Murat Aktihanoglu has spent over a decade quietly building one of New York City’s most influential early-stage startup ecosystems. As the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA) and Remarkable Ventures, Aktihanoglu has led more than 375 investments across the tech and climate innovation landscape. His mission? Back mission-driven founders early and help them grow into globally impactful companies.
With roots in both engineering and entrepreneurship, Aktihanoglu is the rare investor who understands both code and capital. And through ERA and its climate-focused counterpart, ERA Climate, he’s now steering venture dollars toward one of the most urgent sectors of our time: climate tech.
The ERA Model: Early Capital with Deep NYC Roots
Founded in 2011, ERA was one of the first NYC-based accelerators to pair hands-on founder mentorship with a powerful investor network. Since launch, the program has supported 350+ startups, with alumni collectively raising more than $2 billion and reaching a combined valuation of ~$10 billion.
Each ERA cohort brings 10–15 companies through an intense, founder-first experience, culminating in demo days that attract top investors from across the country. Recent cohorts, such as ERA28, have already shown remarkable early traction.
“So proud of ERA28!!! Amazing progress, traction, revenue, and funds raised already,” Aktihanoglu posted in March 2025, underscoring his ongoing, hands-on involvement.
Remarkable Ventures: Betting on Climate Innovation
Aktihanoglu didn’t stop with general tech investing. Through Remarkable Ventures, he expanded his thesis to include deep tech and climate innovation, two areas often overlooked by traditional VCs. The firm’s climate-focused arm, ERA Climate, has become a leading supporter of next-gen sustainability startups.
With 375+ investments and counting, Aktihanoglu is placing long-term bets on decarbonization, clean infrastructure, and energy resilience, while helping founders navigate notoriously tough regulatory and technical environments.
From Engineer to Ecosystem Architect
A graduate of Bilkent University in Turkey, Aktihanoglu earned both a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science before joining engineering teams at Sony, Panasonic, AT&T, and Mountain View startups. In 2008, he founded Centrl, a location-based app platform.
By 2011, his passion had shifted toward building the ecosystem. He co-founded Entrepreneurs Roundtable, which has since hosted 300+ investor-startup events, reaching 75,000+ participants. The accelerator followed shortly after, catalyzing New York’s transformation into a startup hub.
Speaking, Advocacy, and Global Engagement
In addition to investing, Aktihanoglu is a frequent speaker and advisor, lending his voice to platforms like MIT Enterprise Forum, U.S.–Japan Council, JETRO, and the Belgian American Chamber. His talks emphasize climate tech urgency, founder empowerment, and global innovation pipelines.
Online Reach and Thought Leadership
With over 33,000 LinkedIn followers, Aktihanoglu consistently shares updates on ERA cohorts, founder milestones, and new investment theses. While less active on Twitter, his handle @muratny is used for job opportunities, demo day announcements, and ecosystem-building news.
He’s not just a behind-the-scenes figure, he’s an outspoken believer in early-stage acceleration as a force multiplier for high-impact startups.
