Nevzat Aydın

Nevzat Aydın is a Turkish internet entrepreneur, angel investor and a mentor. Aydın is the co-founder and global CEO of Yemeksepeti, the leading online food delivery portal in Turkey.[1]

Nevzat Aydın
Born (1976-03-08) March 8, 1976
Alma materBoğaziçi University
OccupationInternet entrepreneur, businessperson, angel investor, mentor

During his lead in 2015, Yemeksepeti was acquired by the German-based Delivery Hero for $589 million (£378 m), which was the biggest valuation ever yet in Turkish internet history. He was among the 150 entrepreneurs invited from all around the world to the Entrepreneurship Summit held by USA President Barack Obama in April, 2010.[2] Aydın also was one of the juries/investors in Dragon's Den TV show [3] In 2013 and 2015, Aydın was named number one on Fortune's 40 Under 40 List.[4]

Yemeksepeti career

Professional career of Nevzat Aydın started with Yemeksepeti the first online food ordering company in Turkey, providing the facility to place food orders on-line from an affiliated network of restaurants without charging the user any extra fees.[5] Aydın founded the company with Melih Odemis (Chief Technology Officer), Cem Nufusi (Sales Director) and Gokhan Akan (Chief Financial Officer), and has been the Chief Executive Officer of the company since then.

When Aydın and the team started the business in 2001, internet penetration was very low in Turkey. Yemeksepeti did not make any profit for the first 5 years, but with a strong focus on customer experience and the convenience of the business model, they managed to convince the users and the restaurants to benefit from the huge potential of internet.

In accordance with the vision of Aydın, Yemeksepeti has continuously integrated most recent technologies and adopted global standards for customer experience. The company started to invest in mobile infrastructures in 2010 and activated Online Credit Card feature in 2013.[6]

Investments received by Yemeksepeti

Yemeksepeti had its first round of investment and agreed to be partners with European Founders Fund, in 2008.[7][8] In 2012, Yemeksepeti announced a $44 million investment led by global growth investor General Atlantic (GA), which acquired a minority stake in the company, and represented GA's first investment in Turkey.[9]

Foreign operations

Yemeksepeti entered the GCC region by launching out Foodonclick.com in The United Arab Emirates in 2009, starting in Dubai then extending to Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the same year. Before the acquisition by Delivery Hero in 2015, Yemeksepeti was active in 10 countries including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Jordan, Greece, Bulgaria and Romania.[10][11]

Exit and profit share

In May 2015 Yemeksepeti was sold to the German-based Delivery Hero for $589 million (£378 m). It was yet the biggest internet acquisition of the Region. Founder Aydin paid out $27 million to 114 workers as a profit-sharing bonus. The bonus decision received international coverage by prominent news channels such as Time, CNN, Independent, with the Aydın's quotation of, "Yemeksepeti's success story did not happen overnight. I believe in team work and I believe success is much more enjoyable and glorious when shared with the rest of the team".[12]

Investing

Nevzat Aydın invested in 40 start-ups and the total amount of his investments reached to 20 million dollars. His area of focus includes internet services, mobile and online marketplaces. Nevertheless, he invests in various sectors and business models, which uses technology as a triggering factor.

Public intellectual work
  • Board member of Endeavor Turkey[13]
  • Board member TOBB (Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey) Young Entrepreneurs [14]
  • Member of TUSİAD (Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association)[15]
  • Founding member of Galata Business Angels[16]
  • Board member and vice president Trabzonspor Football Club.[17]
  • Trustees Board Member of Boğaziçi University [18]

