Turkish Startup Hub Turns to MENA: Arda Kutsal of Webrazzi [Wamda TV]
Arda Kutsal, founder of Webrazzi, discusses the Turkish startup space in comparison to that in the Arab world. Started in 2006, Webrazzi organizes tech events throughout the year to empower Turkish startups. They will be hosting the 2012 Webrazzi Summit this October to highlight and organize entrepreneurs across Turkey.
Kutsal explains the differences between the Turkish and Arab ecosystem and discusses why new businesses are attracted to the MENA region. He specifically highlights why Webrazzi is attending an ArabNet event, focusing their efforts on the Arab world instead of on European startups. He explains that in order for startups in MENA to mature, they must show proven results to attract new investors. “I think the Arab World…needs some best practices, some good case studies to show off.”
Kutsal feels that it is only a matter of time before Turkish companies catch on and begin investing heavily in the Arab world.