Brainwaves by Burak Büyükdemir
Field notes from 26 years of investing in early-stage startups.
April 04, 2026
4,000 weeks
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Two weeks ago we had dinner at close friends’ home. No agenda, no time limit. Four hours passed — I genuinely don’t know. When time disappears, you’re with the right people.
My friend said something that stuck: “I spend hours with people I have nothing in common with. But socially, I have to.”
I used to live like that too. Mandatory dinners with people I’d never choose. Networking events where nobody says anything real.
Then I read the math. The average human life is 4,000 weeks. Not years. Weeks. Subtract sleep, work, commuting. What’s left is terrifyingly small.
Every hour with someone you don’t want to see is stolen from someone you do.
My rule now: open-ended time only for my dearest friends. Everyone else gets a hard boundary. Show up if I must, leave early, no guilt.
Life is not a networking event. You don’t get points for attendance.
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Until next time,
Burak
Founder & Solo GP, Startupist Ventures Fund
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Burak Büyükdemir
Founder & Solo GP, Startupist Ventures Fund · Startup Istanbul
Founder of Etohum & Startup Istanbul. Solo GP at Startupist Ventures. 26+ years building startup ecosystems across 170 countries.
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“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
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