By the Untold Founders Team | July 31, 2024
Picture this: a kid from Ankara, Turkey, with big dreams and a Circassian heart, lands in Los Angeles chasing a vision to blend movies, money, and meaning. That’s Ali Mahir Aksu—founder of Untold, a game-changer in how films get funded. He’s not just building a platform; he’s rewriting Hollywood’s playbook, making it a place where everyone, from fans to filmmakers, gets a seat at the table. At Untold Founders, we’re all about celebrating folks like Ali who dare to dream big and do things differently. Here’s his story.
From Ankara to L.A.: A Curious Mind
Growing up in Ankara, Ali was shaped by his Circassian roots—a culture rich with storytelling and resilience. When he moved to L.A. for college, he dove into UCLA, studying Economics with a side of Film, TV, and Digital Media. It was like he was already wiring his brain to connect dollars with dreams. But Ali didn’t stop there. He’s a lifelong learner, soaking up knowledge at MIT (where he geeked out over blockchain), Wharton, Singularity University, and now as an MBA candidate at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The guy’s a sponge for ideas, always hungry to learn more.
Making Movies That Matter
Ali’s love for film isn’t just about red carpets or box office numbers—it’s about stories that stick with you. He made waves early on as an executive producer for Laid in America (2016), a Universal Studios flick that was bold enough to star digital creators before it was cool. He didn’t stop there, producing gems like Somnium, The Weapon, and Kohola, a documentary about ocean plastic pollution that premiered during the UN General Assembly Week in 2022. Ali’s got a knack for picking projects that entertain and make you think.
But here’s where it gets personal: Ali saw how shady Hollywood’s financing could be. He once found out that half the film investors he talked to had been burned by scams. That lit a fire in him. In 2019, he launched Untold, a crowdfunding platform that’s all about trust and transparency. It’s the only SEC-registered platform focused purely on indie films, TV, and streaming content, letting regular folks invest in movies starting at $1,000. No more gatekeepers—Ali’s opening the door for everyone.
Untold: Where Fans Become Investors
Untold isn’t your average Kickstarter. It’s a place where fans can own a piece of the movies they love, thanks to Ali’s vision of using blockchain and tokenization. Think exclusive premiere invites or your name in the credits, all secured with tech that’s as transparent as it gets. Projects like The Comeback Trail (hello, Robert De Niro and Morgan Freeman!) and Alaska, a horror flick funded entirely through Untold, show how versatile his platform is. Ali’s not just funding films; he’s building a community where creators and audiences share the risks and rewards. “Sharing both the risk and the revenue with your audience could be more beneficial for everyone,” he says, and you can feel his excitement when he talks about it.
A Heart for the Underdog
Ali’s not all business suits and boardrooms. He’s got a big heart, shaped by advice from music industry legend Michael Chester: “Always be kind to the underdog in the room.” That’s why Untold supports indie filmmakers who might not get a shot otherwise. It’s also why Ali’s a Southern California Young Professionals Ambassador for the United Nations Association, pushing for projects like Kohola that tackle global issues like sustainability. He’s spoken at places like the World Economic Forum in Davos, rallying filmmakers to embrace fair, secure ways to fund their dreams.
When he’s not changing the world, Ali’s a self-proclaimed bookworm who loves fiction and dreams of hopping on a commercial space flight someday. His global travels and curiosity keep him grounded, always looking for the next big idea or story to tell.
Building Something Bigger
Ali’s journey hasn’t been easy. Getting Untold registered with the SEC and FINRA was like running a marathon—18 months of grit and paperwork. But with $500,000 in pre-seed funding from Forty33 Ventures, Prescient Capital, and his own pocket, he’s got Untold on track to grow. He’s dreaming bigger, too: more TV shows, streaming projects, and fan experiences like private screenings. Plus, he’s diving into crypto payments and Web3 to make investing even slicker.
Why Ali Inspires Us
Ali Mahir Aksu is the kind of founder who makes you believe anything’s possible. He’s taken his love for stories, his smarts in tech and finance, and his heart for the underdog to build something truly special with Untold. He’s not just shaking up Hollywood—he’s inviting all of us to be part of the magic. At Untold Founders, we’re cheering for Ali as he keeps pushing boundaries and proving that the best stories are the ones we tell together.
Want to keep up with Ali and Untold? Check out www.alimahiraksu.com and app.untold.io. Got a founder story to share? Hit us up at Untold Founders!