WORLDEF
WORLDEF is a privately held global e-commerce and retail event platform, founded in 2015, that organizes large-scale conferences, curated matchmaking summits, awards programs, and media properties serving brands, marketplaces, technology providers, investors, and government trade bodies across Türkiye, MENA, and adjacent regions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersDubai, United Arab Emirates
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What WORLDEF does
WORLDEF is a privately held global e-commerce and retail event platform founded in 2015 and incorporated under Turkish law, with a regional headquarters in Dubai CommerCity, UAE. The company organizes large-scale international conferences, summits, and matchmaking events targeting the digital commerce ecosystem — primarily brands, marketplaces, technology providers, investors, and government trade bodies. Its flagship events include WORLDEF Istanbul 2026 (22,000 visitors from 82 countries, 187 exhibitors, 250 speakers), the inaugural WORLDEF Dubai 2026 at Dubai CommerCity under royal patronage, WORLDEF Prime Antalya 2026 (a curated premium-format summit), and WORLDEF Dubai 2027. The CEO is Ömer Nart (also rendered Omar Nart).
The company's technology stack centers on the proprietary WORLDEF Connect mobile application, which handles badge access via personalized QR codes, attendee profile discovery, B2B matchmaking, real-time messaging, and stage program scheduling, plus the Partner Panel (connect.worldef.com) for partner-side management of team tickets, booths, and event materials. Complementary media properties include WORLDEF Magazine (bi-monthly digital publication), WGN (WORLDEF Global News), and the E-COM TOP VOICES content platform. Awards programs — ECOM WOMEN 50, ECOM BRANDS 100, and ECOM TOP VOICES — provide recurring data-driven recognition across 34 e-commerce categories.
WORLDEF's revenue model is event-driven and multi-stream: ticket sales (General $530–$710, with accommodation-inclusive tiers up to $1,430), tiered sponsorship and partnership packages (1–5 star programs with booth sizes of 5–48m², VIP ticket bundles, and a la carte high-visibility assets such as VIP lanyard at $50,000, General lanyard at $60,000, and Bag Partnership at $20,000), awards program monetization, and media/advertising via magazine and newsletter inventory. Distribution is hybrid — self-serve via worldef.com and the Connect app for ticket buyers and content consumers, plus a direct enterprise sales motion for sponsors and partners. The company counts Alibaba, Amazon, Walmart, Noon, Trendyol, eBay, Google, Dubai CommerCity, Hepsiburada, Sürat Kargo, STYLI (Landmark Group), TİCİMAX, DIGIFIST x Shopify, İş Bankası, and WorldFirst among its named strategic partners and customers.
WORLDEF firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WORLDEF
- Legal name
- WORLDEF
- Website
- https://worldef.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- WORLDEF is a privately held global e-commerce and retail event platform, founded in 2015, that organizes large-scale conferences, curated matchmaking summits, awards programs, and media properties serving brands, marketplaces, technology providers, investors, and government trade bodies across Türkiye, MENA, and adjacent regions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WORLDEF industry classification
Industry- Product category
- E-commerce Trade Events and Conferences
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM), Sponsorship, Exhibitor & Partnership Management Services (THAHACAK), Corporate Conferences & Sales Kickoffs (MPAGAGAC)
Keywords
Where WORLDEF is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dubai
- HQ country
- United Arab Emirates
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices1 record
Markets served
WORLDEF business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations
Revenue model
- Event Tickets: Sale of tickets to WORLDEF events including General, Executive, and VIP categories. Ticket prices range from $530-$1,430 depending on tier and accommodation inclusions.
- Sponsorship & Partnership Packages: Multi-tiered partnership programs (1-5 star ratings) offering booth space, logo placement, VIP access, B2B tables, and promotional positioning. Additional à la carte options include VIP Lanyard ($50,000), General Lanyard ($60,000), Bag Partnership ($20,000), Badge Partnership, and WIFI Partnership.
- Awards Programs: Recognition programs including ECOM WOMEN 50 and ECOM BRANDS 100 that celebrate excellence in e-commerce and retail.
