Building the Innovation Engine for Turkic Nations: An Investor Retreat with Silicon Valley VCs
We’re bringing together a handpicked circle of just 8 leaders from across the Turkic world - Turkey, Central Asia, and Azerbaijan - alongside veteran Silicon Valley VCs for a highly curated, two-day retreat in Tbilisi.
This is not a panel-packed conference. It’s a working retreat designed to spark deep conversations, long-term strategy, and cross-border collaboration that will activate the venture flywheel for Turkic nations.
What Makes This Different
This retreat is intimate by design. With only a handful of participants in the room, every conversation is direct, personal, and actionable. You won’t be lost in a crowd. You’ll be part of a trusted circle working on building Venture Flywheel in Turkic countries.
Join us in Tbilisi, Georgia on 18 - 19th of September for a private two-day retreat and strategic roundtable bringing together veteran Silicon Valley VCs, regional investors, fund managers, and ecosystem builders from across the Turkic world Turkey, Central Asia, and Azerbaijan.
It’s a focused, working retreat designed to seed long-term strategy, relationships, and cross-border collaboration to activate the venture flywheel across Turkic nations.
Featured Speakers & Global Leaders:
🔹 Marvin Liao – Chief Investment Manager at Sukna Ventures is a Riyadh-based early stage VC fund, Partner at Diaspora VC, Former Partner in San Francisco at 500 Startups with 500+ investments. Expert in cross-border scaling and venture portfolio development. Advisor to large Family Offices. (On site)
🔹 Bill Reichert – Partner, Pegasus Tech Ventures
Instrumental in scaling 9+ unicorns including SpaceX, Airbnb, and Coinbase. Leading thinker on startup strategy and venture discipline. (On site)
🔹 Chris Burry – Co-CEO, US Market Access Center (USMAC)
Built and sold a billion-dollar company. Renowned for helping international startups land and scale in the U.S. (Online)
🔹 Colin Donohue – Startup Connect
Strategist specializing in emerging market growth and U.S. market entry for global startups. (On site)
🔹 Plus a Curated Circle of emerging fund managers, seasoned operators, and innovation ecosystem leaders from Turkey, Central Asia, Azerbaijan, and the U.S.
Why It Matters:
The 21st century is being shaped by exponential innovation - AI, automation, frontier tech. Nations that can embed startup-driven innovation at the core of their economies will leapfrog ahead.
Yet, for many Turkic nations, venture ecosystems are still in early formation. To scale, we must inject the mindset, structure, and mentorship that built Silicon Valley with local adaptation and long-term commitment.
Turkic Investor Roundtable: Unlocking Market Access and Co-Investment Opportunities
One of the goals of the retreat is to foster collaboration among Turkic investors. A dedicated roundtable session will offer a platform for investors to share insights on supporting startups to enter and scale within each other’s markets, identify co-investment opportunities, and develop practical strategies for cross-border growth. This collaborative dialogue aims to strengthen the regional innovation ecosystem through partnership and collective action.
Core Topics & Sessions:
🔹 The Venture Flywheel
Structuring a self-sustaining innovation ecosystem through capital, mentorship, and network effects.
🔹 Founder Development
Why 95% of high-growth founders come from startups—and how to nurture them in early-stage ecosystems.
🔹 Deploying Smart Capital
Understanding the dynamics of exponential returns and the common missteps of new VCs.
🔹 Building for Scale, Not Sale
Why local exits cap ecosystems and what it takes to go the distance toward billion-dollar outcomes.
🔹 AI & Emerging Tech
How startups from the region can leapfrog by adopting and building on frontier technology.
Retreat Highlights:
Closed-Door Strategy Roundtables with veteran VCs and regional leaders
Pitch Spotlights
Private Wine Tasting on September 19 to foster deeper connections
Who Should Attend:
Venture Fund Managers & Emerging GPs
LPs, Family Offices, and Cross-Border Investors
Ecosystem Builders
Diaspora entrepreneurs seeking strategic re-entry
Invitation Only. This exclusive retreat is reserved for a curated circle of investors and ecosystem leaders. Please do not share the event link, as attendance is strictly by invitation.
Event Fee: $500, covering sessions, networking event, pitching sessions, and the wine-tasting experience on September 19, 2025.