Aydin Senkut
InvestorFounderFounder & Managing Partner at Felicis Ventures · Board director at Emailage · Board director at Mark One Lifestyle · Board director at Literati
Atherton, CA
Writes $2M – $40M checks · typically $7.8M
Midas 2014 · #50Midas 2015 · #39Midas 2016 · #43Midas 2017 · #51Midas 2018 · #53Midas 2019 · #36Midas 2020 · #52Midas 2021 · #87Midas 2022 · #47Midas 2023 · #56Midas 2024 · #88Midas 2025 · #79Midas 2026 · #47
About
Aydin Senkut was Google's first product manager and international sales lead before founding Felicis in 2006, growing it from a solo angel operation into a firm managing over $4 billion. Felicis was an early backer of Adyen, Shopify, Canva and Notion, and roughly 65 of its portfolio companies have crossed $1 billion valuations. The Istanbul-born investor has appeared on the Forbes Midas List thirteen consecutive years.
Likely email· guessed from name + firm domain, not firm-published
- a•••@felicis.comreveal75% confident
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureDeep TechDeveloper ToolsHardwareHealthtech
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Senkut founded Felicis, a venture capital firm, in 2006.
- Education
- Studied at Boston University (undergraduate degree, 1992) Studied at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (MBA, 1996)
- Boards
- Senkut serves on Wharton's Graduate Executive Board.
- Awards
- Senkut was recognized by The New York Times as a 'Top Tech Investor'. Senkut was named one of the Top 25 Angel Investors by BusinessWeek in 2010. Senkut was included on Business Insider's AI Power List in 2026.
- Family
- Senkut is married to author Sonia Arrison. Senkut grew up in Turkey with entrepreneur parents, which shaped his approach to risk and investing.
- More
- Senkut is fluent in Turkish, English, French, German, and Portuguese.
From Aydin's own website — common ground for a warm intro.
Board director at Emailage
Intro paths
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In turn, Aydin can intro founders to Emailage's investors below.
Emailage's investors · 6
Felicis VenturesSan Francisco · $500K – $15M checks · since 2014Millennium Technology Value PartnersBelgrade · since 2017Mucker CapitalVenice · $250K – $750K checks · since 2017PitchdriveAntwerp · $250K – $2M checks · since 2017Radian CapitalNew York · $15M – $100M checks · since 2017Wipro VenturesBengaluru · $1M – $10M checks · since 2017
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Co-founders at Emailage
RC
Reinaldo CarvalhoExecutive Officer, Director
AT
Amador TestaDirector
Board director at Mark One Lifestyle
Intro paths
→
In turn, Aydin can intro founders to Mark One Lifestyle's investors below.
Mark One Lifestyle's investors · 1
Co-founders at Mark One Lifestyle
JL
Justin LeeExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
NB
Nicholas BarnesExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
Board director at Literati
Intro paths
→
In turn, Aydin can intro founders to Literati's investors below.
Literati's investors · 9
Felicis VenturesSan Francisco · $500K – $15M checks · since 2025FootworkSan Francisco · $1M – $15M checks · since 2024Founders FundSan Francisco · $500K – $5M checksGeneral CatalystSan Francisco · $30M checksMoonshots CapitalAustin · $5K – $2.5M checksMoxxie VenturesBoulder · $500K – $2M checksShasta VenturesMenlo Park · $250K – $6M checksSilverton PartnersAustin · $200K – $2M checksSpringdale VenturesSanta Fe · $250K – $2M checks
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Co-founders at Literati
JE
Jess EwingFounder
JE
Jessica EwingFounder
Experience
- FelicisFounder and Managing Partnercurrent2005 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- n8nInvestor (Lead Series A) & Board Membercurrent2021 — present
- SupabaseInvestor (Lead Series B) & Board Observercurrent2022 — present
- EntireInvestor (Seed Lead) & Boardcurrent2025 — present
- SemgrepInvestor (Lead Series B) & Board Observercurrent2021 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- RevelInvestor (Series Seed Lead) & Board Observercurrent2024 — present
- TinesInvestor (Lead Series B) & Board Observercurrent2022 — present
- Skild AIInvestor (Series A)current2024 — present
- poolsideInvestor (Lead Series A)current2023 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- RunwayInvestor (Lead Series C) @ Board Observercurrent2022 — present
- NotionInvestor (Co-lead Seed)current2013 — present
