DOMiNO Effect Newsletter #19
DOMiNO Effect Newsletter #19
As 2025 unfolds, we take pride in the impressive progress our portfolio startups have made. Over the past month, they have reached key milestones, demonstrating innovation, adaptability, and steady growth. With the year in full swing, our commitment to expanding opportunities and enhancing operational capabilities continues to fuel momentum for even greater achievements. These successes reflect the solid foundation we’ve built together, paving the way for a transformative year ahead.
DOMiNO Effect in the Spotlight
- Reflecting on DOMiNO Ventures’ 2024 Achievements and Looking Ahead to 2025!
- We were thrilled to attend the Turkish Startup Ecosystem 2025 event organized by startups.watch!
- Our Managing Partner, Mustafa Kopuk, was a speaker at the “Sahne XL Domino” event organized by BilgiyiTicaretleştirme Merkezi!
Portfolio News!
- idenfit, a standout company in our portfolio, has earned a well-deserved spot on the prestigious 2024INCTurkiye100 list!
DOMiNO Impact for Better Future
At DOMiNO Ventures, we align with Better Future Goals (BFGs), which represent our commitment to sustainability and social progress, driving innovation in AI, DeepTech, CleanTech, HealthTech, and other critical sectors.
Highlights for Better Future on Linkedin!
Explore the latest editions of Highlights for a Better Future below, DOMiNO Ventures’ newsletter dedicated to sustainability and impact. Stay updated with the most recent news and insights in entrepreneurship, technology, investing, and more, all through the lens of sustainability and impact.
Last year, the U.S. added over 56 gigawatts of new power capacity, with 96% coming from carbon- free sources like solar, wind, batteries, and nuclear energy, significantly outpacing new fossil-fueled power plant installations, according to U.S. EnergyInformation Administration data. https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/chart-96-percent-of-new-us-power-capacity-was-carbon-free-in-2024
Other significant news:
⛽BigOil Hesitates on ‘Drill,Baby,Drill’ Despite TrumpAgenda: Major oil companies are not rushing toexpand drilling plans even as policy shifts favor fossil fuel production.
🔄FiveEnergyTransitionLessonsfor2025: Key takeaways from the past year to guide future sustainability efforts.
🔋Green FlexibilitySecures €400M for BatteryStorage: Enabling large-scale storage solutions to supportenergy grids.
⛏VCs Turn to MiningTech Startups: Exploring how venture capital is fueling innovation in sustainable miningtechnologies.
Explore more news and articles in our newsletter—subscribe now using the links below!
BetterFuture AI Acceleration Program
BetterFuture AI Acceleration Program is an 8-week online acceleration program targeting AI startups in Central Asia and Caucasusregion. The aim of the program is to support the growth and development of high-potential startups in this ecosystem by connectingthem with mentors, investors, and entrepreneurs in global markets.
Better Future Talks
Tune into Better Future Talks, a dynamic YouTube show hosted by our Managing Partner, Yagiz Karadeniz. Join him as he engages with leading investors and key players from the startup ecosystem, exploring insights, opportunities, and transformative ideas shaping the region.
- 3rd Episode Guests: Robin Butler and Iro Tsagareishvili!
Ecosystem News from Our Focus Regions
- United Ventures: a new driver of Uzbekistan’s innovation growth
- Uzbekistan launched United Ventures, a $40M venture fund backed by major banks to accelerate its startup ecosystem. Led by Azizbek Kurbonov, the fund aligns with the October 2024 Presidential Decree on venture financing, providing capital and mentorship to position Uzbekistan as a regional tech hub.
- Kazakh Startup TrustMe to Receive $1 Million Investment from Tim Draper
- Kazakh startup TrustMe, specializing in digital contract signing via SMS, has secured a $1 million investment from renowned venture investor Tim Draper. In 2023, TrustMe was ranked among the top 10 startups globally in a Silicon Valley accelerationprogram, establishing itself as one of Central Asia’s most promising projects.
- Turkish startup HockeyStack raises $20M for marketing analytics
- HockeyStack, a San Francisco-based B2B marketing analytics platform, has secured a $20 million Series A funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners. This investment aims to enhance HockeyStack’s capabilities in providing comprehensive analytics and attribution solutions for B2B companies
- Lithuanian climate tech HeavyFinance secures €14M investment from Multitude Bank to support sustainable agriculture in the EU
- Lithuanian climate tech company HeavyFinance has secured a €14 million investment from Multitude Bank to support sustainable agriculture across the EU. This funding, backed by a €10.5 million guarantee from the EuropeanInvestment Fund, will enable HeavyFinance to provide loans to over 500 small and medium-sized farms, facilitating theirtransition to regenerative practices.
Curated Content for You
Read:
- Why 2025 Looks Like A Big Year For Venture Capital
- Venture capital is expected to thrive in 2025, with strong fundraising projections and a focus on mega-deals and unicorn investments. Key sectors such as AI, frontier technologies, and women’s healthcare are poised to attract significant capital.
Watch:
- How China’s New AI Model DeepSeek Is Threatening U.S. Dominance ,
- China’s DeepSeek AI lab has shocked Silicon Valley by releasing an open-source model that outperforms top U.S. models like GPT-4 and Claude Sonnet 3.5 with just $6 million in two months, raising concerns about America’s AI leadership.
Listen:
- The AI Investment Landscape: Op p ortunities and Challenges
- In this episode, the Peter Harris and Jon Bradshaw dive into the growing trend of AI investments, highlighting that 31% of all assetsare now being allocated to AI. Jon shares his concerns about the sustainability of many AI startups, questioning whether the rapidinflux of capital can support their long-term success.
Clarity. Ambition. Precision. Respect. Impact.
At DOMiNO, our mission is to back bold founders and create the DOMiNO Effect for Better Future. These five values guide everything we do from how we choose our partners to how we show up for them. They reflect who we are, what we stand for, and how we build together.
Bold Moves Shift The Future
We back high-tech, pure-digital, and first-day global startups led by founders obsessed with finding innovative ways to build a Better Future with the DOMiNO Effect. We support outstanding technology founders from Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus to help them realize their global ambitions.
Early and Growth Stage AI-driven Tech Startups
Qualified Founders and Multi-Functional Teams
First-day global thinkers with global scaling potential
Fully in-house Tech Solutions with Laser Focus
Early and Growth Stage AI-driven Tech Startups
Qualified Founders and Multi-Functional Teams
First-day global thinkers with global scaling potential
Fully in-house Tech Solutions with Laser Focus
Beyond Sectors. Into Scale
We’re looking for high-tech, pure-digital and first-day global startups and the big brains behind them. It’s not just about the category, it’s about clarity of vision and the courage to scale it fast.
AI
Deeptech
Cleantech
Healthtech
Fintech
Hrtech
Edtech
Gametech
Cybersecurity
Life Science
AI
Deeptech
Cleantech
Healthtech
Fintech
Hrtech
Edtech
Gametech
Cybersecurity
Life Science
Working on something big? We're all ears.
The best way to reach us is via someone we mutually know. You can always email us directly at apply@dominovc.com
Looking to invest in bold ideas for a Better Future?
The best way to invest with us is through shared vision and bold ambition, if you're ready now, our funds and portfolio are open to those ready to shape the future. Let's invest in it together.
DOMiNO Ventures is a venture capital fund focusing on high-tech, pure-digital and first-day global startups with strong origins in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus. We are backing founders who are solving new problems of the modern world in AI, Deeptech, Cleantech and beyond, helping them realize their global ambitions to create DOMiNO Effect for Better Future.
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