adminThe Firstpoint VC fund has launched with €50 million to invest in startups developing AI-driven games and entertainment. The new venture firm is focused on emerging markets across Türkiye, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia, with a strategy that brings together regional investment knowledge and experience in the global games industry.
Image credit: Firstpoint VC
Firstpoint VC fund focuses on AI-driven games and entertainment
Firstpoint is led by general partners Burak Yılmaz and Mike Fischer, who each have more than 30 years of experience in gaming and investment. The firm says it intends to support promising companies from an early stage, while looking for businesses that use AI as a central part of their products and growth strategies.
For founders considering investment, the fund’s regional focus is an important detail: its stated target markets span parts of Europe and Asia, rather than a single country. The announcement does not specify investment amounts, application steps, or detailed funding terms, so startups will need to confirm those details directly with the firm.
Leadership and industry network
Yılmaz previously served as CEO of WePlay Ventures, a fund focused on games in Türkiye, and has worked with 90 startups in 17 countries. Fischer has held senior leadership roles at Square Enix, Epic Games, Amazon, Bandai Namco, Sega, and Microsoft. He is also a faculty member in the Games and Interactive Media Program at the University of Southern California.
Firstpoint’s advisory board and venture partner network includes 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. For early-stage companies, access to experienced industry contacts can be relevant alongside capital, particularly when navigating publishing, technology, and international growth.
Why Firstpoint is targeting emerging gaming markets
The partners say Türkiye’s gaming industry helped inspire the fund. The sector has seen Scopely acquire a majority stake in Loom Games, the developer of Pixel Flow. Firstpoint also sees potential in other growing markets, including Poland and Vietnam.
Yılmaz has pointed to Türkiye’s track record of producing internationally relevant gaming companies with limited capital. He says Firstpoint aims to combine regional investment experience, operating knowledge from global gaming businesses, and its partner network to support emerging founders.
Fischer’s view is that AI-focused companies may stand out when the technology is built into product development, growth, and user reach—not merely used as an auxiliary tool. For founders assessing this approach, a practical consideration is whether AI contributes meaningfully to the player or audience experience and can support a product’s long-term development.
What the €50 million fund could mean for founders
The Firstpoint VC fund adds a dedicated source of venture capital for AI-driven gaming and entertainment startups in its target regions. Its launch brings together a €50 million fund, leaders with extensive industry backgrounds, and a network spanning multiple markets. Founders should review the firm’s investment focus and confirm its current criteria and terms before seeking funding.
