Ahmet Bilgen
About Ahmet Bilgen
Ahmet Bilgen is a Turkish Cypriot technology entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software, SaaS, data, AI and digital transformation. He studied Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at Eastern Mediterranean University. He then joined SAP Turkey as a technology consultant and worked on more than 100 early SAP implementations at large Turkish enterprises.
In 1999 he co-founded FIT Solutions, later renamed Foriba. It started as a consulting firm and became an enterprise software and e-transformation company. Under his leadership it moved from project work to SaaS and raised capital from Revo Capital, IFC and Endeavor Catalyst. London-based private equity firm Hg acquired Foriba in 2019. He later started Trendbox and Figopara and completed a second exit from Figopara in 2023.
He now works on Trendbox, Caretta Robotics and Digitopia, which focus on real-time data intelligence, AI and AI-driven enterprise transformation. He is on the advisory board of the Turkiye Yapay Zeka Inisiyatifi (TRAI, the Turkish AI Initiative). His university describes him as Turkey's first certified angel investor. His TRAI conference bio says he follows quantum computing and quantum AI and gives talks to students at universities.
Crunchbase lists 14 investments across 11 portfolio companies, including 3 lead investments. NFX Signal also lists 14 investments on record. His public investments run from 2020 to 2025 and are mostly angel, pre-seed and seed rounds.
He has described his angel work as secondary to building companies. His Crunchbase bio says his main focus is building technology companies, scaling products and raising institutional capital.
His own comments on deals are short. On Digitopia in 2021 he said he knew the founders and rated the team highly. He also liked that they wanted to compete worldwide. On FlexyWatt in 2025 he said he sees large opportunities where energy management meets digital transformation.
Digitopia is the clearest AI-related holding. Crunchbase describes it as an AI-powered transformation platform that productizes consulting by measuring maturity, benchmarking and turning strategy into impact. Bilgen made the first investment in Digitopia in early 2021, when the company was about a year old, and Crunchbase marks him as lead investor in that angel round. He also helps run it today.
He also works on AI as an operator. He co-founded Trendbox and founded Caretta Robotics. His bio describes both as built around real-time data intelligence and AI. His LinkedIn headline lists him as an angel investor in quantum computing. No other AI-specific investments with dates are public.
The public record points to pre-seed and seed rounds. NFX Signal ranks him in pre-seed and seed for payments, robotics, marketplaces, education, media and content, entertainment and sports, and transportation tech. Recent deals include smart energy management (FlexyWatt) and wholesale marketplace software (Topi), so he is not limited to AI.
NFX Signal gives an investment range of $5K to $50K with a sweet spot of $25K. This is a third-party profile and he has not confirmed it publicly. Most of his listed companies are in Turkey. Crunchbase gives his regions as EMEA and MENA. He lives in Istanbul, and his LinkedIn lists Cyprus.
He has not published a formal thesis. His recent public comments mention founder quality, global ambition and large markets. Founders with a Turkey or Cyprus connection, or in data, fintech, robotics or enterprise software, have the most obvious fit.
- Digitopia: AI-powered digital transformation and consulting platform. Angel investment in February 2021, with Bilgen as lead investor per Crunchbase.
- FlexyWatt: smart energy management and optimization platform. Pre-seed investment announced in March 2025.
- Topi: wholesale ordering platform for traditional retail, founded in 2022. Pre-seed investment closed in early 2024 at a $2.5M valuation, per Turkish press.
- Robomotion: listed on NFX Signal with an angel round in June 2020 and a seed round in June 2021.
- VRLab Academy: seed round listed on NFX Signal in April 2021.
- hop: seed round listed on NFX Signal in May 2021.
- Aposto: seed round listed on NFX Signal in August 2021.
- Komunite: angel round listed on NFX Signal in November 2021.
- Trendbox and Caretta Robotics: companies he co-founded or founded and still builds.
- crunchbase.com/person/ahmet-bilgen
- signal.nfx.com/investors/ahmet-bilgen
- cy.linkedin.com/in/abilgen
- crunchbase.com/organization/digitopia-8c12
- webrazzi.com/2021/03/02/dijital-donusum-danismanlik-sirketi-digitopia-
- egirisim.com/2025/03/24/akilli-enerji-yonetim-platformu-flexywatt-ahme
- analizgazetesi.com.tr/haber/yeni-nesil-toptan-alisveris-girisimi-topi-
- trai24.turkiye.ai/en/speaker/ahmet-bilgen-2
Investing activity
Ahmet Bilgen has made 14 investments according to Crunchbase across 11 portfolio companies, and has led 3 rounds, seen 1 exit and founded 3 companies.
Deals
Frequently asked questions about Ahmet Bilgen
Does Ahmet Bilgen invest in AI startups?
Yes. He invested in Digitopia, an AI-powered transformation platform, in 2021. He also builds AI and data companies himself, including Trendbox and Caretta Robotics.
What is Ahmet Bilgen's check size?
He has not published one. NFX Signal lists a $5K to $50K range with a $25K sweet spot, but this is a third-party profile.
What stage does Ahmet Bilgen invest in?
His public investments are angel, pre-seed and seed rounds between 2020 and 2025. Examples are FlexyWatt (pre-seed, 2025) and Digitopia (angel, 2021).
What companies has Ahmet Bilgen founded or exited?
He co-founded FIT Solutions (Foriba), which Hg acquired in 2019, and Figopara, which he exited in 2023. He also built Trendbox and Caretta Robotics, which he still runs.
Where is Ahmet Bilgen based and does he back founders outside Turkey?
Crunchbase lists him in Istanbul. His LinkedIn lists Cyprus. Most of his known investments are in Turkish startups. Digitopia is listed in London, so a Turkey link is not strictly required.
How should founders pitch Ahmet Bilgen?
Public information suggests leading with team strength, a large market and international ambition. He is a hands-on operator, so technical and enterprise product detail is likely to matter.
Is Ahmet Bilgen an angel investor?
Yes. Ahmet Bilgen invests personally as an angel. Crunchbase counts 14 investments and 1 exit.
Where is Ahmet Bilgen based?
Ahmet Bilgen is based in Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
How can founders reach Ahmet Bilgen?
Founders on Lounge can see Ahmet Bilgen's contact details in AI Investor Contacts (paid plans), check for a warm introduction through members who worked with them under Warm Paths, and add Ahmet Bilgen to their Investor Pipeline to track the conversation.