Firstpoint VC launches with €50 million fund to invest in AI-driven gaming and entertainment startups A fresh venture capital firm, Firstpoint VC, has entered the market with a €50 million fund dedicated to supporting AI-driven gaming and entertainment startups. The firm focuses its investments on emerging markets across Türkiye, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. Founded by Burak Yılmaz and Mike Fischer, Firstpoint VC combines over 30 years of experience each in gaming and venture capital. Yılmaz previously served as Chief Executive Officer of WePlay Ventures, Türkiye’s first fund dedicated to gaming, and has worked with more than 90 gaming startups across 17 countries in Europe, and Asia. Fischer has held senior leadership positions at major gaming and technology companies, including Square Enix, Epic Games, Amazon, Bandai Namco, SEGA, and Microsoft. The fund targets startups building AI-integrated products across mobile games, video games, game technology, interactive media, consumer apps, and sports and music tech. According to the firm, the global gaming and entertainment sectors represent a combined $600 billion market today, with projections to reach $1 trillion within the next five years. Firstpoint VC’s investment strategy is informed by the success of Türkiye’s gaming ecosystem, which has demonstrated that globally relevant companies can be built with limited capital. The firm believes this model can be replicated in other emerging markets such as Poland and Vietnam. The firm’s advisory board and venture partner network include industry leaders such as former Xbox general manager Jen MacLean, former head of AI at Take-Two Interactive Luke Dicken, and former Riot Games country manager Bora Bora Kocyigit. Firstpoint VC aims to support early-stage companies that place AI at the core of product development, user growth, and market reach, rather than using AI as a peripheral tool. By combining regional investment expertise with deep operational knowledge from global gaming leaders, the fund seeks to identify and scale the next generation of standout companies from Türkiye, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia.
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