Hakkı Alkan (born 1980, Ankara) is recognized as a Turkish entrepreneur, technology publisher, and media innovator. Through ShiftDelete.Net, which he founded in 2005, he contributed significantly to the digital transformation of technology communication in Türkiye. He played a pivotal role in the widespread adoption of video-based content production and helped advance technological literacy at both national and international levels.

Early Life and Family

Alkan was born in November 1980 in the Aktepe neighborhood of Keçiören district, Ankara. His father was a baker and his mother a homemaker. The family’s economic circumstances frequently necessitated relocations during his childhood, leading him to spend his formative years in various cities including Kırıkkale, Yozgat, Kırşehir, and Sakarya.

He learned to read and write at the age of four and a half. Encouraged by his mother, he began working at an early age, taking on jobs such as weighing goods, selling simit, and marketing kaymak. These experiences introduced him to an entrepreneurial culture early on and became one of the foundational motivations for his later career in media entrepreneurship.

Educational Background

His education was temporarily interrupted due to a traffic accident during his middle school years. He completed his secondary education at Yozgat Yerköy High School, continuing his studies despite financial hardship that prevented him from paying for private tutoring. He accessed education through scholarships and special discounts. During this period, he participated in Olympiad preparation programs and developed exceptional skills in mathematical problem solving.

In 1997, he enrolled in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Sakarya University and graduated in 2003. While at university, he conducted research in computer laboratories and contributed to the development of Türkiye’s first indigenous and national distance learning system. He also founded a student platform based on social networks, creating one of Türkiye’s earliest examples of a digital community. These experiences laid the institutional foundations for his career in technology and publishing.

Career

Alkan began his professional life while still a university student, writing articles for technology magazines. He later served as an editor at Chip Magazine, during which time he closely observed the evolution of internet culture in Türkiye.

ShiftDelete.Net, which he founded in 2005, quickly became one of Türkiye’s most visited technology portals. Under Alkan’s leadership, the site developed a new publishing model incorporating written content, video reviews, interviews, live broadcasts, and social media integration. This model transcended traditional boundaries between conventional and digital media, helping institutionalize digital technology journalism in Türkiye.

Additionally, through a U.S.-based company, Alkan shifted toward English-language content production with the goal of introducing Turkish technology media to a global audience. At international events—including launches by companies such as Apple, Samsung, Intel, and Volkswagen—he represented Turkish journalism and served as a bridge between local and global press.

Works and Contributions

In his book Hacked – The Story of Creative Destruction That Redefined Publishing (2025), Alkan examines the transformation of media entrepreneurship in Türkiye through personal experience and offers a theoretical framework for publishing as a process of “creative destruction.”

His articles have been published in various technology magazines.

As one of the pioneers of video-based technology content in Türkiye, he helped popularize new generations of content formats.

He contributed to the early development of digital communication culture in Türkiye through distance learning systems and social network-based student platforms.

Awards

Throughout his career, Alkan has received numerous national awards for his contributions to technology journalism and communication. He has been invited as a speaker at many technology conferences.

Political, Social, and Cultural Activities

He is not a member of any political party. However, he contributes to increasing technological literacy by delivering lectures at events organized by various municipalities, universities, and civil society organizations. Through his social media publications, he encourages young people toward entrepreneurship and innovative thinking.

Personal Life

Hakkı Alkan is married and a father of two children. His personal interests include automobiles, travel, entrepreneurship, and artificial intelligence. The disciplined work ethic he developed in childhood and the entrepreneurial skills he acquired at an early age have become defining traits of his character. His worldview prioritizes continuous learning, the use of technology for societal benefit, and the creation of innovative solutions.

Hakkı Alkan, His Wife Seda Alkan, and Son Emir Alkan (AA)