Fongogo

What Fongogo does

Fongogo is a Turkish multi-model crowdfunding marketplace, founded in 2013 by Ali Çebi and headquartered in Istanbul. It operates three interconnected funding products on a single regulated web platform: equity-based crowdfunding (Paya Dayalı Kitle Fonlama / GSYF) at yatirim.fongogo.com, reward-based crowdfunding (Ödül Bazlı Kitle Fonlama) at odul.fongogo.com with a recurring-subscription variant called Kumbara, and a venture fund product called Fongogo Ventures at venture.fongogo.com. A pre-investment matching layer, Dealr, connects startups with qualified investors before campaign launch. Equity crowdfunding is operated under SPK (Capital Markets Board of Turkey) accreditation granted on January 6, 2022 under regulation III-35/A.2, with settlement and identity infrastructure provided by Takasbank and MKK, and payment processing by İyzico.

The business model is transaction-fee based across all products. Kumbara subscription projects are charged a 10%+VAT service fee on monthly donations collected, with payment-system fees deducted before transfers. Equity and reward-based campaigns are charged campaign listing and processing fees; the company also earns revenue via Fongogo Ventures' managed fund structure. Customer segments are bifurcated: on the supply side, Turkish startups, SMEs, filmmakers, and social-cause projects seeking capital; on the demand side, 100,000+ registered individual investors and backers ranging from micro-supporters to qualified equity investors.

Since 2013, Fongogo has facilitated over 40 million TL across 1,500–1,800 campaigns and built an ecosystem of 50+ partners including Cyberpark, Bilkent, ITU, METU, Koç and Sabancı Universities, Endeavor Turkey, and Keiretsu Forum. In September 2023 it acquired StartupMarket to expand its entrepreneur and investor network. The company is privately held as a joint stock company (A.Ş.) with ~40 shareholders and a share capital of ₺18.5M.

Name

Fongogo

Legal name

Fongogo Kitle Fonlama Platformu A.Ş.

Website

https://fongogo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fongogo is Turkey's first multi-model crowdfunding platform, founded in 2013, offering SPK-regulated equity crowdfunding, reward-based crowdfunding, and recurring subscription support to startups, SMEs, filmmakers, and social-impact projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Crowdfunding Marketplace

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Creator Fundraising & Crowdfunding Platforms (Recurring/Project-Based) (MPACAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) Marketplaces (FSAKAHAI)

Keywords

• Equity crowdfunding platform
• Reward-based crowdfunding
• Startup investment platform
• Venture capital funding
• Crowdfunding marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

Istanbul

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Kumbara Service Fee: Fongogo charges 10% + VAT on collected monthly donations for Kumbara (subscription) projects, in addition to the payment system's cut, deducted before transferring funds to project owners.
2. Platform Membership and Campaign Fees: Revenue from campaign listing and processing fees charged to entrepreneurs seeking to list startups and projects on the platform. Terms referenced in Üyelik Sözleşmesi (Membership Agreement) and Kitle Fonlama Sözleşmesi (Crowdfunding Agreement).
3. GSYF (Equity Crowdfunding) Platform Fees: Revenue from equity-based crowdfunding campaigns, operating under SPK (Capital Markets Board) regulation III-35/A.2. Fees likely include listing and transaction processing charges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fongogo operates a multi-model crowdfunding marketplace that enables Turkish startups and creative projects to raise capital through equity-based (GSYF), reward-based (Ödül), and recurring subscription-based (Kumbara) campaigns. Entrepreneurs self-register, launch campaigns, and reach a member base of 100,000+ investors and backers, with the platform collecting transaction and service fees on funded amounts.

