3rd International Export and Investment Summit
ITS Istanbul · Technology and Software Summit 2026
Türkiye's largest software, IT, and technology gathering brings together a trade fair, conference, and B2B meetings at Istanbul Expo Center from 7 to 10 October 2026.
Time until the event opens
Speakers
Representatives from technology, export, and investment come together at ITS Istanbul.
- Davut Gül — Governor of Istanbul
- Seyithan İzsiz — Member of Parliament for Istanbul · Member of the Digital Commission, Grand National Assembly of Türkiye
- Mustafa Çalış — President, TÜYAFED
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şerafettin Ekici — Moderator
- Alexander Niemetz — Advisor to Angela Merkel
- Vladimir Emmer — Türkiye Representative, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
- Ersultan Zhanabayev — Türkiye Representative, Kazakh Invest Investment Agency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan
- Sezgin Erzan — General Manager, Biruni Teknopark
- Prof. Dr. Angelika Kreitel — Data Protection Officer, GLG
- Didar Kurşun — CEO and Founder, Entagl
- Bekir Selçuk Temel — Director, Başakşehir Living Lab
- Murat Duran — Chairman of the Board, Backhub Yazılım A.Ş.
- Ömer Çolakoğlu — Founder, FeyoNova · Developer, Quentra · Microsoft MVP
- Hamza Cecikoğlu — Nilvera Software
- Özcan Ermiş — Chairman of the Board, EDM
- Florensa Haxhi — Chief Executive Officer – Durana Tech Park
- Prof. Dr. Murat Ceylan — Konya Technical University · Electrical and Electronics Engineering
- Celal Toprak — Editor-in-Chief, Türkiye’de İş Dünyası Magazine
- Kenan Açıkelli — Co-Founder and CEO, Mükellef Teknoloji
- Volkan Ormanlı — General Manager, Digital Assets
- Cansın Duman — Host · Chair, TÜYAFED Academy Committee
- Armand Shandro — Consul General of Albania
- Beatriz Vivas — Consul General of Argentina
- Héctor Rodríguez Figueredo — Vice President, Havana Science and Technology Park
- Adnan Akfırat — President, China Business Development and Friendship Association
- Psychologist Yeliz Arda — Director of Psychological Counseling and Guidance, Arel University
- Attorney Cihan Cem Sakarya — Chairman of the Board, Turkish-Dutch Friendship Association
- Erol User — Founding Chairman, Blockchainarmy
- Dr. Ekrem Teymur — Founder of Haberler.com and AI Entrepreneur
- İsa Uysal — General Manager, THK & Orion TEKMER and Fonorion
- Mesut Tokay — President, Istanbul Chamber of Radio, Record Player, Tape Recorder and TV Repair Tradespeople and Artisans
- Erdem Yanık — President, E-Commerce Employers’ Union
- İkbal Kandemir Çobanoğlu — Country Director & Central Board Member, WORLDEF Growth Network
- Mehmet Dindar — Influencer (taklitmantv)
Summit schedule
Exhibitions, conferences and B2B meetings from 7 to 10 October. TÜYAFED sessions take place on 8 October, followed by the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence Studies, ICAIS’26, on 10 October.
Fair & Product Exhibition
A four-day fair showcasing software, IT, and technology products.
Conference
Opening speeches, TÜYAFED panels, technology sessions and ICAIS’26.
B2B Meetings
B2B meetings for new business connections and international commercial discussions.
TÜYAFED — Turkish Software Developers Federation Sessions
HostCansın Duman
- OpeningTÜYAFED
Opening Addresses and Plaque Presentation Ceremony
Protocol
Mustafa Çalış
Chairman of the Board, TÜYAFED
Protocol
Ersultan Zhanabayev
Türkiye Representative, Kazakh Invest, Republic of Kazakhstan
Protocol
Vladimir Emmer
Türkiye Representative, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Protocol
Armand Shandro
Consul General of Albania
Protocol
Beatriz Vivas
Consul General of Argentina
Protocol
Seyithan İzsiz
Member of Parliament for Istanbul · Member, Parliamentary Digital Media Commission
Protocol
Davut Gül
Governor of Istanbul
About this session
Plaque presentation ceremony.
