Early bird closes in78% of slots filled
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Istanbul, Türkiye · 11–13 June 2026 · Applications open

The stage where
e-commerce meets
its loudest voices.

E-Com Top Voices is a global open call for founders, operators, creators and contrarians shaping commerce, AI and retail. Submit your idea in two minutes. Take the WORLDEF Istanbul stage in front of 30,000 attendees from 50 countries..

30,000Attendees
50Countries
500+Global speakers
4Stages
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POWERED BYSürat Kargo

Take the Stage at WORLDEF

Join 500+ global leaders shaping the future of e-commerce, AI and retail.

Confirmed lineup · WORLDEF Istanbul 2026

The room you'll
be speaking to.

A taste of who's already on the schedule. Founders, operators, executives — the people you came to meet.

İhsan Ateş
CEO · DeFacto
Alp Önder Özpamukçu
President of the Retail Council · TOBB
Atilla Alver
General Manager · HepsiJET
Burak Önder
Chairman · ZÜCDER
Celal Toprak
Editor in Chief · Türkiye'de İş Dünyası Dergisi
Cem Oğuz
General Manager · Sürat Kargo
Cem Ötkün
Co-Founder & CEO · Bounce Watch
Cihat Özbekli
Founder · Kurumsal İyilik Enstitüsü
Erhan Meydan
AI Educator & YouTuber
Kerim Güzeliş
Chairman of the Board · Ariş
Krystel Abi-Assi
CEO · Amazon Sellers Society
M. Serdar Kuzuloğlu
Technology Writer · Trend Hunter
Murat Erdör
Founder · Me Consultancy
Ozan Sihay
Director · Digital Content Creator
Sevnur Malik
Strategic Partner Manager · Business Messaging · Meta
Yüce Zerey
Marketing, AI & Business Transformation Expert
Tuğer Akkaya
E-Commerce Expert · Tuger Inc.
+
This could be you.
Want to be in this lineup? Submit your idea — it takes two minutes.
Apply to speak
Voices · From the people you follow

Why creators say
WORLDEF is different.

Six unfiltered takes from operators, founders and culture-shapers who've been on the ground. Tap any reel.

@barisozcan1M followers
REEL
Barış Özcan
Creator · art, design, technology & ideas
@dorukyalcinsoy4.8K followers
REEL
Doruk Yalçınsoy
AI agents & automation systems
@erhanmeydan41K followers
REEL
Erhan Meydan
AI educator & YouTuber
@ozansihay529K followers
REEL
Ozan Sihay
Director · AI x cinematography
@mserdark187K followers
REEL
M. Serdar Kuzuloğlu
Tech journalist · trends & transformation
@tugerakkaya203K followers
REEL
Tuğer Akkaya
Amazon mentor · cross-border
Barış Özcan
@barisozcan · 1M followers
Why this matters at WORLDEF

Türkiye's most-watched film essayist on creativity and the future, with 1M+ followers across IG and YouTube. He brings the WORLDEF stage a storyteller's lens on how AI is rewiring craft, attention and culture.

Apply to speak
Why apply

Four reasons
this is worth two minutes.

One application. Four outcomes that compound long after the lights go down.

Stage time

15–25 minutes on a main stage in front of buyers, founders and decision makers — not a side room.

Full access pass

Speaker badge, green room, networking dinners, the after-party. Everything that turns talks into deals.

Global reach

Your talk packaged into clips, shorts and the WORLDEF magazine. Distribution to 50+ markets.

Own the spotlight

Top 10 finalists get a dedicated brand moment — your name, your story, your category, on the marquee.

How it works

Three steps.
One stage.

No long forms. No gatekeeping. If your idea is sharp, the rest is logistics.

Submit your idea

A working title, a 200-word abstract, a link to anything that proves you've thought about this before. Two minutes.

Get reviewed

Our editorial board reads every submission. Shortlists are announced weekly. You'll hear back within 10 days — yes, no, or "tell us more."

Take the stage

Selected speakers get a stage slot, a producer to rehearse with, and a film crew to capture it. You bring the idea. We bring the room.

Start my application
Topics we want to hear

Six categories.
Pick one. Or invent your own.

The best talks don't fit neatly. If your angle bends a category, even better — say so in the form.

01 · Case Study

The numbers behind a breakout

Honest, unfiltered teardowns of campaigns, launches or pivots — what worked, what didn't, and what you'd do again.

02 · Industry Insight

What the data is telling us

Original research, primary data, and the trends shaping commerce in the next 18 months.

03 · AI in Commerce

From hype to revenue line

Practical AI in merchandising, support, supply chain, ads and creative — with the real cost-to-value math.

04 · Cross-Border

Selling beyond your map

Marketplaces, fulfilment, payments, regulation. The mechanics of going from one country to twelve.

05 · Brand & Creator

Why people buy from people

The new playbook for brand-led commerce, creator partnerships and community-owned distribution.

06 · Founder Story

How it really happened

The story you can't tell on a podcast. The angle no one else has. Bring the scar tissue.

The journey

From idea to stage
in four phases.

You'll know where you stand at every step. No silence, no ghosting.

Phase 01

Open call

1 April – 22 May 2026
Phase 02

Public voting

22 May – 9 July 2026
Phase 03

Winners announced

9 July – 11 June 2026
Phase 04

Take the stage

11–13 June 2026
Questions

Frequently Asked
Questions

Who can participate in the E-Com Top Voices 2026 competition?+
The competition is open to industry leaders, content creators, founders, and innovators in e-commerce, AI, and retail from MENA and Türkiye.
What type of content can I submit?+
You can submit Case Studies, industry insights, AI & e-commerce innovations, entrepreneurship lessons, strategic topics (logistics, fintech, marketing tech), or practical innovation examples.
How long does it take to submit a proposal?+
Submitting your proposal takes only 2–3 minutes. You need to provide a brief description of your case study.
When is the submission deadline?+
The submission period runs from 1 April – 22 May 2026.
Can I update my profile after submission?+
Yes! After submitting your proposal, you'll receive an email to add more details to your profile. A compelling profile helps voters understand why your idea matters. Profile update window: 22–22 May 2026.
How does the public voting work?+
Public voting runs from 22 May – 5 June 2026.
How are the top entries selected?+
The top entries from public voting enter WORLDEF's evaluation phase (5 June – 9 July 2026), when WORLDEF reviews them to select the final speakers.
When will the winners be announced?+
Winners will be officially announced on July 9, 2026, and will be contacted directly with further instructions and speech schedules.
Where will the selected speakers present?+
If selected, you'll present your Case Study at the Case Study Stage during WORLDEF ISTANBUL, taking place 11–13 June 2026.
Do I need to pay to participate?+
Participation in the competition is free.
Can I submit multiple case studies?+
Each participant can submit one case study proposal.
Who will bear the traveling and accommodation fees?+
Travel and accommodation expenses are the responsibility of the selected speakers. WORLDEF provides the stage and the platform for your presentation, but participants are kindly expected to cover their own travel and accommodation arrangements.
Early bird closes May 22, 2026

Two minutes now.
One stage in June.

The lineup fills in the order applications come in. The form takes longer to read about than to fill out.

Apply to speak
  • No fees · No gatekeepers
  • Decision within 10 days
  • Travel support for selected finalists
  • Your talk filmed, edited, distributed
78% of early-bird slots filled
Apply to speak