AI Talks - Building AI Ventures

​GE 250-251 points will be given!

​Join us for an in-depth conversation on the rapidly evolving world of early-stage AI startups. In this session, our guests from Fal.ai and e2VC will share their perspectives on what drives meaningful innovation, how to evaluate early technical progress, and what it really takes for young AI companies to build sustainable products in a competitive landscape.

​Featured Guests: Umut Günbak: Operations at fal.ai | Boğaziçi University - Industrial Engineering Selin Esin: VC Associate at e2vc | University of Nottingham - Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience About the Companies:

​fal.ai is a developer platform specializing in "generative media," offering ultra-fast infrastructure essential for running heavy AI models used in video and image generation. The company has recently experienced remarkable growth, with its valuation soaring from $1.5 billion in July 2025 to a reported over $4 billion in October 2025, driven by massive demand for its services.

​e2vc (formerly known as 500 Emerging Europe) is an early-stage venture capital fund. It focuses its investments on startups across "Emerging Europe" and Türkiye. e2vc primarily backs globally-minded founders from this region who are building technology companies with the potential for international scalability. Their typical portfolio includes companies in sectors such as gaming, developer tools, and enterprise software.