EmrahKalfa

Professional experience

1. Arbalet & Emakin

   Istanbul, Turkey

   Progressed from technical leadership to product management within Emakin.

   Technical Product Manager

   08/2025 — Present●

   • Own product strategy and technical execution for Arbalet, an AI agent development platform.
   • Shape the platform vision around market needs, user expectations, and technical capabilities.
   • Prioritize the product backlog by business value, return on investment, and user feedback while coordinating sprint planning.
   • Align a cross-functional team of 15+ around shared product outcomes.
   • Turn insights from user research and competitive analysis into focused product decisions.

   Senior Backend Developer

   12/2024 — 08/2025

   • Contributed to the core engineering teams behind Emakin BPM and Arbalet.
   • Designed scalable backend services in .NET 8 and C# to support dynamic data structures.
   • Created PostgreSQL schemas for high-volume data and improved query performance.
   • Introduced Docker-based containerization to make deployments more consistent.
   • Partnered with frontend teams to build reliable, maintainable RESTful APIs.

2. Know YourX

   Istanbul, Turkey

   Product Owner

   02/2024 — 09/2024

   • Led sprint planning and backlog management to support the timely delivery of critical features.
   • Planned and conducted user acceptance testing to validate usability and quality before release.
   • Shaped product decisions around operational efficiency, profitability, and company goals.
   • Created process flows and requirements documentation that kept business and engineering aligned.

3. Apphere.co

   Istanbul, Turkey

   Startup Consultant

   09/2023 — 06/2024

   • Helped the team adopt Agile practices and establish a more disciplined sprint planning process.
   • Translated client needs into clear, actionable technical requirements for the development team.
   • Improved team focus and productivity through prioritization and resource planning guidance.

4. DDTECH

   Istanbul, Turkey

   Head of Project Management Office

   08/2023 — 02/2024

   • Established project management standards spanning pre-sales through post-launch support.
   • Managed a multi-project portfolio and prioritized delivery by profitability and strategic value.
   • Identified project risks early and developed practical mitigation plans.
   • Designed training and performance review processes that supported team development.

   Technical Project Manager

   03/2023 — 08/2023

   • Led cross-functional teams delivering identity verification systems for enterprise clients.
   • Balanced client expectations, scope, and technical constraints while coordinating the resolution of critical issues.
   • Contributed directly to Android and backend development during resource constraints to protect delivery timelines.

5. BoBu

   Istanbul, Turkey

   Senior Developer & Team Leader

   01/2023 — 03/2023

   • Provided technical leadership and mentorship to support the software team’s growth.
   • Created game concepts and Game Design Documents that shaped the company’s product direction.

6. Recos Games

   Istanbul, Turkey

   Co-Founder & Team Leader

   06/2020 — 11/2022

   • Defined the company vision and product direction while managing operations, legal processes, and partnerships.
   • Led game projects end to end, from architecture and development through testing and delivery.

Product management and technical expertise

Community and volunteer work

Led campus and regional programs with Google Developer Student Clubs and Bilişim Vadisi—organizing events, mentoring student teams, and supporting gaming and startup initiatives.

1. Developer Student Clubs Turkey

   Turkey · MENA

   Progressed from campus leadership to regional mentorship across gaming and startups.

   Gaming & Startup Mentor — MENA Region

   09/2021 — 09/2022

   • Mentored leaders and teams from 100+ universities across the MENA region on gaming and startup projects.
   • Planned and ran Google community events to community standards, including as organizer, jury member, and mentor at 10 universities.
   • Designed the Solution Challenge incubation program around sustainable development goals and Google technologies, including sponsor negotiations for funding.
   • Ran gaming startup camps and programs with DSC Turkey and Bilişim Vadisi.

   Campus Leader

   09/2020 — 09/2021

   • Organized campus events to Google community standards, including workshops, hackathons, and study jams.
   • Recruited and engaged students, growing participation across the campus community.
   • Led student product work using Google technologies and mentored members through project challenges.
   • Brought faculty and industry practitioners in to share practical insight with club members.

2. Bilişim Vadisi DIGIAGE

   Kocaeli, Turkey

   Game Development Mentor

   02/2022

   • Mentored participants in game development during a Bilişim Vadisi DIGIAGE program.

Get in touch.

For professional opportunities and collaborations, reach out by email or LinkedIn.