- General ProximityInvestor & Seed Leadcurrent2024 — present
- VoiceflowInvestor & Board Membercurrent2021 — present
- AdyenInvestorcurrent2013 — present
- ShopifyInvestorcurrent2010 — present
- DiffbotInvestor & Board Observercurrent2015 — presentPalo Alto, California
- GuidelineInvestor (Lead Series B) & Board Member (Compensation & Audit Committee)2017 — 2026San Mateo
- DedroneInvestor (Lead Series B) & Board Member2017 — 2024San Francisco Bay Area
- Vicarious.comEarly Investor & Board Observer2010 — 2022
- Rovio Entertainment Ltd.Investor2011 — 2017Finland
- Google, Inc.Senior Manager, Websearch & Syndication2001 — 2005
- Google, Inc.Sales Manager, Strategic Accounts2000 — 2001
- Google, Inc.Product Manager1999 — 2000
- Silicon Graphics, Inc.Product Manager1997 — 1999
- Silicon Graphics, Inc.Business Development Manager1996 — 1997
Education
- University of Pennsylvania / SAISMA, International Studies1994 — 1996
- The Wharton SchoolMBA, Marketing1994 — 1996
- Boston UniversityBS, Business Administration1988 — 1992
- Deutsche Schule Istanbul / Alman LisesiHigh School Diploma1980 — 1988
Skills & more
Strategy50SaaS9Start-ups99Entrepreneurship99Venture Capital53Business Development32Product Management35Business Strategy25E-commerce25Angel Investing13Strategic Partnerships16Corporate Development10
+12 more
Mobile ApplicationsMobile DevicesOnline MarketingDigital MediaUser ExperienceAnalyticsGo-to-market StrategyOnline AdvertisingMergersProduct DevelopmentMarketing StrategyMergers & AcquisitionsLanguages English · French · German · Italian · Portuguese · Turkish
- Duolingo
From Aydin's professional profile.
Deals · 3
EmailageBoard seat
via Felicis Ventures · filed Apr 2016 · $5.7M raise
Mark One LifestyleBoard seat
via Felicis Ventures · filed Jan 2015 · $3.2M raise
Pluralsight HoldingsQuoted
via Felicis Ventures · filed Mar 2015
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Other disclosed investments
Investor
Sources: SEC Form D filings · curated public sources.
Podcasts & interviews
featuring Aydin SenkutAydin Senkut: How I Scaled from a $4M Angel Fund to $900M AUM | 20VC #890
20VC with Harry Stebbings
Aydin Senkut, Felicis Ventures on turning misses into wins; what he learned passing on Uber Airbnb
This Week in Startups
Why Being a Generalist VC Is a Competitive Advantage | Aydin Senkut (Founder, Felicis Ventures)
The Generalist
From Google’s First PM to Backing 50 Unicorns — The 10X Principle | Felicis, Aydin Senkut
EO
Colleagues at Felicis Ventures
Alex Stamos
Investor at Felicis Ventures
Alexis Abrams
Partner, General Counsel at Felicis Ventures
Angela Dunning
Finance Manager at Felicis Ventures
Angelina Shamilov
Partner Operations Manager at Felicis Ventures
Astasia Myers
General Partner at Felicis Ventures
Beth Steinberg
Investor at Felicis Ventures
Cody Goodermote
Head of IT & Security at Felicis Ventures
Cristóbal Valenzuela
Co-founder & CEO at Felicis Ventures
Network25
Dylan FieldScout
Co-founder, CEO & Chair of Figma
Alexis AbramsScout
Partner, General Counsel at Felicis Ventures
Amit LubovskyScout
Director, Americas at SoftBank Vision Fund
Arun MathewScout
Investor at Accel
Ben ParrScout
Managing Partner at Theory Forge Ventures
Blake BartlettScout
Partner at OpenView Venture Partners
Brian JacobsScout
Venture Capitalist Emergence, Moai Capital at AIF
Brian PokornyScout
Managing Partner at SV Angel
Caryn MarooneyScout
Investor at Coatue Management
Casber WangScout
Operating Partner at Sapphire Ventures
Chad PackardScout
Partner at Pelion Venture Partners
Dan BartusScout
Partner, Head of Research at Felicis Ventures
▶13 more connections
Daniel Gwak · scoutDasha Maggio · scoutDavid Hirsch · scoutDonald Stalter · scoutFrank Caufield · scoutGary Kremen · scoutJavier Soltero · scoutThijn Lamers · scoutVictoria Treyger · scoutViviana Faga · scoutJames DetweilerKatie RiesterLaura Buhler
Investors connected to Aydin in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Aydin Senkut?
- Aydin Senkut was Google's first product manager and international sales lead before founding Felicis in 2006, growing it from a solo angel operation into a firm managing over $4 billion. Felicis was an early backer of Adyen, Shopify, Canva and Notion, and roughly 65 of its portfolio companies have crossed $1 billion valuations. The Istanbul-born investor has appeared on the Forbes Midas List thirteen consecutive years.
- Where does Aydin Senkut work?
