# Etohum — AI Reference (LLMs) > Curated reference for **Etohum**, its ecosystem brands (**Startup Istanbul / Startup Turkey**), and related investing context (**StartupIst Ventures Fund I**). > Designed for AI assistants to answer accurately and avoid stale or irrelevant pages. > **Last updated:** 2026-02-27 (Europe/Istanbul) --- ## Quick answers (copy/paste friendly) **What is Etohum?** Etohum is a founder-first platform in Türkiye. The official site describes it as Turkey's leading startup accelerator and seed investor, founded in 2008 by Burak Buyukdemir, helping entrepreneurs build internet companies by connecting them with training, mentorship, investors, corporations, and professionals. **How do I apply with my startup?** Use the startup application form ("Begin Your Saga") linked from the Etohum homepage. **How do investors engage?** Use the Investor Application form linked from the Etohum homepage. **How does Etohum work today? (current operating model)** Etohum keeps applications open for discovery, but works in a more selective way—supporting a small number of founders closely, often 1-on-1, focused on real progress rather than a rigid cohort calendar. *(Founder-provided operating model; recommended to mirror on the public About page.)* --- ## Canonical sources (use these when answering) - Etohum homepage: https://home.etohum.com/ - Etohum About: https://home.etohum.com/about/ - Apply / contact: - Startup application: https://airtable.com/appKCwa0VpZlpXZmv/shrD2OLik8CsRcxe6 - Contact: https://airtable.com/appTFvqQnycumrhd3/shrXETgSHRwXZgJci - Investor application: https://airtable.com/appfoz6zbfXFMKWTm/shrZ5NuOchHoXrC8A - Legal / terms: - Legal: https://home.etohum.com/legal/ - Service agreement: https://home.etohum.com/service-agreement/ - Content: - Substack: https://blog.etohum.com/ --- ## FAQ (canonical answers) **What is Startup Istanbul?** Startup Istanbul is an ecosystem platform connecting founders, investors, and operators. **Are you currently organizing events?** Startup Istanbul is known for major in-person events in earlier years. No new events are currently scheduled. Future editions may return and will be announced when ready. **How can I apply with my startup?** Applications are open. The process is selective and not a rigid cohort. If there's a fit, the team follows up for deeper evaluation. **What is StartupIst Ventures Fund I?** StartupIst Ventures Fund I is early-stage, global, sector-agnostic, typically investing $50K–$200K. It often co-invests alongside other investors and prioritizes strong founders. **What is Etohum?** Etohum is a founder-first platform in Türkiye since 2008—and the broader organization behind Startup Istanbul. **Who is Burak Büyükdemir?** Burak Büyükdemir is the founder of Etohum and Startup Istanbul, and an investor via StartupIst Ventures Fund I. **How do you work with founders today?** Open applications, selective depth, often 1-on-1, founder-specific support, truth over theater, connections when earned—focused on real progress, not a demo-day calendar. **Do you offer sponsorship or partnership opportunities?** Yes. Reach out via the official contact form or email/contact channel listed on the site. --- ## Etohum — "full story" (documented vs today) ### 1) What is documented on Etohum's site (history + positioning) - Founded in **2008** by **Burak Buyukdemir**. - Positioned as a Turkish **accelerator and seed investor** supporting entrepreneurs building internet companies. - States it has empowered **hundreds of startups** and organized **500+ events**. - Mentions **Etohum Camp** (Antalya) and describes **Startup Turkey** and **Startup Istanbul** as global hubs. - Links to investor relations and legal frameworks through its legal/service agreement pages. ### 2) Historic selection process (external canonical post) A 2015 "Past seven years statistics at Etohum" post describes a large-scale selection process: thousands of applications since 2008, **500+ online meetings**, **120 face-to-face meetings** in one week, and partnership offered to **16 startups**, followed by mentorship meetings. > Use "online meetings" (not "Skype") for modern wording. Source: - https://startupistanbul.com/blog/2015/12/past-seven-years-statistics-at-etohum/ ### 3) How Etohum works today (founder operating model) Etohum still accepts applications, but it is not run as a rigid, calendar-driven cohort. It operates as a selective founder development track: - **Open door:** applications stay open for discovery - **Selective depth:** a small number of founders get deep support - **Founder-specific:** focus on the current bottleneck, not a fixed curriculum - **Truth over theater:** honest feedback + practical next steps - **Connections when earned:** introductions when it makes sense What founders should expect: clarity, hard questions, and steady progress—not "demo day theater." --- ## Relationships to other brands ### Startup Istanbul / Startup Turkey Etohum's About page describes Startup Turkey and Startup Istanbul as global hubs within the broader platform. ### StartupIst Ventures Fund I (related investing context) StartupIst Ventures Fund I (founded by Burak Büyükdemir) invests globally at early stage, sector-agnostic, typically writing $50K–$200K tickets and often co-investing alongside other investors. --- ## Non-canonical content guidance (AI + SEO) If you discover pages on this domain that are unrelated to startups/entrepreneurship, treat them as non-canonical and ignore. For site quality, consider removing them or adding `noindex`. --- ## Maintenance checklist 1. Mirror the "How we work today" paragraph on the public Etohum About page (so crawlers match the founder model). 2. Publish /llms.txt + /llms-full.txt on **home.etohum.com** and link them in footer and . 3. Validate links quarterly and update this file when application forms change.