Istanbul Ignited by Slush’D Returns in October with 600 Investors
The second edition of Istanbul Ignited by Slush’D is scheduled to take place at Rixos Tersane in Istanbul from 12th to 14th October, featuring over 1,400 startups and 600 investors. This event follows the successful inaugural edition in 2025, which attracted approximately 1,700 attendees.
About the Event
Istanbul Ignited by Slush’D made its debut in 2025 as Istanbul Slush’D, returning this year with a new name and expanded scope. Organized locally by Şan Yalman and Melisa Çağlar, the event aims to foster connections between startups and investors from around the globe.
Key Themes:
- Sovereignty & Resilience: Exploring independent system development in supply chains and technology infrastructure.
- AI as Infrastructure: Examining AI's role as a foundation for new products and business models.
- The Human Edge: Understanding why creativity, judgment, and intuition remain vital as AI advances.
Notable Speakers:
- Accel partner Zhenya Loginov and Periodic Labs co-founder & CEO Ekin Doğuş Çubuk
- Langdock co-CEO & Visionaries senior partner Judith Dada
- Mido Capital founder & ex-Andreessen Horowitz partner Bryan Kim
- Index Ventures partner Emil Schaefer
- General Catalyst partner Zeynep Yavuz, Scribble Ventures founder Elizabeth Weil, and Nvidia's head of startups and VC Basil Fateen.
- Astra founder & CEO Chris Kemp
- Quantinuum founder Ilyas Khan
- Adjust CEO Andrey Kazakov, Midas founder Egem Eraslan
- Representing the gaming industry: Tripledot Studios co-founder Akin Babayiğit and Loom Games CEO Kübra Gündoğan.
- Other speakers include representatives from OpenAI, Anthropic, ElevenLabs, Index Ventures, Mubadala, PIF, and more.
Event Highlights:
- Investor Day (Day 0): An exclusive gathering for investors and founders featuring panels, matchmaking, and one-on-one conversations.
- Welcome Reception: Networking opportunities before the main conference begins.
- Hackathons: Two separate hackathons in collaboration with OpenAI and Manus, highlighting AI innovation.
Days 1 and 2 will bring together founders, investors, and technology leaders from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia for insightful discussions and networking opportunities.