- Magazine & Content: Digital magazine publishing covering e-commerce trends, industry insights, and case studies published monthly.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | External Attendee (General) - $530 (early bird) / $710 standard |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Single Accommodation - $1,070 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Double Accommodation - $950 (early bird) / $1,430 standard |
| Other | Multi-year contract | 1-5 Star Partnership Tiers |
| Other | Multi-year contract | VIP Lanyard Partnership - $50,000 |
| Other | Multi-year contract | General Lanyard Partnership - $60,000 (SOLD OUT) |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Bag Partnership - $20,000 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
WORLDEF product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WORLDEF organizes large-scale international e-commerce and retail conferences and summits (Istanbul, Dubai, Antalya Prime) featuring exhibition floors, multi-stage content programs, B2B matchmaking via the WORLDEF Connect app, and curated VIP networking. Revenue is generated from tiered event ticket sales, multi-tier sponsorship/partnership packages with booth space and logo placement, awards programs (ECOM WOMEN 50, ECOM BRANDS 100), and ongoing digital content publishing (WORLDEF Magazine, WGN news, E-COM TOP VOICES). The platform serves e-commerce brands, marketplaces, technology providers, investors and government trade bodies across Türkiye, MENA, Europe, Balkans, Central Asia and Russia.
Product overview
WORLDEF is a global e-commerce and retail event, media, and networking platform. The company's core offering consists of international conferences and summits (WORLDEF Events, WORLDEF Prime), digital platforms (WORLDEF Connect App, Partner Panel), media publications (WORLDEF Magazine, WGN, E-COM TOP VOICES), and awards programs (ECOM WOMEN 50, ECOM BRANDS 100, ECOM TOP VOICES). WORLDEF Prime represents the company's premium, curated matchmaking summit format designed for high-level business development among retailers, marketplaces, and technology companies. The ecosystem connects industry leaders, experts, and innovators from across the globe, with events ranging from large-scale general gatherings (30,000+ attendees) to exclusive VIP-focused summits.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- WORLDEF Events Global e-commerce and retail conferences and summits (including Istanbul, Dubai, Antalya and Prime editions) that bring together industry professionals, brands, marketplaces, technology companies, investors and government trade bodies across 150+ countries. Events feature exhibition floors, multi-stage content programs, B2B matchmaking, and curated VIP networking, monetized through ticket sales, exhibition booths, and sponsorship packages.
- WORLDEF Connect App Official mobile event companion application (iOS/Android) that provides attendees with personalized QR codes for venue entry and badge collection, attendee profile browsing, meeting requests, in-app messaging with other ticket holders, event and stage program following, and access to event guides and informational documents.
- WORLDEF Magazine Industry digital magazine covering e-commerce trends, insights, analysis and case studies from the global commerce ecosystem, published monthly with coverage of digital commerce, retail, logistics, payments and technology, accessible via worldef.com/magazine.
- Partner Panel Digital management platform hosted at connect.worldef.com that enables partners, exhibitors and sponsors to manage their event participation, create team member tickets, configure booth information, and access educational materials and event resources from a single dashboard.
- ECOM WOMEN 50 Annual awards program recognizing women leaders in e-commerce and retail based on marketplace dominance, website performance, social media impact and public voting. Spans 34 e-commerce categories with no entry fees, no sponsorship bias and no paid rankings.
- ECOM BRANDS 100 Awards ceremony recognizing brands that generate real volume in the e-commerce and retail ecosystem, evaluated with a data-driven approach focused on sales performance and digital channel growth rather than perception.
- WORLDEF Prime Premium, highly curated, closed-loop and performance-driven networking and business summit format that connects leading retailer brands, marketplaces, and technology companies through a fully pre-arranged meeting model, exemplified by the WORLDEF Prime Antalya edition at Kremlin Palace (December 8-10, 2026, 3,000+ attendees, 150+ exhibitors, 80+ countries).
- WGN (WORLDEF Global News) Global news platform covering e-commerce and retail industry news, trends, analysis, and weekly insights, hosted at wgn.worldef.com.