Product overview

Fongogo is Turkey's first and leading crowdfunding platform, established in 2013, offering multiple interconnected products. The core platform operates through Paya Dayalı Kitle Fonlama (equity-based crowdfunding) for startup investment and Ödül Bazlı Kitle Fonlama (reward-based crowdfunding) for project pre-sales. Supporting products include Kumbara (subscription-based recurring support), Fongogo Ventures (venture capital fund combining crowdfunding with VC investment), and Dealr (pre-investment deal flow platform). The platform acquired StartupMarket in 2023 to expand its entrepreneur and investor network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Paya Dayalı Kitle Fonlama (Equity-Based Crowdfunding / GSYF)

Quantifiable outcome

• 40+ million TL funded to startups and projects since 2013
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• StartupMarketcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023Fongogo acquired StartupMarket in September 2023, gaining access to a broad network of entrepreneurs and investors. This acquisition directly supports Fongogo's goal of becoming the largest startup investment platform in the region.
• Cyberpark (Bilkent Cyberpark Technology Development Zone)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology park and business incubator partner that refers startups and entrepreneurs to the Fongogo platform for crowdfunding.
• METU (Middle East Technical University)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversity technology transfer and entrepreneurship center that refers startups from the METU ecosystem to Fongogo for funding.
• Sabancı UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversity entrepreneurship center that partners with Fongogo to connect student and alumni startups with the platform's investor community.
• Endeavor TurkeyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal entrepreneurship organization with a presence in Turkey that supports high-impact entrepreneurs, potentially referring portfolio companies to Fongogo.
• Keiretsu Forum TurkeyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAngel investor network that could cross-refer investment opportunities and connect members with Fongogo's platform.
• TakasbankcoreOthersCentral Securities Depository of Turkey that provides the infrastructure for investment fund transfers and investor protections. Fongogo's investments are processed through Takasbank guarantees.
• MKK (Merkezi Kayıt Kuruluşu)coreTechnology or IntegrationCentral Registry Agency that validates investor identities and manages qualified investor status for Fongogo's platform. Integrated for e-Government verification and investor qualification checks.
• İyzicocoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing infrastructure provider used for card payments and subscription management on the Kumbara platform. Card details are tokenized and processed securely through İyzico.
• AIESEC TurkeyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational youth organization that connects young entrepreneurs and professionals, potentially referring members to the Fongogo platform.
• InnoParkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInnovation and startup park that refers resident startups to Fongogo for crowdfunding campaigns.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Seedrs: UK FCA-regulated equity crowdfunding platform with a secondary market for share transfers, mirroring Fongogo's GSYF + Dealr combination. Direct competitor in regulated retail-investor deal flow.
• Patreon: Subscription-based platform enabling creators to receive recurring monthly support from backers. Directly comparable to Fongogo's Kumbara recurring-support product.
• StartEngine: US equity crowdfunding platform under Regulation Crowdfunding and Reg A+, supporting startup capital raises from a broad investor base. Directly mirrors Fongogo's regulated equity-crowdfunding model.
• Republic: US equity and reward-based crowdfunding platform serving startups and individual investors with multi-product offerings. Closely aligned with Fongogo's hybrid equity/reward/subscription model.
• Kickstarter: Global reward-based crowdfunding platform for creative projects (film, music, design). Directly comparable to Fongogo's Ödül Bazlı Kitle Fonlama reward product.
• Wefunder: US-based equity crowdfunding platform enabling retail investors to invest in startups, operating under SEC Regulation Crowdfunding. Directly comparable to Fongogo's GSYF (equity) product in business model and target market.
• Crowdcube: UK equity crowdfunding platform for startups and growth companies, with both retail and corporate investor participation. Comparable to Fongogo's equity-based offering and investor onboarding flow.
• Indiegogo: Global reward and equity crowdfunding platform serving entrepreneurs and backers across categories. Comparable to Fongogo's reward and equity product lines.
• Fonbulucu: Turkish SPK-licensed equity crowdfunding platform, a direct domestic competitor to Fongogo's GSYF offering in the same regulatory framework.

Regional players

• Crowdcube Türkiye / Turkish alt platformlar: Domestic Turkish crowdfunding competitors operating in the same regulatory sandbox. Regional competition with similar offerings focused exclusively on the Turkish market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fongogo_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fongogo
• Facebookfacebook.com/Fongogo

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments10 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fongogo