ITEA PO Days 2026: Bringing ideas and expertise together in Istanbul
Innovation starts with an idea, but it takes the right expertise and collaboration to turn that idea into impact. From 15 to 17 September, a record-breaking number of 324 participants from 20 countries came together in Istanbul, Türkiye, for the ITEA PO Days 2026 to share project ideas, form partnerships and prepare proposals for ITEA Call 2026.
With the highest number of participants and project ideas to date and, as a result, a record number of project idea pitches and posters presented during the event, the 2026 edition of the ITEA PO Days was record-breaking on many levels.
Recognising impactful innovation
The first day was dedicated to showcasing what successful ITEA collaboration can achieve. During the ITEA Awards of Excellence 2026 ceremony, the projects SYMPHONY, FAMILIAR, AI FORSchung and GenerIoT were recognised for their outstanding achievements and the impact created through their ITEA projects.
SYMPHONY received the ITEA Award of Excellence for Exceptional Excellence for its achievements in connected, AI-enabled healthcare. FAMILIAR demonstrated how federated AI and extended reality can support industrial efficiency and road safety, AI FORSchung was recognised for innovative AI-based solutions that turn fibre-optic sensing data into valuable information for healthcare and infrastructure, and GenerIoT showed how automated DevOps approaches can accelerate the development and maintenance of IoT systems.
Inspiration could also be found at the exhibition ‘Highlights of the ITEA impact’, where 38 ongoing and recently completed ITEA projects presented their progress and results. The exhibition offered participants a broad view of the innovations already being developed across the ITEA Community and provided concrete examples of what can grow from the project ideas first discussed at the ITEA PO Days.
At the end the first day, participants had the opportunity to meet one-to-one during the B2B session, creating opportunities to discuss possible collaboration. In parallel, the dedicated Newcomers’ workshop provided guidance and advice on how to shape a Project Outline, submit a proposal and address the financial, legal and managerial aspects of an ITEA project, for those joining the ITEA Community for the first time.
From first ideas to stronger consortia
On day two, attention shifted further towards the project ideas for the new ITEA Call. After the official ITEA PO Days opening, project idea leaders presented their ideas during the interactive poster session, giving participants the opportunity to identify complementary expertise and discuss potential collaboration face-to-face.
The event is very well prepared and organised. Structured brainstorming, breakout sessions and poster discussions give it the feel of a real workshop. I would like to see formats like this more often for national funding programmes in Germany as well."
- Robin Gröpler | ifak
After a good lunch, the discussions continued during the working group sessions, where project ideas were further developed and consortia took shape. Project idea leaders could share their progress and interest in additional partners and expertise during the intermediate brainstorm results presentation at the end of the second day and the final results presentation at the closing session of the event. Throughout the event, the focus was not simply on attracting partners, but on bringing together the right organisations and expertise to build strong international proposals, with a valid chance for funding.
The international character of the ITEA Community was once again clearly visible, with participants from 20 countries and a wide variety of large industry, SMEs, research organisations and academia represented, alongside the Public Authorities of nine countries
Building momentum before and after Istanbul
As in previous years, collaboration started well before everyone arrived in Istanbul. An online preparation session introduced participants to ITEA Call 2026 and the online brokerage tools, while Country information webinars provided information on national priorities, eligibility criteria and the funding outlook in participating countries. Online project idea pitch sessions also gave idea leaders the opportunity to introduce their proposals in advance. Together with the ITEA Project idea tool, Partner search and participants list, these activities enabled participants to explore ideas, identify missing expertise and make connections before meeting face-to-face in Istanbul.
The real value of ITEA PO Days lies not only in new project opportunities, but in the relationships we build and strengthen. Because today’s connection can become tomorrow’s collaboration.
- Olga Kattan | Philips
The ITEA PO Days 2026 once again showed the value of bringing people, ideas and expertise together in an open, international environment. This was confirmed by the participants, who rated the event an average of 4.5 out of 5.0, with 57% giving it the highest possible score of 5.0 (Excellent). Just like the event’s record-breaking participation figures, this evaluation score was also the highest ever achieved for the ITEA PO Days.
With ITEA Call 2026 now open, the connections made in Istanbul can develop into strong project proposals, and ultimately into new innovations with business and societal impact.
We wish all consortia good luck with the preparations of their Project Outline for ITEA Call 2026!
Deadline for PO submission: 2 November 2026 – 17:00 CET
Check the ITEA Call 2026 Calendar
Presentations and Recordings
For those who could not attend, recordings and presentations are available online, and the ITEA Project idea tool (subject to NDA) remains accessible via the PO Days website to explore project ideas and contact project idea leaders. In this overview you can see what kind of partners or expertise the projects in preparation are still looking for.
ITEA PO Days 2026 highlights:
- 324 participants (record-breaking) from 20 countries
- 80+ new project ideas presented in the poster session (record-breaking)
- Evaluation score: 4.5 out of 5.0 (record-breaking)
2026 impression
Why attend next year? Hear from our ITEA Community
Our experienced participants share their insights on why the ITEA PO Days are a must-attend event:
Long-term relationships
"Beyond individual projects, the PO Days also provide a foundation for building long-term relationships and strategic collaborations that continue to create value well beyond the lifetime of a single project. For anyone considering participating in an ITEA Call, PO Days is an excellent starting point"
- Mehrdad Saadatmand | RISE, Sweden
More than a matchmaking event
"Since my first ITEA PO Days nearly two decades ago, this event has helped shape dozens of successful project consortiums and even witnessed a bear of very successful spin offs (Cape of Good Code, IOTIQ). It's more than a matchmaking event. It’s where long-term friendships form and where you get a front-row seat to the future of technology."
- Özer Aydemir | Erste, Türkiye / IOTIQ, Germany
Opportunities
"The ITEA PO Days are enormously helpful in shaping successful projects. Furthermore, they also provide the opportunity to receive initial feedback from the public authorities. And last but not least, every year I enjoy meeting long-time friends from the ITEA Community"
- Thomans Bangemann | ifak, Germany
Where international consortia start to take shape
"From my experience over several years, international consortia often start to take shape during the PO Days - and this has also been the case for projects I have been involved in. For newcomers in particular, the event is a great opportunity to build a consortium and benefit from the support and experience of the ITEA Office and other participants."
- Peter Danielis | University of Rostock, Germany
More than originally anticipated
"I always come home from the ITEA PO Days with far more potential project collaborations than we originally anticipated."
- Jouke Dijkstra | Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
Direct access
"Recognised as the premier networking and ideation event within the ITEA community, the ITEA PO Days offer direct access to future project partners, funding agencies, and emerging innovation opportunities. The event significantly strengthens participants' ability to form high-quality consortia and develop competitive project proposals"
- Dominique Segers | Barco, Belgium
See eachother in the face
"Setting up, or participating, in an ITEA 4 project, starts with human interaction, creativity, and people that see each other in the face."
- Marco Ezedam | Reden, The Netherlands
Far beyond traditional channels
"What makes the ITEA PO Days truly invaluable is how rapidly it bridges the gap between scientific ambition and practical implementation. The structured pitching sessions and direct networking accelerate consortium building far beyond traditional channels, ensuring that emerging technological paradigms are paired with real-world industrial needs to deliver scalable, market-ready impact."
- Juan Miguel Gómez Berbis | UC3M, Spain