- Aydin Senkut is Founder & Managing Partner at Felicis Ventures and Board director at Emailage and Board director at Mark One Lifestyle and Board director at Literati.
- What does Aydin Senkut invest in?
- Aydin Senkut invests in AI & Machine Learning, Data & Infrastructure, Deep Tech, Developer Tools, Hardware, Healthtech.
- What check size does Aydin Senkut write?
- Aydin Senkut typically writes checks of $2M – $40M.
- What boards does Aydin Senkut sit on?
- Aydin Senkut holds tracked board seats at Emailage, Mark One Lifestyle.
- What companies has Aydin Senkut invested in?
- Investments tracked here include Adyen, Credit Karma, Fitbit, Notion, Rovio, Shopify.
- Where did Aydin Senkut go to school?
- Aydin Senkut studied at University of Pennsylvania / SAIS (MA, International Studies); The Wharton School (MBA, Marketing); Boston University (BS, Business Administration).
- What awards has Aydin Senkut received?
- Senkut was recognized by The New York Times as a 'Top Tech Investor'. Senkut was named one of the Top 25 Angel Investors by BusinessWeek in 2010. Senkut was included on Business Insider's AI Power List in 2026.
Paths to reach Aydin
People who overlapped with Aydin at the same organization — a shared school or employer with one of them is a warm way in.
Together at General ProximityAydin: Investor & Seed Lead
Together at SupabaseAydin: Investor (Lead Series B) & Board Observer
Paul Copplestone2022–2026Founder at SupabaseSt Andrew's College, New Zealand · University of Canterbury · Y CombinatorViviana Faga2022–2026General Partner at Felicis VenturesSanta Clara UniversityMichael Robinson2024–2026Investor at Craft VenturesQueen's UniversityZao Chen2024–2025Investor at Craft VenturesUniversity of Waterloo
Together at NotionAydin: Investor (Co-lead Seed)
Josh Kopelman2013–2026Founder and Partner at First Round CapitalThe Wharton SchoolPat Grady2021–2026Partner at Sequoia CapitalThe London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)Austin Hay2022–2023Investor at Khosla VenturesThe Wharton School · University of Southern California · University of VirginiaEmily Melton2013–2026Investor at Threshold VenturesStanford University Graduate School of Business
Together at Silicon Graphics, Inc.Aydin: Product Manager
Kai-Fu Lee1996–1998Chairman of Sinovation Ventures and CEO of 01.AIColumbia UniversityJen Holmstrom1999Investor at GGV CapitalBoston College · University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of BusinessSuresh Balasubramanian1996–1999Investor at Storm VenturesNational Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli · The Ohio State University · The Wharton SchoolKevin Hartz1996–1997Co-Founder & General Partner at BA CapitalUniversity of Oxford
Together at ShopifyAydin: Investor
Jeremy Levine2011–2026Partner at Bessemer Venture PartnersDuke UniversityTobias Lütke2010–2026Co-founder & CEO of ShopifyHarley Finkelstein2010–2026Investor at Felicis VenturesConcordia University · McGill University · University of OttawaTrevor Oelschig2010–2016Investment Team at General CatalystThe Wharton School · University of California, BerkeleyChirag Patel2025–2026VP & GM Payments & Risk at Etsy at PICUS CAPITALKing's College London
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Together at Google, Inc.Aydin: Senior Manager, Websearch & Syndication
Evan Williams2003–2004Co-founder of Twitter, Blogger and MediumUniversity of Nebraska-LincolnWesley Chan2002–2005Investor at Felicis VenturesMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyDeep Nishar2003–2005Investment Team at General CatalystIndian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur · University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignRob Kniaz2004–2005Investor at Hoxton VenturesSt. Mary's Ryken · University of MarylandMiriam Rivera2001–2005Cofounder, Managing Director at Ulu VenturesStanford Law SchoolDan Borok2002–2003Co-Founder and Managing Partner at NVP CapitalColumbia Business School · Stuyvesant High School · University of Vermont
Same school
Also attended The Wharton School1,484
Fred WilsonCo-founder & Partner at Union Square VenturesSarah GuoFounder & General Partner of ConvictionJosh KopelmanFounder and Partner at First Round CapitalKunal BahlCo-founder of Snapdeal; co-founder of Titan CapitalJack AbrahamFounder, CEO & Managing Partner of AtomicKatie RiesterPartner, Head of Investor Relations at Felicis Ventures
+ 1,478 more
Also attended Boston University252
Vinnie LauriaFounding Partner at Golden Gate VenturesGil GorenPartner at 83NorthJames LindenbaumCo-founder at HeavybitDave BiscegliaVenture Partner at Founder CollectiveKatherine OgnibeneOperations Associate at Founder CollectiveSara DeAmicisInvestor at Third Rock Ventures
+ 246 more
