Tugba Gunes

Tugba Gunes has a diverse background in various industries and sectors. Tugba started their career as an Internship Trainee at Utenriksdepartementet, where they collected and processed information on defense and security politics, with a special focus on energy politics and human rights promotion. Tugba then worked as a Consultant at Kommunal- og moderniseringsdepartementet, providing consulting services in the department.

Following this, Tugba joined Forsvaret - Norwegian Armed Forces as an Executive Officer and Consultant for the Forsvarsattacheen ved den norske ambassaden i Warszawa, Polen, where they gained experience in diplomatic roles.

In 2019, Tugba joined Forsvarsmateriell - Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency as a Strategic Partnerships Advisor, responsible for mapping potential partnerships and cooperation within the technology field for the defense sector. Tugba also led legal and tech teams, advised on sourcing strategies, and conducted negotiations with relevant tech companies.

In 2020, Tugba ventured into entrepreneurship and established Naia Sport, an e-commerce sport company. As the Founder and Owner, they were responsible for market introduction, marketing strategies, cooperation with logistics partners, and international collaborations. The company achieved significant revenue in its first year.

Tugba's entrepreneurial journey continued in 2022 when they became a Founder at Antler, a global early-stage VC firm. Tugba played a crucial role in identifying exceptional founders and supporting early-stage portfolio companies.

Currently, Tugba serves as the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Vake (Techstars '20), where they are responsible for driving commercial initiatives and strategies for the company.

Overall, Tugba Gunes has a versatile background encompassing international relations, defense, strategy consulting, entrepreneurship, and venture capital.

Tugba Gunes has a diverse education history in political science and economics. Tugba completed an exchange semester at the Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg, Russia, where they studied Political Science and Economics. Tugba also earned a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Furthermore, they participated in an exchange semester at SOAS University of London, focusing on Political Science. Tugba's education journey continued with a Master's degree in Political Science from the University of Oslo (UiO). In addition to their academic achievements, they obtained a certification in Project Management in the Defense Sector from the Norwegian Armed Forces in March 2020.