Sturgeon Capital

Sharing recording of recent Paklaunch webinar on The Georgia-Pakistan Venture Corridor with guests: Aleena Nadeem, Gega Tsurtsumia, Faisal Aftab, and Robin Butler CFA. Our goal with this discussion is to bridge the two emerging tech ecosystems, share learnings, and promote collaborations. Enjoy and feel free to share with all those who might benefit. Sturgeon Capital Zayn VC EduFi PAYZE (YC S21) https://lnkd.in/gRZEmrWB

It was an honour to be received by His Excellency Ravshan Usmanov. Our two institutions share a deep interest in education. The Sturgeon Foundation looks forward to exploring how we might work together.

Last week I had the pleasure of welcoming the new The Sturgeon Foundation Scholars in Tashkent. This is the fourth year that the The Sturgeon Foundation has provided scholarships in partnership with INHA and WIUT Universities, and with this new intake we now have 14 current and alumni scholars. It is inspiring to see what the early scholars have gone on to achieve already, from running technology teams at TBC UZ to coming in the top 1% of their year and pursuing further studies in the US and Korea, and I am sure our new scholars will push the bar even higher. A huge thank you to H.E. Timothy Smart for hosting us at the British Ambassador's residence for the second year running. Thank you to Inha University in Tashkent Rector Muzaffar Djalalov and Westminster International University in Tashkent Deputy Rector Nizom Kadirov for presenting the certificates to our new scholars. Thank you also to those who joined the event for their continual support and encouragement. Finally, the foundation would not be half of what it is without its Chair Carol (Madison) Graham and trustees, nor would the event have happened so smoothly without my colleague Alijon Ravshanov's hard work - thank you all! The Sturgeon Foundation seeks to advance education in Central Asia principally through awarding university scholarships and training opportunities to students seeking careers in finance and technology. If you are interested to learn more or support the work of the foundation, please get in touch.

Why haven't we seen more Turkish technology companies entering the Central Asian markets? With a large, young population of 80m people, structurally high GDP growth and growing smartphone and internet penetration, Central Asia is a market primed for rapid technology adoption. At the same time, the venture and startup ecosystems are still nascent, with a first-mover advantage that will not last forever. Türkiye has an unfair advantage in the region (EDIT - otherwise known as Turkestan) with its historical, linguistic, cultural and culinary connections. "Brand Türkiye" is exceptionally strong and a sign of quality, and there is an increasing level of engagement on the political level as this The Economist article explains (link in comments). Despite everything, there are still hardly any Turkish technology companies that have expanded into the region. Trendyol Group has established a presence in Azerbaijan. However, the most high profile deal between the two markets goes in the opposite direction, with Kaspi.kz's recent acquisition of Hepsiburada (NASDAQ: HEPS). Turkish companies have historically looked to the West for expansion for various reasons, but I think they are missing a lucrative opportunity on their doorstep by doing so. There are opportunities to build the future Papara, Trendyol Group and iyzico's of these markets, some of which Sturgeon Capital has been lucky enough to invest in already. Should Turkish technology companies be taking this region more seriously? Which ones do you think should be jumping at the opportunity today? #Startups #CentralAsia #Technology #VC #Turkiye

Representatives of IT Park, led by CEO Farkhod Ibragimov, held a meeting with investment company Sturgeon Capital, represented by Robin Butler CFA, Partner and Head of Impact, and Alijon Ravshanov, Partner and Head of Uzbek Operations. During the #meeting with Sturgeon Capital, the parties discussed a wide range of opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation aimed at strengthening the venture ecosystem in #Uzbekistan. So far, Sturgeon Capital's total investment in local startups exceeds $10 million.

My colleagues McKinley Richards and Saad Hasan have been featured in the World Economic Journal. - As Sturgeon Capital's Head of Impact, McKinley has written about the opportunity for impact investing in emerging markets to generate bigger returns and greater change. - As Sturgeon Capital's South Asia Lead, Saad has written about right-sizing the 250m person opportunity in Pakistan and how to invest accordingly. Thank you to Adrien Henni for inviting McKinley and Saad to share their contributions. https://lnkd.in/ewmqt8Xi

New Trustee Position The Sturgeon Foundation is seeking a new trustee with a strong interest in higher education and in Uzbekistan. The Sturgeon Foundation provides undergraduate tuition scholarships in STEM fields for talented, community minded students attending outstanding universities in Tashkent. Their career goal is to become experts in their field of study, and in many cases, begin their own businesses. The role of the trustees is select scholars, engage with our students and alumni, decide the direction of the scholarship programme and develop networks to promote and increase funding for the scholarship. We are particularly seeking a trustee with strong Uzbekistan related networks, who can help the foundation raise our profile and invest in Uzbekistan educated business leaders. More information on the Sturgeon Foundation can be found on our website. https://lnkd.in/ef7Wa_Pb Candidates should send a CV and a letter explaining their interest as well as what they can bring to the role to chair@sturgeonfoundation.org.uk The position is unpaid. Closing Date: October 25.

Thank you to the AIFC (Astana International Financial Centre) for the chance to share some of Sturgeon Capital's experiences and insights during the Astana Finance Days earlier this month. #VentureCapital #EmergingMarkets #Startups #AlternativeInvestments https://lnkd.in/gCJNwGKD

I will be in Baku on the 10-11 October to represent Sturgeon Capital at the INMerge Innovation Summit, organised by "PASHA Holding" LLC. This is an excellent event for anyone interested in the startup and venture ecosystem in Central Asia and the Caucasus. These markets are primed for rapid technology adoption, capitalising on high smartphone and internet penetration among young populations to solve the inefficiencies that affect individuals and businesses in their day to day lives. Website - https://www.inmerge.az/ Investor registration - https://lnkd.in/ehZsnzSd Buy tickets - https://lnkd.in/e_Xyn7uk