Gokhan Polat has a wealth of experience in PropTech, FinTech, HealthTech, DeepTech, and the gig economy, positioning him as a strategic product development and innovation leader. With 15+ years of expertise, he specializes in crafting product visions, scaling teams, and delivering impactful solutions that drive business growth. He has honed his craft across diverse markets, including Dubai, Bahrain, Qatar, San Francisco, and Copenhagen, bringing a global perspective to his work.

At A8 Innovation, Gokhan focuses on refining product roadmaps, solving root issues, and driving operational excellence. His approach prioritizes thoughtful planning, team collaboration, and continuous improvement to achieve market relevance and sustained progress.

Gokhan's expertise spans a wide range of critical skills, including:

• Defining strategic product roadmaps and aligning them with business goals.
• Launching user-focused apps through robust user research and stakeholder collaboration.
• Building and scaling high-performing teams across product, design, and technology functions.
• Managing backlogs effectively to balance immediate priorities with long-term vision.

Notable Accomplishments:

• Established a Technology Hub: Built a skilled in-house tech team for WeBuild Ventures in Amman, enhancing portfolio company support.
• Secured Over $100M in Funding: Played a key role in raising funds across three startups as a founding team member.
• Orchestrated a Merger: Led the successful integration of technology teams between Dubizzle and Masterkey, ensuring seamless operations.
• Scaled Operations: Enabled a staffing platform to manage over 6,000 monthly shifts and onboard workers 10x faster.

Key Projects:

• Built shared resources teams at WeBuild Ventures, streamlining portfolio support.
• Scaled product, design, and tech teams at Keyper, accelerating market entry.
• Conducted user research for a government healthcare initiative, directly informing product features.

• Head of Ventures at RnDAO
• Head of Product at WeBuild Ventures
• Head of Product at Keyper

Leadership Highlights:

• Raised substantial funding and ensured operational success across multiple startups.
• Built cross-cultural teams, fostering collaboration and innovative solutions.

Gokhan’s career spans the Middle East (UAE), North America (California), and Denmark. He has successfully navigated cultural complexities by fostering direct, one-on-one relationships and cultivating inclusive collaboration. His leadership has empowered teams from diverse cultural backgrounds, encouraging open dialogue and innovation.

Gokhan is an avid traveler, videographer, photographer, and cycling enthusiast. He enjoys board games, spending time with his children, and walking his dog. A strong advocate for product management, Gokhan has mentored many product managers and contributed to ProductTank.

Gokhan shares a special bond with his three younger siblings. As the older sibling, he relishes spoiling them. For fun, Gokhan once cycled up the legendary Tour de France mountains with his amateur cycling team.