On 19 February, the Road to INMerge officially launches its 2026 journey in Istanbul.
Following a strong 2025 roadshow across Georgia, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, INMerge returns with a renewed regional ambition — connecting startups, institutional capital, and ecosystem leaders across Türkiye, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and MENA.
The first stop takes place at Dotshub Istanbul in Beşiktaş, positioning Istanbul once again as a strategic bridge between innovation markets.
Opening Remarks
The event opens with welcoming remarks from:
- Rumeysa Codar, Journalist & Professional MC at TRT World
- Tugra Musayeva, Head of Innovations at PASHA Holding
Their opening session will frame the strategic importance of cross-border innovation collaboration and set the tone for a high-level day of dialogue and deal flow.
Toward 2050: Smart Economies
The keynote address will be delivered by:
- Brett King, CEO & Founder of The Futurists Network
His session, “Toward 2050: The Emergence of Smart Economies,” will explore how AI, fintech, and digital infrastructure are reshaping global economic power structures.
A high-level fireside chat follows featuring:
- Jalal Gasimov, CEO, PASHA Holding
- Murat Özyeğin, Chairman, Fiba Group
Moderated by Engin Güven of Egon Zehnder, the discussion will focus on leadership choices shaping long-term economic resilience.
Scaling Digital Winners
The second fireside session brings together:
- Farid Mammadov, CEO, PASHA Financial Holding
- Erdem Inan, CEO, Trendyol Group
Moderated by Özgür Tanrıkulu, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, the session will unpack how regional digital champions scale platforms with trust and execution discipline.
Building Resilient Giants
A broader enterprise transformation panel features:
- Bulent Tekmen, Co-Founder, Colendi
- Egem Eraslan, Founder & CEO, Midas
- Elchin Ibadov, CEO, SOCAR Turkiye
- Alper Akcan, CEO & Co-Founder, Fingate.io
Moderated by Deniz Güven (Board Member at Wamo), the panel will explore how large enterprises reinvent themselves amid digital disruption.
Startup Pitch Competition Jury
The startup arena will be evaluated by a distinguished jury of regional venture leaders:
- Başak Zorlutuna, Principal, e2vc
- Özge Sevim, Principal, 212
- Sabina Babayeva, Head of Istanbul Hub, Tenity
- Yağız Karadeniz, Managing Partner, DOMiNO Ventures
- Emrecan Kerçek, Principal, Plug and Play Tech Center
Selected startups will compete for ecosystem visibility, investor access, and cross-border growth opportunities within the INMerge network.
INMerge Istanbul 2026 marks the beginning of a new regional innovation cycle — one that connects Türkiye’s scaling ecosystem with capital and opportunity across emerging markets.
The journey starts here. 🚀
