VC pitch- Barend Van den Brande - Hummingbird Ventures

Hummingbird Ventures, a boutique venture capital firm managing approximately $100 million, is pivoting its investment strategy toward Turkey and the MENA region. This "style drift" leverages Turkey’s status as a fast-growing economy with a young, tech-savvy population—ranking fourth globally for Facebook usage. Recent portfolio performance demonstrates this potential, with companies scaling from $4 million to $32 million in annualized revenue within a single year through active management and team building. The firm typically invests between €250,000 and €3 million, focusing on seed-stage opportunities and serial entrepreneurs. With a newly raised €30 million fund, the firm actively seeks to bridge European startups from Belgium, the Netherlands, and London into these emerging markets. Managing Partner Barend Van den Brande emphasizes a hands-on approach, encouraging prospective founders to verify the firm's value-add through their existing network of CEOs.