Allianz Türkiye has completed the sixth edition of its HackZone open innovation programme, with seven startups presenting solutions across artificial intelligence, digital health, financial advisory and customer service technologies at its Demo Day.
Launched in 2020 and run in collaboration with Tenity, HackZone connects startups with Allianz Türkiye teams to develop and test technology-driven solutions for the insurance industry. Nearly 700 startups have been evaluated through the programme to date, resulting in 53 proof-of-concept projects, of which 20 have been deployed.
Startups that have participated in HackZone have collectively raised more than $17 million from the wider investment ecosystem, an increase of more than $2 million compared with the previous year. Around 30 participating startups have also worked with the insurance sector for the first time through the programme.
Seven startups selected for the 2026 cohort
Nearly 100 startups applied for HackZone’s sixth edition, which focused on financial advisory, digital health, contact centres and agentic AI.
Seven companies were selected:
- Callby AI — uses natural language processing, AI voice synthesis and sentiment analysis to automate contact centre operations.
- Fintela Financial Advisory — uses AI agents to monitor financial data in real time and generate personalised financial insights.
- Freya — develops AI-powered customer service agents for contact centres in the financial services and insurance industries.
- Marin App — provides personalised supplement routines through AI-powered algorithms supported by healthcare professionals.
- Opinion AI — combines digital twins and big-data analytics to support healthcare providers and insurers across diagnosis and treatment processes.
- Smart IQ — transforms automotive data into real-time vehicle valuations, pricing and inventory optimisation tools, as well as risk indicators.
- SYNAPS — brings talent management processes into a single platform to help companies streamline recruitment.
Artificial intelligence was a major theme of this year’s programme, with Allianz Türkiye saying that approximately 90% of recent HackZone projects incorporate AI technologies.
From PoC to real-world deployment
HackZone provides participating startups with mentorship, access to Allianz APIs, training, investor networking opportunities and up to TRY 500,000 in financial support for PoC projects. More than 50 expert mentors participate in the programme, while Allianz Türkiye’s open API ecosystem now includes over 5,000 developers.
In 2026, Allianz Türkiye also introduced a C-Level Startup Mentorship Programme, bringing company executives directly together with participating founders.
The sixth Demo Day also featured a panel titled “The Future of Insurance with AI,” bringing together Allianz Türkiye executives Kaan Toker and Onur Kırcı alongside Gartner President Yunus Özdemir to discuss AI’s impact on customer experience, data utilisation and the future of insurance.
With 20 projects already progressing from experimentation to live deployment since HackZone was launched, the programme continues to position startup collaboration as part of Allianz Türkiye’s broader approach to testing emerging technologies against real insurance industry challenges.