Quantifiable outcome
- 22,000 visitors from 82 countries at WORLDEF Istanbul 2026
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use WORLDEF
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
WORLDEF technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
WORLDEF partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and 5 stars partner.
- AlibabaflagshipMajor global e-commerce marketplace and strategic partner of WORLDEF events. Alibaba participates as exhibitor and trusted brand partner at WORLDEF gatherings, reinforcing WORLDEF's position as a global e-commerce hub connector.
- AmazonflagshipGlobal e-commerce giant and strategic partner of WORLDEF. Amazon participates in WORLDEF events as exhibitor and partner, supporting WORLDEF's mission to connect the global e-commerce ecosystem.
- Dubai CommerCityflagshipStrategic partner and host venue/organizer of WORLDEF Dubai events. Dubai CommerCity, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, partners with WORLDEF to advance Dubai's position as a global digital commerce hub. The partnership includes co-hosting the WORLDEF Dubai Forum.
- eBaycoreGlobal e-commerce marketplace and partner of WORLDEF events. eBay participates as exhibitor and partner in WORLDEF's ecosystem connecting global marketplaces with brands and retailers.
- NooncoreLeading MENA e-commerce marketplace and strategic partner of WORLDEF. Noon participates in WORLDEF events as both exhibitor and partner, supporting regional e-commerce ecosystem development.
- TrendyolcoreLeading Turkish e-commerce marketplace and strategic partner of WORLDEF. Trendyol participates in WORLDEF events to connect with international brands and expand its global network.
- WalmartflagshipGlobal retail giant and partner of WORLDEF events. Walmart's participation as partner underscores WORLDEF's reach into the world's largest retail companies.
- GooglecoreTechnology partner providing digital advertising and cloud solutions to WORLDEF's e-commerce ecosystem participants. Google participates as exhibitor and partner at WORLDEF events.
- İŞ Bankası (Türkiye İş Bankası)coreMajor Turkish bank and financial services partner of WORLDEF, supporting digital commerce payment infrastructure and financial technology innovations in the Turkish e-commerce ecosystem.
- WorldFirstcoreCross-border payment solutions provider and partner of WORLDEF events, supporting international e-commerce payment needs for brands operating across borders.
- Hepsiburada5 stars partnerLeading Turkish e-commerce marketplace operating as a 5-star partner at WORLDEF events. Hepsiburada provides platform visibility and supports Turkish e-commerce brand expansion.
- SÜRAT KARGO (Sürat Kargo)5 stars partnerTurkish logistics and cargo company operating as main partner for WORLDEF events. Sürat Kargo provides logistics expertise and sponsorship for the e-commerce ecosystem gatherings.
- STYLI (Landmark Group)5 stars partnerFashion and lifestyle e-commerce platform under Landmark Group, operating as 5-star partner at WORLDEF events. STYLI represents the retail and fashion e-commerce segment.
- TİCİMAX5 stars partnerE-commerce technology and software provider offering platform solutions for Turkish brands. Operates as 5-star partner providing technology integration expertise to WORLDEF ecosystem.
- DIGIFIST x Shopify5 stars partnerE-commerce agency specializing in Shopify implementations, operating as 5-star partner at WORLDEF. Provides Shopify development and integration expertise.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
WORLDEF competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- PI Live: PI Live (Performance Insights Live) is a global conference focused on partner marketing, affiliate, and performance marketing in retail and e-commerce. It is comparable to WORLDEF on the B2B conference format and retail/e-commerce audience, but narrower in focus on the partner/affiliate marketing ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- TechCrunch Disrupt: TechCrunch Disrupt is a flagship global startup/tech conference with editions in San Francisco and other major hubs. It overlaps with WORLDEF on the technology/internet economy audience and the high-visibility sponsor/partner model, but is broader in scope and startup-oriented rather than e-commerce/retail-specific.
- NRF (National Retail Federation) Big Show: NRF Big Show is the largest annual retail industry conference globally, drawing tens of thousands of retailers, brands, and technology vendors to New York. It overlaps with WORLDEF on the retail/ecommerce audience and exhibitor mix, but operates at substantially larger scale and broader geographic scope.
