Firstpoint VC has inaugurated a €50 million fund aimed at investing in startups focused on AI-driven games and entertainment

A new venture capital firm, Firstpoint VC, has been established with a fund of €50 million to support startups focused on AI in gaming and entertainment industries.

Image credit: Firstpoint VC

The firm is led by general partners Burak Yılmaz and Mike Fischer, both of whom bring over three decades of expertise in gaming and investments to the table.

Yılmaz has previously been the CEO of WePlay Ventures, Türkiye's pioneer game-focused fund, managing engagement with 90 startups in 17 nations.

Fischer has occupied executive roles in companies such as Square Enix, Epic Games, Amazon, Bandai Namco, Sega, and Microsoft, and is a faculty member at the University of Southern California's Games and Interactive Media Program.

Firstpoint's investment focus is on emerging markets including Türkiye, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. Their team is supported by an advisory board with industry veterans like former Xbox general manager Jen MacLean, ex-head of AI at Take-Two Interactive Luke Dicken, and Bora Bora Kocyigit, who formerly managed Riot Games' country operations.

Yılmaz and Fischer noted inspiration from the gaming industry in Türkiye, highlighted by Scopely's acquisition of a majority share in Pixel Flow developer Loom Games. Similar developments are anticipated in Poland and Vietnam.

"Türkiye's gaming sector has demonstrated over the last decade that substantial companies can emerge with modest financial input," Yılmaz remarked.

"Our aim is to support new high-potential companies from the ground up by leveraging our team's regional investment experience, extensive operational knowledge from global gaming firms, and a broad partner network across the region," he added.

According to Fischer, the upcoming phase will spotlight companies that place AI at the core of their development strategies, rather than as just a tool. He emphasized Firstpoint's regional network strengths in Türkiye and other promising areas in Europe and Asia for identifying and supporting founders who are likely to establish companies with global significance.