Break
- SessionTÜYAFED
AI Transformation
Moderator
Doç. Dr. Şerafettin Ekici
President, IT and Technology Law Association
Florensa Haxhi
Chief Executive Officer, Durana Tech Park
Prof. Dr. Angelika Kreitel
GLG AI and Data
Héctor Rodríguez Figueredo
Vice President, Havana Science and Technology Park
Hamza Cecikoğlu
Nilvera Software (Main Sponsor)
About this session
The panel will explore how AI and data technologies are transforming business, public policy and the software industry. Topics include technology policies in Europe, AI applications, data-driven decision-making and businesses’ digital transformation journeys. The discussion will also consider Türkiye’s technology ecosystem, the future of the software industry and the steps organizations need to take to adapt to AI.
Break
- SessionTÜYAFED
Technology Talent
Moderator
Bekir Selçuk Temel
Director, Başakşehir Living Lab
Adnan Akfırat
President, China Business Development and Friendship Association
Psikolog Yeliz Arda
Director of Psychological Counseling and Guidance, Arel University
Av. Cihan Cem Sakarya
Chairman of the Board, Turkish-Dutch Friendship Association
Keynote speaker
Ömer Çolakoğlu
Founder, FeyoNova · Creator, Quentra · Microsoft MVP
About this session
The panel will explore the future of the software industry, skilled talent and the capabilities needed in technology. Topics include university-industry collaboration, students’ career readiness, psychological resilience and adapting to a changing working life.
Break
- SessionTÜYAFED
Business Panel
Celal Toprak
Editor-in-Chief, Türkiye’de İş Dünyası Magazine
Kenan Açıkelli
Co-Founder and CEO, Mükellef Teknoloji
Mustafa Çalış
Chairman of the Board, TÜYAFED
Volkan Ormanlı
General Manager, Dijital Varlıklar
About this session
To be announced
Break
- SessionTÜYAFED
Blockchain Ecosystem
Moderator
Erol User
Founding Chairman, Blockchainarmy
Didar Kursun
CEO / Founder, Entajı
Dr. Ekrem Teymur
Founder of Haberler.com and AI Entrepreneur
Sezgin Erzan
General Manager, Biruni Technopark
Özcan Ermiş
Chairman of the Board, EDM
About this session
The panel will discuss the impact of blockchain, AI and emerging technologies on the entrepreneurship ecosystem. It will explore how startups grow, attract investment and enter international markets, alongside the role of technoparks, media visibility and brand communications. The discussion will also consider new opportunities for technology entrepreneurs, cross-sector collaboration and the skills of the future.
Break
- SessionTÜYAFED
Company Presentations
Moderator
İsa Uysal
General Manager, THK & Orion TEKMER and Fonorion
Murat Duran
Chairman of the Board, Backhub Yazılım A.Ş. (Platinum Sponsor)
Mesut Tokay
President, Istanbul Chamber of Radio, Record Player, Tape Recorder and TV Repair Tradespeople and Artisans
Erdem Yanık
President, E-Commerce Employers’ Union
İkbal Kandemir Çobanoğlu
Country Director & Central Board Member, WORLDEF Growth Network
About this session
To be announced
Closing
300
Selected start-ups
50,000+
Visitor movement
4
Fair ecosystem
4 days
Fair and B2B program
What is inside the summit?
Startup project showcases, investor meetings, and B2B conversations come together in an international technology fair atmosphere.
300 selected start-ups get free booths
Global export partnerships
Investment partnerships
Technology and fair network
Sponsorship
To Sponsor the summit, please click here.
Highlights from the previous summit
Explore standout moments from the ITS Istanbul 2025 stage program, technology areas, and industry gatherings.
Past summits
ITS Istanbul builds on previous software, technology, smart city, climate, and investment programs.
ITS Istanbul Summit 2025
The 2025 summit reported 3 main summits, 170 companies, 90 speakers, and more than 2,500 visitors.
ITS Istanbul Tech & Software Summit 2024
The 2024 program introduced the ITS Istanbul technology and software summit platform.