Honors and awards
  • In 2001–2002 Interpro awarded Aydın with Entrepreneurship Award in IT
  • In 2005, he represented Turkey in World Summit Award, organized by UNESCO with the support of UN
  • In 2005, Ekonomist Magazine and Finans Leasing awarded Aydın with Jury's Special Award in Turkey's Hidden Champions
  • In 2007, he was awarded as 'Endeavor Entrepreneur' by Endeavor Turkey[19]
  • In 2011, Ekonomist Magazine awarded him as the 'Entrepreneur of the Year'[20]
  • In 2011, he was honored as one of the speakers in Meet the Dragons event, organized by HOPE (Holland Program on Entrepreneurship) in Holland[21]
  • In 2012, Turkey's biggest internet, social media and digital marketing platform Webrazzi named him Entrepreneur of the Year[22]
  • In 2012, he was amongst the globally recognized speakers of DLD (Digital–Life–Design) Conference, held in Munich, Germany[23]
  • In 2012, he was the only Turkish speaker amongst the globally recognized speakers of 'MILKEN INSTITUTE Global Conference, held in Los Angeles
  • In 2013, The Next Web awarded Aydın as the Best Founding Partner in TNW Turkish Startup Awards[24]
  • In 2013, Webrazzi named him Entrepreneur of the Year and Angel Investor of the Year[25]
  • In 2013, he was elected as the President of Avea Entrepreneurship Club[26]
  • In 2013 and 2014, he was a keynote speaker in NOAH Conference[27]
  • In 2013, he held the first place in Fortune Magazine's 40 Under 40 List[28]
  • In 2014, Yemeksepeti was honoured as one of the "Top 100 Superbrands in Turkey"[29]
  • In 2014, Webrazzi awarded him Entrepreneur of the Year for the third time[30]
  • In 2014, he was named as The Most Inspiring Entrepreneur in Doer Awards, organized by Lenovo[31]
  • In 2015, he was once more named number one on Fortune's 40 Under 40 List[32]
  • In 2016, he was selected as the Angel Investor of the Year by Webrazzi[33]
  • In 2017, he was selected as the "Best Businessman" by Galatasaray University[34]
  • In 2017, he was honored with the Philanthropy Award by American Turkish Society

References
  1. "Company beta". Retrieved 2020-12-21.
  2. "Five Turkish firms to attend Obama's entrepreneurship summit". Hurriyet daily news. 2010-02-03. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  3. "Dragons' Den Türkiye". Ddturkiye.com. Archived from the original on 2016-12-10. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  4. "40 Under 40". Advertise In Turkey. 2015-11-20. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  5. "LinkedIn". archive.vn. 2016-12-25. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
  6. "Yemeksepeti – Online Yemek Siparişi – Windows Llamkanakuna Microsoft Tiendapi". Microsoft. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  7. "Investments – Young Turk Ventures". Youngturkvc.com. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  8. "European Founders Fund Invests and Takes Stake in YemekSepeti.com". Grandstanding Traction. 2008-05-08. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  9. "Global Growth Equity News and Thought Leadership". General Atlantic. 2012-09-17. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  10. "Turkey's Online Food Ordering Portal Yemeksepeti to Expand to Bulgaria, Romania". Novinite.com. 2015-05-19. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  11. Christina Flora. "Turkish Yemek Sepeti Invests in Greece". Greek Reporter Europe. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  12. "CEO shares $27 million with staff after selling his firm". CNN. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  13. "Ana Sayfa". Endeavor Türkiye. Archived from the original on 29 August 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  14. "TOBB YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS BOARD TOBB YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS BOARD" (PDF). Ivci.com.tr. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-11-06. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  15. "TÜSİAD". Tusiad.org.tr. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  16. "Galata Business Angels". Galata Business Angels. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  17. "Trabzonspor". Trabzonspor. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  18. "BOĞAZİÇİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ VAKFI 1978". BÜVAK. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  19. Nevzat Aydın; Melih Ödemiş. "yemeksepeti.com". Endeavor Türkiye. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  20. "Ekonomist Yılın Erkek Girişimcisi'ni Seçti". Girisimhaber.com. 2011-04-27. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  21. "German Startup Beats the Dragons". Global Entrepreneurship Network. 2011-11-22. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  22. "Webrazzi Ödülleri 2012". Webrazzi. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  23. "DLD Conference Speaker: Nevzat Aydin". Dld-conference.com. 2010-04-27. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  24. Martin Bryant. "The Winners of The Next Web's European Startup Awards 2013". Thenextweb.com. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  25. "Webrazzi Ödülleri 2013". Webrazzi. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  26. "Girişimcilere özel davet | Etkinlikler haberleri". 2016-10-28. Archived from the original on 2016-10-28. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  27. "Nevzat Aydin- Founder & CEO, Yemeksepeti". Noah-conference.relayto.com. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  28. "NEVZAT AYDIN – Teknoloji ve perakendenin 40 yaş altı yöneticileri". Fortune Türkiye. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  29. "Superbrands 2012 Sonuçları". web.archive.org. 2014-07-11. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
  30. "Webrazzi Ödülleri 2014". Webrazzi. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  31. "Lenovo Ä°le “Her Ĺžey Seninle BaĹ&#x;larâ€?". Itnetwork.com.tr. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  32. "40 Yaş Altı 40 2015". Fortuneturkey.com. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  33. "Webrazzi Ödülleri 2016". Webrazzi. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  34. "13. EN Ödül Töreni". Retrieved 2020-12-21.
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