The first SMM Istanbul is to be held at the centrally located L¸tfi Kirdar Convention & Exhibition Centre (ICEC) on the European side of Istanbul, from 21 to 23 January 2009. Funding is provided by the Turkish Development Centre for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (KOSGEB), which is supervised by the Turkish Economics Ministry, to all exhibitors that have a production facility in Turkey. KOSGEB funding goes not only to the 75 or so Turkish companies among the 150 exhibitors, but also to foreign companies which have an official company office and production facilities in Turkey. The Turkish Government will also be well represented at the Opening of SMM Istanbul.