimenkul so far.