- Web Summit: Web Summit is one of the world's largest technology conferences, with flagship editions in Lisbon and regional editions in Rio, Bangalore, and elsewhere. It overlaps with WORLDEF on the global tech/ecommerce audience and partnership/sponsorship model, but spans a much broader content remit than WORLDEF's e-commerce/retail focus.
- Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity: Cannes Lions is the world's premier creative marketing and advertising festival held annually in Cannes. It is comparable to WORLDEF on the global B2B awards/conference model with high-value sponsorship tiers and global brand participation, but operates at the intersection of advertising, media, and creativity rather than e-commerce/retail specifically.
Direct peers
- DMEXCO: DMEXCO is Europe's leading digital marketing and tech expo, held annually in Cologne with a focus on digital commerce, adtech, martech, and e-commerce platforms. It is comparable to WORLDEF on the digital commerce exhibition/conference format and sponsor/partner mix, though its core audience is European rather than MENA/Türkiye.
- eTail: eTail is a North America-focused retail and e-commerce conference series for digital retailers, brands, and technology vendors. It is directly comparable to WORLDEF on audience (retail/e-commerce leaders), content focus (digital commerce strategy), and the B2B conference/summit format, though concentrated in the U.S./European market.
- ShopTalk: ShopTalk is a major U.S. and UK-based retail/e-commerce conference (operated by RetailX) that brings together retailers, brands, and technology vendors. It is the most direct comparable to WORLDEF in audience (e-commerce leaders, marketplaces, solution providers) and product category (B2B retail/digital commerce conferences and expos), differing mainly in geography (North America/Europe vs. MENA/Türkiye).
- Money 20/20: Money 20/20 is the leading global fintech and payments conference series, with editions in Las Vegas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Its Middle East edition overlaps directly with WORLDEF's Dubai events on financial services, payments, and digital commerce audiences, and shares the multi-region flagship-event model with high-value sponsorship tiers.
Regional players
- GITEX Global: GITEX Global is the largest tech and startup event in the Middle East, held annually in Dubai. It is comparable to WORLDEF on regional positioning (UAE-anchored), enterprise sponsor base, and exhibition/conference format, though GITEX is broader in scope (general tech) while WORLDEF focuses on e-commerce/retail.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
WORLDEF social profiles
Digital presenceWORLDEF financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WORLDEF leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
WORLDEF funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WORLDEF M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about WORLDEF
What does WORLDEF do?
WORLDEF organizes large-scale international e-commerce and retail conferences and summits (Istanbul, Dubai, Antalya Prime) featuring exhibition floors, multi-stage content programs, B2B matchmaking via the WORLDEF Connect app, and curated VIP networking. Revenue is generated from tiered event ticket sales, multi-tier sponsorship/partnership packages with booth space and logo placement, awards programs (ECOM WOMEN 50, ECOM BRANDS 100), and ongoing digital content publishing (WORLDEF Magazine, WGN news, E-COM TOP VOICES). The platform serves e-commerce brands, marketplaces, technology providers, investors and government trade bodies across Türkiye, MENA, Europe, Balkans, Central Asia and Russia.
Is WORLDEF a public or private company?
WORLDEF is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was WORLDEF founded?
WORLDEF was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is WORLDEF based?
WORLDEF is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East region.
How does WORLDEF make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Event Tickets are the primary driver. The others are sponsorship & Partnership Packages, awards Programs and magazine & Content.
Who are WORLDEF's main competitors?
PI Live is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are TechCrunch Disrupt, NRF (National Retail Federation) Big Show, Web Summit and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Direct peers are DMEXCO, eTail, ShopTalk and Money 20/20. GITEX Global is listed as a regional player.
Does WORLDEF have an API?
No public API is recorded for WORLDEF.
What industry is WORLDEF in?
WORLDEF's product category is E-commerce Trade Events and Conferences. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHABAB, Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers, with a secondary code of MPAGAGAM, Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics). Its NAICS code is 56192.