Melike Akkaya

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) is a pioneering force in smart urban development, committed to transforming Istanbul into an equitable, green, and creative megacity for its over 16 million residents. As one of Turkey's largest metropolitan municipalities, IMM oversees a vast array of public services and infrastructure across 39 districts, supported by a workforce of approximately 76,000 employees. Our strategic vision, encapsulated in the Istanbul Smart City Strategic Plan (2021-2030), emphasises data-driven approaches, technological integration, and citizen engagement to achieve our goals. Istanbul serves as a unique "real-life testbed" for smart city solutions, offering an unparalleled environment for researchers and entrepreneurs to validate and scale their innovations globally. Our extensive portfolio includes nearly 180 projects in digital infrastructure, sustainable mobility, environmental resilience, economic development, and citizen-centric services. We are seeking collaborations on the event topics "Cities, Communities & Creativity" and "Digital & Deep Tech". Join us to explore synergistic partnerships in developing cutting-edge solutions for resilient, sustainable, and livable urban futures.